BlogPoll Ballot

This was a tough one to compile. The top four teams are a no-brainer. Penn State was my preseason No. 5 team and they have not done anything to tarnish their ranking per se. But the No. 6 spot? Texas did not look like the No. 6 team this week. I am still no sold on the Mountaineers. Wisconsin continues to struggle, but the Badgers are still winning. But is any one playing better than Oregon right now? No. 6 maybe a bit high, but I don't know who else to put in there. The Cal-UO game in a few weeks will really clear up the top 5-6 teams in the nation.

After No. 18, it is a crapshoot. There are about 10-15 teams that one can argue deserve top a top 25 ranking. Tulsa was a team I thought about ranking, let's see how they do against OU this week. And I am still not ready to put Virginia Tech back in the top 25.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Southern Cal	1
2	LSU	1
3	Florida	--
4	Oklahoma	--
5	Penn State	--
6	Oregon	8
7	Rutgers	--
8	West Virginia	1
9	California	2
10	Texas	4
11	Wisconsin	1
12	Arizona State	--
13	South Carolina	--
14	Ohio State	3
15	Boston College	7
16	South Florida	--
17	Clemson	2
18	Texas A&M	5
19	Georgia Tech	11
20	Missouri	6
21	Kentucky	5
22	Alabama	4
23	Louisville	8
24	Cincinnati	2
25	Nebraska	7

Dropped Out: Tennessee (#20), Arkansas (#21), UCLA (#24), Iowa (#25).

College Football's Fan Nation

by nsc

I know Fresno State has a huge game coming up this weekend with a very strong Oregon team. I know many of you Bulldog fans enjoy reading the blog because of the football related content that both MDG and I provide. I know that the blog has been a great addition to my life and I have enjoyed writing it for every Bulldog (and visiting) fan out there. However, today I want to write about something that has nothing to do with the outcome of the Oregon-Fresno State football game. I would like to touch on the topic of college football and how it has become far too important in the lives of students, alumni, and even your average fan.

This past weekend in a game between Rutgers-Navy the Navy QB took a tremendous hit from the Rutgers defense. Immediately after Rutgers fans began chanting obscenities in the stands. Now many of us will just push this aside because of the fact that they are kids and that is what kids do when they are having fun. I on the other hand think that fans of this nature are becoming the norm in college football and that is something I never want to see. I understand that a big hit is big hit but there is a respect level that should be shown for those players on the football field. I believe that respect level is being ignored by so many fans today. I will be the first to admit that I am not a fan of any of the players from Boise State or Hawaii but you will not hear any obscenities from my mouth towards players from those teams if they come into Fresno and lose. You will not hear me putting down these teams if they bomb in front of the Doghouse on national television. Two years ago Fresno was able to finally defeat the Broncos after four consecutive losses and around my seats all I could hear were chants of "You Suck D**k" and "Overrated Pieces of Sh**". I don't mind the overrated chant, that has become so common that I can completely ignore it. But when fans begin using obscenities like "you f**king suck", or "you suck d**k" to the other team I think they are crossing the line.

I may be preaching to the choir when it comes to my complaints of the fans in college football but I believe many of us are forgetting what we are there to do. We are at the stadium to cheer on our team to win. I do not go to Fresno State's games to put down fans who are coming in from other states or cities. I do not go to the stadium to see which fans are going to fight. I do not go to the games to find out if our fan base is louder than the other team we are playing. I go to Fresno State football games to watch our Bulldogs fight their hardest to win. I go to these games to watch our players give their all for the pride of the valley and the university. We are watching a team full of late teens and early 20's play their hearts out. For the most part each and every one of these players leaves it all on the field and for that effort alone we should respect what they do. What we as fans have to remember is it is only a game. If the Dogs knock off Boise this year t hat is great, but we will have to turn around and play them again next season. When visiting fans come into our stadium we should welcome them as friends and enjoy the competition against one another. We will have to travel to their world next season so we can only hope that they would treat us the very same as we treat them. What I have seen in Bulldog stadium leads me to believe that opposing fans are not going to be so accepting when I make the trip to their stadiums. Where I sit in the stadium (section 27) generally has a large contingent of visiting fans and I have seen some terrible things happen in Bulldog stadium. In the end all I can hope is that the Oregon fans treat me as well as I treated the Oregon family that sat in front of me in 2006.

We are watching a game and nothing more. If you do not invest your life into college football (which most of you shouldn't) then the outcome of the game may effect for the rest of the day and even on into the following week, but remember that game is not your life. Your family and your friends are your life. Football will come and go as we are able to watch it year after year. Some years will be far better than others. Just remember that the players and visiting fans all deserve the same amount of respect as you would want them to give you. If you are the type of person that likes to be treated like shi* then so be it. I hope that others treat you the way that you treat them but I ask those in Fresno's football world to be a bit more classy when it comes to visiting fans. If they are obnoxious and such then so be it, that has nothing to do with us. We can be great fans and let our football team do all of the talking for us. Even if the football team doesn't come through this year there will be next year and you can always count on that. I want to say thank you to those who read the blog and comment on it. For me it has been a very good experience and one I would like to continue doing for the next couple of years. I hope that everyone will continue coming to the Bulldogfootballblog to read about what is going on in the Bulldog football world.

Fresno State-Oregon: QB and RB Comparison

by nsc

Fresno State and Oregon know one another all to well. They have played each other four times over the past seven seasons including the past three years (including this season). There will be very little that these teams can do on the field against one another that has not been done before. Fresno State has seen Dixon. Fresno State knows Dixon can move in the pocket and throw on the run. Fresno State knows Stewart and Johnson are top of the line RB's who can break off a big run at any point in the game. Fresno State knows that Dixon likes to run the spread offense and open up the field. On the other side of the ball Oregon knows Fresno State likes to run the ball. Oregon knows Fresno State likes to use play action to open up the passing lanes down field. Although Fresno State has an entire of stock of new players on the field they use the same base offense and defense that they always have. In other words I expect this to be another close Oregon-Fresno State battle.

Quarterbacks

Dennis Dixon - Fresno State is going to have watch out for Dixon who seems to have improved his accuracy downfield. Dixon has come out of the gates strong in 2007 much like he did in 2006 when he led Oregon to a 4-0 start. Dixon is fast and has a strong arm. Because of his speed defenses will have to watch out for Dixon when he gets out of the pocket. He is the type of QB that can break your heart on a third and five where the defense completely shuts down the passing lanes but allows Dixon to run for the first down. Dixon is going to get yards on the ground. He is also going to find a way to complete passes that many QB's cannot make. As Zagfan told me Dixon is one of the better playground QB's in college football and I cannot argue with that. Oregon's offense is diverse in the sense that they can both run and pass whenever they feel like it. It will take a tremendous effort from the Fresno State defensive line in order to put pressure on Dixon and make him throw the ball well before he wants to. If Fresno State can find a way to shut the passing lanes down and force Dixon to the middle of the field they will be in great shape heading into the decisive fourth quarter.

Tom Brandstater - A disastrous 2006 has not affected Brandstater in the very least coming in to 2007. Brandstater has begun the season in 2007 far and away better than he did this past season as he is completing 64% of his passes with four td's and one int. Brandstater seemed to gain confidence this past week against Texas A&M as the game progressed along. We all know Brandstater has the tools to be a great QB but it wasn't until this past weekend that he began to show those tools. No, Brandstater has not turned the corner completely and become a great college QB. It is going to take four or five good outings in succession for Brandstater to be considered one of the better QB's in the WAC but I am starting to believe that maybe Pat Hill really did know much more than all of us gave him credit for. Brandstater does not seem content with forcing the ball into terrible pass situations and aside his one int against A&M he has done a very good job managing the game. If Brandstater can continue to find his touch over the middle of the field and refrain from throwing into double coverage he will give Fresno State a chance to win this game Saturday.

QB Advantage - Because this game is in Autzen and Dixon can display both speed and an arm I feel Dixon has the advantage Saturday. However, the gap between Brandstater and opposing QB's seems to be getting smaller with each game that passes.

Running Backs

Oregon - Jonathan Stewart and Jeremiah Johnson lead Oregon's three headed rushing attack which also includes Dennis Dixon who leads the team in rushing yards. Because Oregon enjoys running the spread offense more often than not their RB's are given plenty of room to run up the middle of the field. Fresno State's defense has always been quite good at stopping the run up the middle but the speed of Oregon's RB's will present a problem for the Bulldogs defense regardless of how good they play. Fresno State's secondary is light years faster than it was this past season and has a strong core group that will be able to provide run support, but if Dixon, Stewart, or Johnson break one off into the open field they are as good as gone. Dixon showed his speed in week one against Houston when he broke off an 80 yard TD on the ground. Fresno State will have to try and keep Dixon in the pocket in order to be successful against the running game of Oregon's and I am not truly sure that is possible.

Fresno State - For the Bulldogs the outlook on the running game comes down to one aspect: Health. If Lonyae Miller and Ryan Matthews are healthy and play Saturday Fresno State will have a great chance with respect to gaining yards on the ground. Miller is a strong back that rarely goes down on the first hit while Matthews is a finesse back that can take a hit while possessing great vision. Matthews seems to find the hole every time he is given the ball and is very good at following his offensive line when given the ball. Fresno State will also counter with Anthony Harding who seems to be a bruiser type running back. If the Bulldogs hope for a chance to win this game they are going to have to have Miller and Matthews in the lineup. These two RB's will give the Dogs yards on the ground each time they touch the ball and will help to quiet down the raucous crowd at Autzen. Without these two Fresno State will have to rely on passing more than they would like to and the last time that happened in Autzen the Dogs went home with a 37-34 loss.

RB Advantage - The running games are very evenly matched if Matthews and Miller play, but a huge advantage to Oregon if one of these men does not suit up for the Dogs.

Tomorrow I will cover the defenses of both teams. This game could very well come down to which defense makes the last stop. Fresno State and Oregon have shown they can play defense and we shall see if that continues when they step on the field against one another.

Time to Vote Again...

I haven't voted in the Blogpoll since November 13, 2006. Even so, my voting was sporadic at best last year. And I haven't voted in the first three polls of this season either...but I did place a vote for my preseason Top 16 (please ignore the No. 2, 7 and 10 teams, we all make mistakes, although FSU and VA Tech still have a chance at the ACC title) in the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.

Without further wait my Blogpoll ballot for this week. Applaud me, tear it apart, whatever...nsc will start to get involved and maybe he'll vote in next week's if he wants.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU	25
2	Southern Cal	24
3	Florida	23
4	Oklahoma	22
5	Penn State	21
6	Texas	20
7	Rutgers	19
8	Georgia Tech	18
9	West Virginia	17
10	Wisconsin	16
11	California	15
12	Arizona State	14
13	South Carolina	13
14	Oregon	12
15	Louisville	11
16	South Florida	10
17	Ohio State	9
18	Nebraska	8
19	Clemson	7
20	Tennessee	6
21	Arkansas	5
22	Boston College	4
23	Texas A&M	3
24	UCLA	2
25	Iowa	1

Dropped Out:

Fresno State-Oregon: Can the Dogs Beat the Ducks?

by nsc

The Ducks opened the season with two impressive wins. While they struggled in the first half against Houston, the Ducks were able to use their running game to blow out the Cougars in the end. This past Saturday the Ducks blew out a Michigan team in Ann Arbor that I do not feel is truly that strong. I understand that Oregon runs a very diverse offense in which they allow their QB to do pretty much whatever he wants to. I understand that Dixon is one of the better schoolyard QB's in the college football game today, but the win over Michigan does not tell me that Oregon is going to wipe the Dogs off the field. Last season Oregon started out very strong early on as well as they began the season 4-0. I don't know if this is the same type of team this year around, but once again the Ducks have begun the season hot and Fresno State will have to figure out how to shut down the option offense that Oregon likes to run if they want to win this game. The one positive is that Fresno State knows Oregon well. Fresno State has played Oregon so many times over the past seven years that they mine as well call each other's plays out before they run them. The Dogs will not be surprised by the Ducks speed or their option running game as they have seen plenty of both to know exactly what to expect.

Saturday Fresno State showed us that they have gone from a slow team who could not tackle in 2006 to a speedy team who has learned how to hit and wrap up offensive players on the outside. Oregon has the outside speed that Goodsen had for TAMU and if Fresno State's corners can wrap up the Ducks RB's this will be a very competitive game. Fresno State is going to have to be able to recuperate from it's tough loss to A&M and face another top 25 team in Oregon but this team seems to have the desire and heart to get on the field and get the job done. At the same time the Dogs main cog in the defensive line will be back on the field when Shirley is welcomed back to the team. The Dogs sorely missed Shirley on the field this past Saturday as he could have been the fix for Jovorski Lane rushing up the middle of the field. While Oregon does not have the power run game that TAMU showed us, Oregon will be faster and throws the ball far better than A&M did. Dixon is not the most consistent passer when it comes to underneath or intermediate routes, but he has a great arm on the deep ball and Fresno State will have to compensate for that with great corner play throughout the game.

My main question for this blog focuses on if the Dogs can indeed upset the Ducks and I honestly think it is within our team to do so. The Dogs seem to have the tools on both offense and defense to be able to go into Eugene and knock the Ducks off. Whether they do that or not will come down to execution and how the Dogs regroup after their hard fought loss at A&M. In the past we all know the Dogs have not responded to tough luck losses well (think back to USC in 2005 and Oregon in 2006). This year the team seems far more confident that they can get the job done than they have in the past. There is a lot of youth on this team and because of that the Dogs seem content to be on the field giving their all every single week. This is not the type of team that will sit back and rest on what has happened in the past. Instead this is a team that looks as if it can turn the page and make every week an exciting football week. Fresno State will challenge Oregon. Fresno State will not lose to the Ducks by sixteen this week as the betting line suggests. Instead I am willing to bet that this game will once again come down to the final two minutes with either the Ducks or Dogs in the lead and the opposite team driving for the win. Let's just hope the refs don't have a say in this one for either team because what I have learned is it is better to let the players decide who is the better team. Fresno State and Oregon have given us some great games in the past and I see absolutely no reason why the next game in the series will be any different.

Note - The rest of the week will be dedicated to comparing what each team has on offense, defense, and special teams. This should be a very good game. Hopefully the Dogs will come out on top in the end.

A Game for the Ages

by nsc

We watch college football every Saturday for countless years. It is not often that you are treated to a game like the one Fresno State and Texas A&M gave us yesterday. The Bulldogs fell behind 19-0 at halftime only to breathe life back into the program by putting up 45 second half/overtime points. Who would have thought this offense was capable of putting up 45 points in a half, or for that matter an entire game? Yesterday Fresno State showed that in 2007 they will come to play. The Dogs may not come out victorious every single game but we should not expect that from this team. The 2007 Bulldogs are a young team led by seniors such as Riley and Clutts. Quick, tell me how many starters on offense are seniors? We do not have one senior receiver nor do we have one senior running back. We have no senior tight ends. Our QB is not a senior and some of our offensive line are not seniors either. We have a very deep offensive line anyhow so the Dogs are going to be an exciting offensive unit for at least the next two years. Our new offensive coordinator should take some of the credit as he allowed TB to throw the ball in the second half. Although Brandstater under threw Ajirotutu on the deep ball the fact is that TB actually was given the opportunity to go deep. A&M did not throw the ball deep on our secondary one time and that is because the coverage was stellar. When a game like the one we watched yesterday is played there is a lot we can take from it. Some of what we can take is good while some of it is going to be bad. Here is what I feel like we should take from the game yesterday.

Positives - For the first time in a long time I think there are far more positives from this game than negatives. First let me say the heart this team showed coming back in the second half is exactly what we want in our football team. To be down the way we were at half and come back is something that we have not seen in these Bulldogs since the USC game. However, I truly feel like this team has found what they were sorely missing with respect to confidence and this game is going to lead to many exciting wins for the Dogs in the future. If you need proof in this look no further than TB's quote in which he stated "I am sick and tired of losing the close games". I think this is the type of game that tells the Dogs they can play with the big teams once again and eventually the luck is going to go our way.

I was very impressed with the play of our QB in the second half. Brandstater made so many good throws that I thought I was watching a veteran QB with two years of experience in the Bulldogs program. Oh wait a minute, I was watching that. I think Tom came a long ways yesterday and the one play the symbolized his amazing efforts would have been the play where he was knocked down and dazed. Only a series of plays letter did Tom get in there to throw an amazing TD to Pascoe to set up a chance to tie on a two point conversion. Yes, Tom needs to slide when he runs but he has heart and he is one tough kid. Did anyone notice how good our receivers hands were yesterday? I believe Moore dropped one pass in the corner and fumbled the ball into the end zone but aside those two plays I cannot recall anyone dropping anything. Moore, Ajirotutu, Crawley, Wylie, Smith, and Pascoe caught everything thrown their way (although Smith often fumbled the ball away after the catch). Ryan Matthews (although he left the game with an injury) is the kind of RB that excites all of us to see on the field. Devon Wylie is going to be a very exciting player for the Dogs and our entire secondary played off their rockers yesterday. They allowed 79 yards passing the entire game. If Shilrey is on the field yesterday the stats don't look so absurd on the ground. Overall this team played well yesterday and it looks like our defense is going to be fast, physical, and is going to make plays for us this season. Having Riley and Jacobs in there is just refreshing as they both are around the ball every play. They will make it hard on Oregon next weekend, that much is for sure.

Negatives - Every game is going to have negatives regardless of how good one team plays. The Dogs cannot come out on offense like they did yesterday against Oregon. They need the sense that the game is on the line right from the start. If the Dogs can come out and keep the game close against Oregon we might be in for another wild ride with the Ducks. Our field goal unit has not been up to par lately. Stitser missed two field goals, one of which I really feel he should have made. He is pulling everything left and we need him to start kicking the ball through the uprights. Clifotn Smith has to realize ball security is the most important aspect of college football. If he is going to contribute he cannot fumble the ball away continuously. Brandstater cannot make a mental mistake like he did when he gave up a safety. He needs to roll out or throw the ball closer to one of our receivers. Mental mistakes will kill the dogs if they don't correct them. Overall I was pleased with this team and although Moore fumbled on the one he was trying to win the game and I cannot fault someone for extra effort.

I know many of you are disappointed that we lost this game I believe this is going to lead to many great games for the Dogs. I believe this makes us a player when it comes to the WAC. Fresno State very easily could be in the mix when we travel to NMSU for the last game of the season. Let's just hope the desire and fire stays with the Dogs this season. I personally think we are about to embark on a special ride that will culminate with one hell of a 2008 season.

Fresno State - Texas A&M: Quarterbacks

by nsc

I am going to have be honest right from the start with all who read the Bulldog blog. There will be very few times this season that I give Fresno State the advantage with respect to the QB situation. I realize that many of you believe in Brandstater but until he proves that he can carry this team on the field I am not going to give the Dogs the advantage in the QB area of play. With that being said Stephen McGee comes into this game as the more accomplished QB if for nothing less than his win-loss record in games he has started at Texas A&M. Without further adieu here is the comparison of the two QB's which includes what they did last season as well:

Tom Brandstater - We all know the story with this kid. Tom has the arm. Tom has the size. Tom has the quickness. But will Tom have the confidence and state of mind to succeed in College Station? When all is said and done that is exactly what it comes down to for Brandstater and the Bulldogs. Fresno State needs a team leader and Brandstater needs to be that man on offense. Brandstater will not be the guy who throws a TD and explodes with emotion like a David Carr or Trent Dilfer did in the past. Instead he is more comparable to Billy Volek who got the job done but went about it very quietly. The city of Fresno is willing to let Brandstater be the quiet leader but only if he comes through the way the Bulldogs need him to. Looking at his performance last week Brandstater played much better than he did in 2006. Brandstater completed 16 passes in 27 attempts throwing for 199 yards and one td. He would have had two td's if Marlon Moore did not fumble the ball on the one yard line. Brandstater did fumble the ball one time but he escaped pressure countless times and racked up close to fifty yards on the ground. What Brandstater will have to work on is looking off receivers. He tends to lock on far too long and if he does that against a good defensive secondary he will not be able to succeed. A&M has a young secondary so Brandstater may be able to get away with this to begin the game but he will have to change his ways fast in order to bring the Bulldogs success. If Brandstater can limit his mistakes and remember to slide when he is on the run he will have a decent game, one that gives the Bulldogs a chance in the end.

Stephen McGee - A&M has a QB who can both throw and run the ball. In 2006 McGee threw for over 2000 yards while completing over 60% of his passes. He threw twelve td's to only two int's in 2006 and also ran for over 600 yards on the season. McGee does not have the most accurate arm as he displayed last week against Montana State only completing 10 out of 20 passes for 112 yards. However, McGee ran for 121 yards on nine carries and this is where this man could kill Fresno State. Last season Fresno State faced two mobile QB's who gave the Dogs fits on defense. Steinbeck from Washington and Dixon from Oregon caused numerous problems for the Dogs as they were able to elude the rush and create opportunities that a drop back passer would not have been able to do. McGee will be able to do the same exact thing if he does not see anything he likes when he surveys the field. McGee is used to playing in big time games. Every year A&M faces schools such as Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska. Playing Fresno State is not going to be intimidating in any shape or form for this young man. If the Bulldogs want to limit his success they are going to have to find a way to contain him in the backfield. The only way to do so is to blitz early and often and to make sure that McGee does not see the field the way he likes to. Very few teams have been able to limit the success of this young man but if Fresno State wants to study the tape of a team who did a great job against McGee the Dogs might want to look at the tape of the Cal game last season. McGee is going to make plays against the Dogs, it is in his nature to do so. If Fresno State can hold McGee to fifty yards rushing and under two hundred yards passing they will be in good shape in this game. It always sounds easier on a blog than it does when it comes to game time. Regardless it will be a tough task for the Dogs.

QB Advantage - Texas A&M

This Time Around Defense Alone Will Not Be Enough

by NSC

Saturday night Fresno State's defense put forth an effort we as fans had not seen in a long time at this university. Limiting Sacramento State to 103 yards on offense is an amazing accomplishment for this young Bulldogs defense. However, what we as fans have to realize is that was a terrible Sacramento State team. The offense of the Hornets had been overhauled completely and the Bulldogs experienced this first hand as they were challenged few times Saturday night. Texas A&M will be a much tougher opponent who should be favored to win this game by at least two touchdowns. Fresno State will have to do far more than they did this past Saturday to leave College station with a victory. Tom Brandstater has never played in an environment like College Station will offer him. Many of the Bulldogs have never walked into a football environment such as the one they will play in next Saturday. Kyle Field dons the nickname "The Twelfth Man" for a reason. Starting tomorrow I will begin my breakdown of each team and who has the advantages on offense, defense, etc. Today I want to concentrate on what Fresno State will have to do in order to walk out of College Station with a victory.

1) Find a playmaker on offense - Fresno State put up 24 points against Sac State. I realize they should have scored somewhere between 34-38 points but the same thing could happen against A&M. Fresno State needs to utilize the tools they have on offense. Bear Pascoe needs to be a big part of this offense once again as he has the best hands on this team. Brandstater will not be able to lock on to a receiver and find success and if he continues to get nervous on third downs this team is going to experience a world of trouble. I know Tom can make the throws but I am not sure if he knows he can. He seems to lose confidence when he is on the field and when we play A&M that cannot happen. We will run the ball often because that is the staple of a Bulldog offense but against a Big 12 powerhouse we will have to be able to throw in order to have success on offense. Seji Ajirotutu (now wearing number 6), Marlin Moore, and Crawley will all have to be involved Saturday in order for the Dogs to be successful on offense.

2) Limit A&M's running game - Lane and Goodson are going to run and they are going to run hard at that. Lane is a beast with the ball and may run right through the Bulldogs defensive line. As long as the Dogs can keep the RB's in the middle of the field they will be fine. Fresno State has never been a team that can be beat with the run. They usually falter to the pass so the fact that A&M relies on the run will be a positive for Fresno State. However, running QB's tend to give the Bulldogs problems and that is exactly what McGee is for Texas A&M. He may not have the most accurate arm but if he can get out of the pocket and create havoc the Dogs will have problems figuring out whether to commit to the running QB or to stay with the receivers. Somehow the Dogs will have to find a way to keep McGee in the pocket. If they can do that the Dogs will be able to limit what A&M does on offense.

3) Create points on special teams - Fresno State will have to find a way to create great field position through punt and kick returns. Clifton Smith and Devon Wylie are going to have to show that they can make things happen in big time games such as this one. Many probably remember Fresno State's Adam Jennings creating various opportunities for the Dogs when they took on USC. In order for the Dogs to score often the returners are going to have to do the same exact thing against A&M. The better the field position the easier it will be for Brandstater to relax and understand that he will not have to go 80 yards each time the he steps on the field.

4) Last but not least, create turnovers - Fresno State cannot turn the ball over three times this weekend. Truthfully Fresno State may not be able to turn the ball over one time. It is also possible that the Bulldogs do not turn the ball over one time, create two or three turnovers and still lose the game. Playing at College Station will not be easy and Fresno State will have to be ready for what is in store for them. They need to realize the best way of beating A&M is to do exactly what Appalachian State did against Michigan last weekend: jump out to an early lead to take the crowd out of the game. If the Dogs defense can create extra opportunities for the offense and the Dogs offense can hold on to the ball this may be a much better game than I am truly expecting it to be. In the end I feel like A&M will be too strong on the road in this one. The fact that the Aggies played so poorly last week will only fuel them to come out to a much stronger start in this one. Fresno State is far better than Montana State and the Aggies know they will have to play much better than they did this past week. Unfortunately I think they will.

Texas A&M - 38
Fresno State - 17

a Win Really Just a Win?

by NSC (this was supposed to be published Friday afternoon)

I want everyone who reads this blog to sit back and think about something for a minute. Fresno State embarks upon its 2007 football season tomorrow night at seven p.m (On a side note for those of you who will not be there tomorrow shame on you, it's the season opener and you need to get out there and see what this team is all about). Although we open the season against Sacramento State this game is being viewed by fans in various different aspects. Some fans are not excited about the prospects of playing a Div. 1AA school to start the season. Some fans think it is great to play a Div. 1AA school because this team needs to build some confidence going into the following two weeks at A&M and Oregon. Some fans do not care who we play and are just happy there is a college football game for the first time in nine months in the city of Fresno (I am a part of this group). While we all have our differing opinions of what this game means to the Bulldogs the question I want to ask is: If we win does it really matter how we win the game?

Tomorrow night there is a possibility that Fresno State will run the ball continuously and still win the game by at least four td's. Sacramento State is starting over in a sense as they welcome in an entirely new offense to the team. The Hornets will not have much of a chance against the Bulldogs but do you as fans expect Fresno State to throw for 300 yards? Do you expect the Dogs to run for 200 yards on the ground? Do you expect Devon Wylie or Clifton Smith to return a kick for a td? Do you expect the defense to be stellar and shut down the Hornets? What happens if the Dogs play is less than stellar? What happens if in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs find themselves winning by a mere td and our QB falters once again? Will you as fans begin to turn on the Bulldogs? What happens if the final score is 24-17 and the Dogs leave with a hard fought win? Yes the Dogs will have won the game but isn't this win so much more than just a win? When all is said and done wouldn't a win such as this type leave the fans with much to ponder in the coming week?

We as fans want the Dogs to punish the Hornets much like Boise State manhandled Weber State last night. But does the style of win truly matter? I used to worry about stats. I used to feel like it was important if our QB threw for 4,000 yards and 35 td's in a season. Today I do not care. Today all that matters is that the Bulldogs finish with a higher score than the opponent. If Fresno State scored 24 points a game and went 12-0 all that would matter is that 12-0 finish. In the end a win is never just a win. A win is always so much more than just that. A win gives us implications that maybe this team will win again next week. Sometimes a win tells us that there is no way we are going to win the following game because of the style we won the game in. Sometimes teams win and have no business doing so. In 2007 I feel like Fresno State will break even. I think this is a .500 team talent and experience wise. However, if this team wins seven to ten games I wil not care how it is done. If Brandstater throws for 150 yards and does not make the big game mistakes that he made in 2006 I will think of him as a much better QB. If Our CB's turn around while running down the field I will think of them as far superior to what we had last year. If our d-line finds a way to get pressure on the QB often I will feel like the d-line outplayed the d-line from 2006.

In the end a win is never just a win. If the Dogs win in an ugly game so many will find a way to crucify this team for the way they played. However, just remember that it does not matter if the Bulldogs win games 55-10 or 42-39, both still go down in the win column and that is the one result that matters. I do not have as positive an outlook on the season as MDG does. I do not feel this team will make a bowl game, but as I said before if they do I do not care how it happens. I do not care what they will have done to accomplsih a bowl game, I only care that they got there. I hope that most of you Bulldog fans feel the same exact way when all is said and done.

Note - Zagfan is the one who threw this idea for a blog at me. He asked me to write about the way we perceive the wins that the Bulldogs experience. He said that Mario gave him an assist on this. Thanks for the idea guys and by the way now that we play a real team in two weeks I wll start the blog up for good for quite a while starting Tuesday.

What to Expect Come September 1st

It has been nearly nine months since we last witnessed a Fresno State football game at Bulldog Stadium. We have had long enough to spout off about what happened in 2006. We have had plenty of time to vent our frustrations about losing to the likes of San Jose State (yes I still believe they are an average football team at best) and Utah State. We have had three quarters of a year to put down Tom Brandstater, Pat Hill, and anyone else associated with the Bulldogs football program that has not pulled his weight. However, we have also had the past nine months to see the changes that have been made to the football program. No longer is this a Pat Hill led team that is overconfident. No longer do we have a Bulldog team that headlines the WAC. Instead in 2007 there are two top 25 teams and for the first time in as long as I can remember neither one is Fresno State. In other words we finally have the chance to start over on September 1st. I for one cannot wait for the first game this season. In year's past I have always thoroughly enjoyed the first full day of college football. However this season is going to be something different. Fresno State does not allow you to begin tailgating until four hours before the football game begins but I am here to tell you that Saturday September 1st my football day is going to start well before three pm. If everything goes to plan this is exactly how September 1st is going to go for a fan such as me.

9am - On college football Saturday I usually roll out of bed ready for any game that is being shown on television. I do not care if I am watching Southwestern Alabama A&M vs. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the point is college football is finally back. I will wake up and turn the TV on within ten seconds of my eyes opening. My g/f will let out a loud sigh because she realizes what that symbolizes for the next four months of my life. She will stare at me and say "So it begins". From there I will get up and go out to the living room to begin watching college football on the large flat screen HD TV that I paid far too much money for. But the greatest thing about September 1st is that the Bulldogs play their first game that night. I will get the Fresno Bee that day (the only day of the year I get it) and read the previews so I can get a feel for what others think about how the day will go against Sac State.

11am - By the time I am done reading my g/f will come out and ask me why I have not showered. If you are a college football fan you know the answer is because there is some irrelevant game that has my attention and I cannot shower until halftime or the game is over. From that point I will then get up and grab my DVDs of all past Bulldog games I have and begin watching them. I have to be able to see some great Bulldog moments so I can get ready for what I am about to see only eight hours later. The MPC Bowl will get me excited because I know the Bulldogs will be back to that level of play in the next few years.

1pm - By this time due to constant nagging I will have finally showered and my friends will have headed over to watch whatever game is on. We will all reminisce about the great moments in Bulldog past and begin to talk about the 2007 season. We will ask "Can Tommy do it this year for us? Will Devon Wylie be the impact player we hope him to be? Will our defense be the rock it once was for this team? Will Ryan Mathews get as much playing time as his skills warrant? Last but not least will Pat Hill regain control of this team the way he has in years past?" The 2007 season will begin in four hours so we will all finally head out to the Bark Board tailgate to meet up with Mario (MDG), Matt (Zagfan559) and everyone else who will be down there to celebrate the greatest day of the year.

3pm - The Bulldog tailgate will begin and each and everyone of us will now become giddy because there is nothing that makes us feel better in life than watching the Bulldogs play football. We will all begin to enter the white, blue, and red lots and notice how much red we see across the stadium. The Bulldog fans will have returned with hope and loyalty in their hearts as they want players like Brandstater to succeed. 2006 left us with a bad taste but it did not make all of asinine cynical fans. We still love the Bulldogs and we still hope that these players will perform as well as we know they can. That is what makes us great fans, we hold out hope for these guys regardless of what happens.

5pm - After drinking way too much when I first arrive I will finally decide its probably a good idea to stop acting like an idiot and to eat something so I don't miss half the game in the bathroom due to being sick. The game is now less than two hours away and I will think about how great of a Saturday this has been with all of my football friends. Football games should be events that all of us Bulldog fans will remember because we get to spend time with those that share the same hopes: That one day the Bulldogs will finish 12-0.

7pm - Finally the game will begin and the Bulldogs will have a chance to begin the season 1-0. We may be playing Sac State but a win is a win. We will sit in the stands and watch this team come together for the first time in over a season and a half. We will watch Devon Wylie and Clifton Smith scare the hell out of the Hornets kick return game. We will watch Tom Brandstater finally show some faith in himself and make the passes we all know he can. We will watch our defense rise to the occasion, and we will watch the Bulldogs walk away with a win. As I said it may be a win over Sac State but it will be a win that offers the Dogs promise. We will believe that there is that chance this team can pull together and upset A&M and Oregon the following two weeks. However, when all is said and done football Saturdays will have begun and regardless of what happens with the Dogs we will have eleven more games and three more months to watch our beloved Bulldogs play football. That is why September 1st is a great day and I hope all of you enjoy it just as much as I will.

Scrimmage Notes: The QB's

After watching our three QB's this past Saturday at the Bulldogs first scrimmage I obviously have my opinion of who shined with their performance and who didn't. I will be the first to say that Brandstater looked far and away better than he did at this point last season, but remember he is in his second season as our starter and third year overall. Brandstater should be outperforming the other QB's on this team with ease. He should step on the field and take command of the team as soon as his presence is known. Overall the offense looked far better than the defense this past weekend. If I were to sum up the performance of the three QB's it would go as follows:

Tom Brandstater - Tom looked comfortable in every set aside third and long. When he was forced into third and long he seemed lost on the field. I still don't feel like Brandstater goes through his progressions well, and have to say that we will not be seeing the deep ball often with him at QB. Unless the play called is a fly pattern to a speedy receiver Brandstater is not going to throw the ball deep. He often gets confused on third downs and seems to lose his place on the field. If there is a down where he tends to throw off of his back foot because he seems a bit rushed it is the third and long situations. However, I am not going to sit here and put this man down because he did finish 12 for 16 and threw for far more yards than he ever has before. Overall after our first scrimmage I was impressed with what Brandstater showed. Look, this guy is never going to be David Carr or Billy Volek. Instead he can be another Paul Pinegar but he will have to limit his mistakes and learn to progress through his receivers a bit better. Brandstater still looks as if he locks on to the receivers from time to time and in the end that is going to lead to far more mistakes than this Bulldog defense will be able to make up for. Overall I would give Brandstater a solid "B" grade for his performance as he showed us that he may be able to take this offense much further than he has in the past.

Ryan Colburn - Of the three QB's Colburn left us with the worst impression of the night. Colburn ran his reps with the second team. At times he looked very poised as if he could take over for this team if we needed him to, but other times left us thinking we may be in trouble if Tom does not get the job done as the starter. Colburn has a good arm, I cannot discount that. He also has the size to play QB for this team but more and more I feel like his high school competition is what has hindered his progression. I don't believe that coming from a Division five California school truly prepared him for what he would experience in college at a Division one school. Although Fresno State plays in the WAC I feel that Colburn is going to continue to struggle if he is put into game situations. I will give him more time to develop because hell we have given Tommy three years of second chances. As of right now I would have to say that Colburn has a lot of work to do to become the QB of this team. I think at times he gets flustered as the QB and when he rolls out he does not know what to do with the ball. As I stated earlier if Colburn is forced to play this season I do not see a positive outlook on the QB position. Overall I would give Colburn a "C" for his performance in the scrimmage.

Matt Faulkner - I did not see Faulkner practice before the Saturday scrimmage. All I knew about him was what I had seen in his high school tapes and what Mario had said about the way he practiced this past week. I expected Faulkner to look lost on offense. I expected Faulkner to have some serious problems finding open receivers. I was completely wrong. Now before I talk about how impressed I was by Faulkner I will state that he did play the third team defense. But in his defense he was working with the third team offense as well. First and foremost one aspect that Faulkner seems to have grasped well is patience. On his long TD pass to Lang down the left side Faulkner waited until Lang beat his cover man down the left side. I have to say for a kid fresh out of high school Faulkner seems to have the mentality to make it as a QB. He did not struggle with any aspect of the game. If he improved this much in one weeks time can we expect this kid to come around down the line and eventually take over this team two years from now? If he can continue to progress the way he has in the past two weeks then Faulkner one day will be the starter for this team. However that is a big if as we all know progressing over time means very little if he cannot get the job done in a game. Overall I would give Faulkner a "B+" for his performance Saturday night.

One thing you have to remember when looking at the grades I gave the three QB's is that I am grading them on my expectations for them. I expected Brandstater to blow away the defense because he has four years of knowledge with this team. I expected much more from Colburn that what I saw, and I definitely did not expect Faulkner to perform as well as he did. So while Faulkner received a better grade than Tom I do not think he necessarily outperformed Tom, he just surprised me more than Brandstater did. Tomorrow I will cover problems on defense and what will have to be done in order to make up for the tremendous loss of Lane at LB. Let me know what you thought of the QB's Saturday night. I know we won't always agree on what we saw out there, but it's good to get a feel for what everyone thought of the scrimmage and how it went.