Fresno State/Boise State Box Score
This wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen. Last year’s upset at Bulldog Stadium against the 8th-ranked Bulldogs was supposed to be the exception, not the norm. But the Bronco’s and their star quarterback, Ryan Dinwiddie would prove that the Broncos were the team to beat in the WAC, not the Bulldogs.
Despite not playing for the entire first quarter, Dinwiddie entered the game for the first time since suffering a broken ankle and threw for 406 yards and five touchdowns. Dinwiddie connected on 19 of his 22 pass attempts. For the game, he completed 86% of his passes for an average of 21.4 yards per completion and a touchdown every 3.8 completions; that’s also a touchdown every 4.4 pass attempts. Was it mentioned that this was his first game back after suffering a broken ankle AND receiving 26 stitches in his left calf earlier in the week?
Paul Pinegar wasn’t far behind for the Bulldogs. But despite his numbers being the best of his career, all but 90 of the yards came in the second half. Pinegar finished the game completing 27-of-52 pass attempts for 371 yards and three touchdowns but suffered two interceptions and a fumble as well. His touchdown strikes were impressive however. His first touchdown pass to Jermaine Jamison was for 15 yards but his two others were a 65-yard strike to Marque Davis and another to Jamison for 45 yards.
Davis finished the game strong but started lethargic and cost his team first down opportunities early when several early passes literally bounced off his hands. In the end, he finished the game with five catches for 111 yards (22.2 yard average). Jamison managed 7 catches for 81 yards (11.6 yard average) and DeAndre Gilbert, like Davis, caught five passes for 84 yards (16.8 yard average).
Rodney Davis, after gaining 201 yards against SMU last week, could only manage 30 yards on nine rush attempts (3.3 yard average). The blame shouldn’t fall on this Davis however. After the Bulldogs fell behind 27-7 at halftime, head coach Pat Hill had little choice but to go to the air leaving Davis with only a few rush attempts during the second half of the game.
What’s more important than the loss is what it means to the progress of the Fresno State program.
Over the last season and a half, the Bulldogs have worked hard to build national recognition for themselves. Recognition Pat Hill had longed for since he arrived at Fresno State. Twice, in two seasons, Boise State has dealt a solid blow to that recognition and this one may be a death blow dealt on national television.
With quality wins against Wisconsin and Oregon State last year, the Bulldogs shot onto the national radar. With another win over Colorado State and an undefeated WAC Conference record the Bulldogs had positioned themselves to be the first non-BCS school to burst into a BCS bowl. But then came that fateful night when conference newcomer Boise State galloped into Bulldog Stadium and took with them a win, conference bragging rights and the hopes and dreams of the David Carr lead Bulldogs.
In the end it didn’t matter.
Because of a bad loss to Rice by the Broncos, Louisiana Tech walked away with the conference title and an automatic berth in the Humanitarian Bowl (played on Boise State’s home field). The Silicon Valley Bowl opted to take Fresno State with the local interest rather than the team who had finished ahead of and beaten the Bulldogs, Boise State.
The Broncos would not forget the feeling of being shunned and they made their statement. But how are the Broncos getting it done only six years removed from Division 1-AA football?
There is no cry of “Third down THUNDER!” blaring over the stadium loudspeakers every time the opponent is facing a third down. There is no “Its post time!” call with each and every kickoff. They don’t need 60,000+ fans in the stadium to win with a home field advantage r gain national prominence. Outside of the ugliest turf in football Boise State doesn’t resort to gimmicks to win games. The Broncos are gaining national attention win with tough play, unmatched emotion, unbridled passion for the game and an understanding of what an important game means in the grand scheme of things.
Boise State didn’t do what Fresno State did last year. Once they gained the lead they maintained it by staying with what was working for them and let the lead grow, putting the game out of the reach of the fledgling Bulldogs early in the second half. Boise State Head Coach Dan Hawkins was quoted saying that he didn’t want Fresno State to get within two touchdowns. A lesson Pat Hill can learn from after his teams have repeatedly surrendered large leads after changing game tactics when up by two or more touchdowns. But this loss can’t be laid at the feet of Hill, he wasn’t the one on the field failing to execute and forgetting how to tackle.
With the large lead in hand, the Broncos concentrated on putting an exclamation point on the victory and sending a message to the rest of the WAC and the nation that they were a young team to be contended with. They did so with a powerful aerial attack and a taunting defiance as illustrated on a 30-yard reception by Boise State’s Billy Wingfield who taunted would-be Bulldog tacklers by waving a finger in their direction during the run after the catch.
Fresno State entered Friday night’s game with an apparent lack of preparation, no emotion and no execution. In fact, it took the Bulldogs until 7:19 remained in the first half to gain a single first down. Up to that point, they had only 11 total yards of offense. In fact the first down of a drive started with a Bronco fumble with 0:52 left in the first half was the first play from scrimmage that the Bulldogs had played from the Bronco’s side of the field. The Bulldogs did capitalize on the turnover and scored their first points with a 15-yard pass from Pinegar to Jamison with 0:34 remaining in the half.
The defense didn’t do much better. Surely we will hear that the offense didn’t give the defense a chance to rest but the defense didn’t do anything to help their own cause. The first two Bronco possessions resulted in a field goal and a touchdown with little time expired from the clock. The Fresno State defense gave up scores on the first six Bronco possessions. In fact, the Bulldog defense that suffered many injuries in the early portion of the season and who is now nearing full strength, gave up 11 scores on the first 12 Boise State possessions and 12 of 14 total possessions. Not exactly the kind of defensive effort Pat Hill had expected from his team in such an important meeting.
The Bulldogs have a lot to prove with the remaining five games of their season. After suffering two humiliating defeats on national television this season and having been outscored in their defeats by 92 points, 86 of which came in two games, and only enjoying a total winning margin of 30 points (23 in one game) the pundits are talking loudly. The Bulldogs have been outscored 256-194 and they have one nationally televised game remaining to prove to the nation, their own fans and themselves that they are more than a one-hit-wonder. Can they do it?
The Hawai’i Warriors will roll into Fresno on a tidal wave Friday night for a game to be broadcast on ESPN2 (9:00 PM EST). Will the Bulldogs be up for the challenge or will they fall to the Warriors just like they did last season after suffering a crushing loss to Boise State? It’s their turn to make a statement, will they rise to the occasion or be crushed under the pressure? We’ll know in six days if the nationally televised games have been a positive influence on the Bulldog program or the beginning of the end of a dream.
Fresno State/Boise State Box Score
Around the WAC
October 18
Boise State 67 – Fresno State 21
October 19
SMU 37 – Louisiana Tech 34
Nevada 52 – San Jose State 24
UTEP 38 – Rice 35
Hawai’i 37 – Tulsa 7 (4th Quarter)
*Boise State is now the only undefeated team in the WAC