The season has not been perfect, but with only two games left to play, the Fresno State Bulldogs (7-3, 4-2) are right in the thick of the race for the Mountain West Championship game in December.
In the thick of the rain, the ‘Dogs defeated Wyoming 24-3 late Saturday night behind a strong rushing attack and gritty defense
Linebacker Tytus Khajavi said after the game that special teams coach John Baxter told the team pregame, “I don’t care if we see Noah’s Ark going down the ramp, we’re going to play some Bulldog football.”
And Bulldog football they did, the defense in particular was effective limiting the Cowboys to just 184 yards of total offense and an interception.
Khajavi led the defense with six tackles, including a sack. While he wasn’t interested in talking about his individual performance, the Clovis West alum did say that the win gave the team a lot of momentum.
“It’s not an individual game. I don’t see myself better than anybody on the field. 11 men on defense. I just want to do my part and execute it and then see success for our defense,” Khajavi said.
If the Bulldogs win out, they may have a chance at redemption with rival San Diego State in December. With the win, the ‘Dogs are currently tied for second place in the Mountain West Conference standings. They also hold tiebreakers over both Hawaii and Boise State.
Head Coach Matt Entz said after the game that he was encouraged by the win and is excited to see the team continue to grow down the stretch.
“Can we be better? We sure can. I’m not satisfied, but seven wins is a good starting spot. We got an opportunity to win a couple more this year,” Entz said.
What happened
Fresno State used a 10-play, 73-yard opening drive, capped off by a 12-yard rush to the left corner of the end zone by sophomore Bryson Donelson to get on the board early. After a pair of penalties, kicker Dylan Lynch nailed the point after to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.
The Cowboys ran twice with running back Samuel Harris before quarterback Kaden Anderson gained a first down, courtesy of a sneak up the middle. The following play, Anderson eluded a Bulldog pass rush before lofting a ball downfield, finding wideout Chris Durr Jr. open for a 40-yard gain. It set up a 41-yard field goal for Wyoming kicker Erik Sandvik (6:39 remaining in the first quarter).
That was the last time either team scored until 26 seconds left in the first half, when Lynch nailed a 40-yard field goal, finishing off an 11-play drive.
Neither team was able to muster much offensively, with Fresno State outgaining Wyoming 156-73 in total first half yards. This was especially apparent in the passing department, with neither team throwing for 50 yards in the first half.
“Those kids are having fun playing football. You see it every day. They’ve got great energy. We’re playing with a lot of people. So there’s a lot of guys that are engaged on a weekly basis, probably playing 8-10 defensive lineman. We’re playing four linebackers, a ton of guys in the secondary,” Entz said.
The second half looked awfully similar to the first half with neither team seeming to be able to move the ball down the field. Wyoming gave the ball to Fresno State on the Bulldog 36 yard line with just under 11 minutes to go in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs methodically moved the ball down the field using over eight minutes of play clock on a 16-play drive, including four first downs. Unfortunately for Fresno State, it resulted in no points on a missed 27-yard FG try from Lynch.
Wyoming got into Fresno State territory early in the fourth quarter thanks to a pair of big runs from Harris. Aiming to make a big play, Anderson looked for wide receiver Jackson Holman deep over the middle of the field, only to be intercepted by Bulldogs corner Al’zillion Hamilton.
On the very first play of the drive, Fresno State running back Johnathan Arceneaux got loose on the outside, running 58 yards down the right side of the field for a Bulldog touchdown, giving them a 17-3 lead. It was the second touchdown for Arceanaux’s career, a pivotal one for the senior.
“He has tremendous value, not just from the running back room, but a great leader on our football team. He broke the team down just a second ago in the locker room, and it was fun to see him get his moment there tonight,” Entz said.
It was the ‘cherry on top’ for a classic Matt Entz football game, tough defense and nose to the ground defense.
On a 2nd and 13 with four minutes remaining, Anderson was sacked by Bulldogs fifth year senior Julius Gandy. Two plays later, the Cowboys turned it over on downs.
Carson Conklin found Josiah Freeman in the left corner of the end zone in the final minutes to extend the Bulldogs lead to 24-3, and secure Conklin’s first touchdown pass as a Bulldog.
The sophomore transfer completed 12-of-27 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Noteworthy, for the second straight game, he led an offense that did not commit a turnover.
Key players
- Rayshon “Speedy” Luke (FS): 16 carries, 92 yards, 3 receptions, 16 receiving yards
- Al’zillion Hamilton (FS): 3 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 BrUp
- Samuel Harris (WYO): 12 carries, 96 yards
- Evan Eller (WYO): 9 tackles, 1 TFL
What’s next
The Bulldogs will stay home this next week, hosting the Utah State Aggies for the sixth and final home game of the 2025 season on Senior night.
Kickoff for next Saturday, Nov. 22, is set for 7:30 p.m. For those that cannot make it to Valley Children’s Stadium, the game will also be available to watch on CBS Sports Network.
In addition to honoring the team’s seniors, Saturday is Boots and Buckles Night and whiteout The team will wear all-white uniforms with Green-V lettering on both the jersey numbers and the helmets in recognition of the Central Valley’s rich agriculture. Click here for a uniform preview.
Fresno State will finish the regular season at San Jose State (kickoff TBA) on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Story written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)