A little over 44 years ago, a legend was born in Catheys Valley, a small town near Mariposa, less than an hour and a half away from Fresno State.
When you think of guys that really represent Fresno State Football, there aren’t many guys that come to mind more than Logan Mankins.
“He’s someone who really epitomizes the Valley, the toughness, the grit that’s required to be a Bulldog,” Head Coach Matt Entz said.
Mankins returned home this last week to the same Valley where he grew up.
“[Catheys Valley] was just a small town in the foothills before you got up to Yosemite,” Mankins said of his hometown in the Valley. “There is not a whole lot going on there. There is a lot of ranching and loggers. And that is all my family had done forever, so that is all I knew about.”
On Saturday during halftime against Boise State, Mankins became the 14th overall member (including his former Head Coach Pat Hill) and the first Bulldogs offensive lineman inducted into the Fresno State Ring of Honor, forever retiring the number 74 uniform.
“I never expected it,” Mankins said. “I’m truly honored…there have been so many great players that have played at Fresno State and to be included with them and the coaches that have been there is pretty special.”
He may not have expected it but it was certainly well deserved. After redshirting in 2000, Mankins earned the starting job as the left tackle in 2001, serving as the blind side protector for quarterback David Carr. Mankins allowed just two sacks all season and was named a Sporting News First-Team All-American.
Mankins missed his entire junior year but it didn’t derail his career.
“I was raised around a lot of old-school and hardworking men,” said Mankins. “My dad always said no matter what, you get up and go do your job.”
His time at Fresno State peaked as a senior when he returned to start every game in 2004, not allowing a sack or pressure all year while recording a school record 82 pancakes en route to being named a Second-Team All-American. He also became the ‘Dogs first Offensive Lineman in school history to be named team Most Valuable Player.
He did not allow a sack in 387 consecutive pass plays to end his career, and allowed just three total QB sacks in his 40 game collegiate career.
Mankins would go on to be drafted in the first round by the New England Patriots where he played left guard for the first 9 of his 11 seasons. He was a 6x All-Pro (1st team in 2010) and a 7x Pro Bowler.
In front of friends, family and 43,086 Bulldog fans on Saturday, Mankins recalled Fresno State upsetting then No. 10 ranked-Oregon State 44-24 in September of 2001 at Bulldog Stadium.
Fans rush the field and tear down the goalposts at Bulldog Stadium after Fresno State beat Oregon State.(Fresno Bee/Kurt Hegre)
“I remember my first game …[the fans] stormed the field and tore the goal post because we beat the (crap) out of Oregon State,” Mankins said.
Mankins, who got to ride out on the tractor pregame, lives back east in Massachusetts now with his wife Kara where they live on a farm, fitting ain’t it.
Either in California or back in Massachusetts, one thing remains true no matter what, Logan Mankins and the number 74 will be remembered forever at Fresno State.
Story written by Al Scott. Photos courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).
It was a hard week for Fresno State Athletics, particularly at the hands of the school’s biggest rival Boise State who defeated the Bulldogs in soccer, women’s volleyball and football this weekend. The Equestrian team also lost to both TCU and Baylor.
Here’s five takeaways from this past week in Bulldog sports:
The good: the ‘Dogs made it close
Not everyone wants to hear it but Fresno State played well on Saturday in its 38-31 loss to #23 Boise State and somehow, enough to feel good about it. Was it perfect? No, far from it to be honest. But they played well enough to put themselves in position at the end of the game.
Moral victories may seem insignificant and unimportant, especially against a rival whom you previously beat three times in a row, but if Saturday’s loss told me anything, it told me Fresno State belonged on the same football field as one of the 25 best teams in all of college football. There’s something to be said about that.
Like I said before, they weren’t perfect. The Bulldogs have been a pretty good team overall on defense against the run but they haven’t been invincible. We saw it two weeks ago against Rice and again on Saturday against the Broncos. The Bulldogs had no answer at the line of scrimmage. Offensively, the run game was nonexistent without Rayshon “Speedy” Luke (concussion) and the injuries on the offensive line aren’t going away.
With that said, there were plenty of positives as well. Quarterback Jayden Mandal had another good game and is now up to 1,329 total yards and 10 touchdowns over the last five games with no interceptions.
Mandal and the offense also scored touchdowns on all three of its red zone opportunities on Saturday. They also scored its first two first quarter touchdowns of the year.
The crowd was…good?
Saturday’s game left me with some mixed feelings about the fans overall. Maybe that’s unfair, after all, the Red Wave showed up in record numbers including a stadium high 43,086 to sing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ and cheer on the Bulldogs on against Boise State.
In fact, the crowd was very lively and making an impact for the first 2 ½ quarters. It was as loud as it had been since probably 2023, the last time Boise was in Fresno and that impact was felt on the sidelines.
“The fans did a tremendous job. They were loud when we needed them to be loud. They were quiet when we needed them to be quiet, and our players were feeding off the energy of the Red Wave,” Head Coach Matt Entz said on Monday morning.
There are two issues with that though: 1) why did so much of the crowd start to leave halfway through the third quarter in the middle of a close game and 2) why can’t they keep this energy for every game?
The former of these questions could be answered for many fans as it relates to time. With plenty of families with small children, a 7:30 kickoff is too late for fans to stay for four quarters. I’m not sure an 8 p.m. kickoff to end October will help the Bulldogs much for its next home game.
The second question is the one I have more trouble with. The crowd really was making an impact, not only on third down but they were loud on first and second down too. They made things tricky at times for Boise State on offense in the first half. I was impressed. I was also frustrated because there’s no reason it can’t be like that every game.
The Red Wave has shown the potential to be the best college atmosphere on the west coast, outside of maybe Oregon, but they’re far too inconsistent.
Bottom line: there’s only six Saturday home games a year, I think fans should be able to get up, be loud and stay loud for four quarters six nights a year.
Emerging star: Zeke Avit
Entering the year, there were plenty of questions on offense outside of the running backs room and top wide receiver Josiah Freeman.
Well one of those questions, who would be the number two receiver has definitely been answered halfway through the year, it’s Ezekiel Avit.
The Maryland transfer is in his second year with the Bulldogs and through six games has already set career highs in receiving yards (330) and touchdowns (4).
Avit has shown an uptick in 1-on-1 opportunities on the outside and he’s taken advantage. His ability to catch the ball and then make defenders miss makes him a critical piece of this offense and will be a very important factor in Fresno State’s hopes of climbing back atop the conference standings.
“He’s been an integral part all year,” Entz said after the game on Saturday.
The bad: Fresno State women’s soccer
I would like to preface this by saying, I think Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy has done an incredible job since coming to Fresno State. The outside-the-box thinking ideas and the countless hours of time and energy devoted to connecting with the community has not gone unnoticed.
He’s also hit on almost every single head coaching hire since taking over, all but one in my opinion.
Gabe Bolton was hired on Christmas Eve last year and came to the Bulldogs after a pretty successful career at Stanislaus State that saw him win 223 games and reach the NCAA Tournament four times in 21 seasons with the Warriors.
That success has not translated in his first year at Fresno State. The Bulldogs are 1-12-2 (0-4 in PAC-12) through 15 games and it’s not even close. They have been outscored 48-7 by its opponents in 2026 and the only win was against Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Time will tell if things will change but after watching the last couple of games I can confidently say it won’t happen under the current coaching staff.
Fresno State looks unprepared and tactically at a disadvantage every game. They aren’t generating opportunities for themselves and it shows: dead last in the conference with only 127 shots taken this season, that’s less half as much as Utah State (273).
2026 is a lost year but the ‘Dogs have some talented young players like freshman Mariona Sene Corominas and juniors Tatiana Saunders and Hayden Crotty-Romero that they should want to keep and build off of for next season. If they have any hopes of keeping them, Klassy should have a list of coaching candidates ready to interview this winter.
The ugly: fighting outside stadium
There were multiple large fights after the game on Saturday just outside of Valley Children’s Stadium (near Bulldog Locker and Bulldog Boulevard) that made their way to social media.
It’s not a good look and frankly, it overshadows what is an overall great fan base. Game days at Fresno State have such a great environment and create a space for the Valley community to come together in unison to support the Bulldogs.
Incidents like we saw on Saturday not only affect the people involved in the altercation. They affect the families who no longer feel comfortable taking their kids to a game out of fear of their kids witnessing or worse, getting caught in the middle of a fight.
Column written by Al Scott. Photos courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda and Evan Hernandez (FSM).
There are no moral victories when you lose. That was the message from Fresno State Head Coach Matt Entz who was in disbelief after the Bulldogs’ 38-31 loss to #23 ranked Boise State on Saturday.
“If you would have told me we would have scored 31 points and lost, I would have thought you were joking. If you would have told me we would have given up 38, I would have thought you were crazy,” Entz said.
Boise State (5-1) got 334 total yards of offense from running backs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines, who seemed to move through the Bulldog defense at will.
“Really good players, strong, powerful. They got a good offensive line in front of them. I think that complements each other, and then they got a QB that’s going to get them in and out of plays and does a tremendous job,” Entz said.
Dylan Riley (BS): 23 touches, 214 total yards, 2 TD
Sire Gaines (BS): 20 rushes, 120 yards, TD
What happened
The Bulldogs got the ball to start the game and did something they hadn’t done all year: score a touchdown. Quarterback Jayden Mandal worked a 10-play, 75 yard drive ending in an 8-yd run up the middle by Mandal for six.
Boise State returned the favor though. The nation’s leading rusher Dylan Riley found a hole on the left side and ran 72 yards for a touchdown. A two-point conversion gave Boise State an 8-7 lead.
After surrendering a 24-yard run to Bryson Donelson, the Broncos defense made three straight stops to get the ball back. A 15-play, 90-yard drive ended with a 22 yard pass from Quarterback Maddux Madsen to Wide Receiver Terrious Favors to give them a 15-7 lead.
Mandal lasted all but one play on the next drive, getting taken out on a late hit. Khristian Martin came in and on the second play found Wide Receiver Ezekiel Avit open on the left, made a man miss and ran 59 yards down the sideline for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 15-13 (missed two-point conversion) to close out the first quarter.
“He’s been an integral part all year,” Entz said. “What I get excited about is we’re taking some access throws, we’re taking some, second-level throws and turning them into explosive plays because we’re making people miss.”
Ezekiel Avit
Boise opened the second quarter with an 18-play drive going 75 yards and ending in a touchdown run by Sire Gaines. It also took eight minutes off the clock.
After trading punts, Fresno State took over on its own 41-yd line. On third and 11, Mandal threw deep to Josiah Freeman. A pass interference call gave Fresno State a massive first down. Mandal made key first down completions to Jahlil McClain and Gavin Correia before finding Avit open over the middle of the end zone to make it 22-20. Boise State closed the half with a 49-yard field goal from Canaan Moore.
The Broncos rushing attack really came alive in the second half, wearing down an exhausted Bulldog defense that spent most of the half on the field trying and failing to slow Riley and Gaines down.
Fresno State did score a touchdown in the quarter. Two plays after a Boise State facemask penalty, awarding the Bulldogs a much-needed first down, Mandal needled a dart to tight end Gavin Correia for a 15-yard score, his first career touchdown. Correia finished with three catches for 36 yards.
The two teams traded field goals before Fresno State attempted a last resort onside kick, but it was unsuccessful. The loss dropped Fresno State to 4-2 (1-1) on the year.
“I think we’re better than what we played tonight. It’s frustrating, and I know the kids across the hallway are frustrated too because you know when you get beat, you want to get beat playing your best,” Entz said.
Manaki Watanabe
Injury update
RB Rayshon Luke (concussion), OL Marquise Thorpe-Taylor, Gino Quinones, Jonah Leaupepetele, LB Justin Johnson did not suit up due to various injuries. Logan Studt also did not play.
WR Resean Jones (concussion) was among the inactive players for Boise State.
What’s next
Fresno State will travel to San Diego State this next week to play the Aztecs on Oct. 17th at Snapdragon Stadium.
“The next one is the most important one,” Entz said.
The Oil Can matchup will be the 3rd and potentially final rivalry game (possible SDSU rematch for flex game on Nov. 28) of the 2026 season.
Fresno State will then have a bye before returning home to Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday, October 31, for a late night Halloween battle with the Oregon State Beavers.
Game recap written by Al Scott, photos captured by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow@AlScott1998on Twitter (X) or@AlScottSportson IG.
Every game in college football matters and coaches and players alike will tell you that all the games matter the same. But they know deep down that’s not 100 percent true.
Rivalry games, in-conference battles, and matchups with potential end of the season implications all matter immensely, whether it’s in the middle of the year or in December. The players know it, the coaches know it, the fans know it, the players know it. Some games do in fact mean, just a little mean more.
When Fresno State welcomes the #23 ranked Boise State Broncos to the Valley this weekend, it will mean just a little bit more.
“Part of the reason why I went to the Pac-12, we’re gonna play meaningful games in mid-October, and that’s exciting,” Fresno State Head Coach Matt Entz said after the game this past Saturday at Washington State.
Both the Broncos and Bulldogs enter the weekend at 4-1 (1-0) after losing Week 1 to Oregon and USC respectively. The newly-minted PAC-12 schools responded to their losses by ripping off four straight wins apiece. Now the rivals meet with plenty at stake, including an opportunity to be one of two remaining teams unbeaten in conference play after just two weeks.
Fresno State celebrating its win over Boise State on Nov. 1, 2025 (Fresno State Athletics).
The Bulldogs are currently on a three game winning streak over Boise State, including a 30-7 victory last November, something Broncos Head Coach Spencer Danielson has not forgotten.
“Rivalries are back and forth. Right now, it’s not back and forth,” Danielson said at the Broncos Monday morning press conference. “I don’t even know what [the milk can] looks like, we haven’t had it in years. Shoot I’m going to have to Google image it to find out what it looks like.”
In addition to Boise State, the Bulldogs are going western themed for Boots & Buckles Night (fitting given the opponent). It’s also going to be Homecoming and former offensive lineman Logan Mankins’ induction into the Fresno State Ring of Honor, meaning several alumni and Bulldog legends could be in attendance.
“One of the great things about Bulldog Football and the history is the number of former players that we have that have had tremendous amounts of success here and potentially at the NFL level or competed at the NFL level…I think it’ll be really cool to see Logan here and his family with him, but also just the the number of former coaches, teammates, people associated with the program that’ll be here because of the impact he left,” Entz said.
The Bulldogs are underdogs but don’t let that stop Captain and Edge Jahzon Jacks from believing they can win a matchup he’s already been apart of four times.
“I take my guys against the world. I take my guys against anybody. I feel like we come out, we play our football, we can beat anybody in country,” Jacks said.
Need to know for Saturday
What: #23 Boise State at Fresno State (6.5-point underdogs)
When: Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Valley Children’s Stadium (Fresno, CA)
TV: The CW (Rick Allen, Will Blackmon and Michael Bumpus)
Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins) and Caliente – 105.1 (Jose Gonzalez)
Bulldog Bites
Fresno State has outscored its opponents 139-43 during its 4-game winning streak.
The Bulldogs have forced 11 turnovers (4th in the FBS) and 7 interceptions (6th) this season, both marks lead the Pac-12.
Linebacker Justin Johnson got his first career interception on Saturday, picking off Washington State Quarterback Caden Pinnick in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs have an interception in four straight games.
Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto was named the CBS Sports Pac-12 Defensive Coordinator of the Week, following the team’s 26-6 win over Washington State.
Kicker Manaki Watanabe ranks t-3rd in the FBS with 11 made field goals this season.
NKL Simeon Harris ranks 2nd in the FBS and 1st among west coast schools in PFF rating for cornerbacks (87.6).
The ‘Dogs are outscoring teams 38-5 in the third quarter this season.
Simeon Harris
The Milk Can
The Boise State-Fresno State series dates back to 1977 before intensifying in 2001 when the Broncos joined the Bulldogs in the Western Athletic Conference.
Fast forward four years later, tailgaters and organizers purchased and introduced the can in 2005 for the sake of the growing rivalry and to honor two of the nation’s biggest dairy producing regions, before officially unveiling the can a year later.
The Milk Can (Al Scott)
Boise State owns the series battle, having won 17 of the 27 matchups but the Bulldogs have won five of the last nine, including the last three. A win on Saturday would be the longest winning streak in the series for Fresno State, against a program Entz described on Monday as the ‘Golden Standard’ of Group of Six Football schools.
“Well coached football team. Spencer does an outstanding job. They’re the standard of, I’ll say the Pac-12 regardless of the league right now,” Ents said.
Fresno State will have the can at practice all week, just as they did as a reminder for what’s at stake. Senior captain and Edge Jahzon Jacks is well familiar with the Broncos, having played them four times (3-1) and there’s no love lost.
The tone is a little bit different in Boise where Broncos defensive end Max Stege reiterated the need to beat Fresno State before putting extra adage on the game.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it a rivalry because I’ve never beat them,” Stege said, before calling last year’s 30-7 loss ‘one of the worst days in his life.’
Rivalries are fun and exciting, something Fresno State Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto noted on Wednesday, how you channel that energy is critical though.
“You don’t have to do anything different than what you’ve done before. You just have to do it at a high level and be your best. And so you don’t have to make some crazy play that’s outside of your eyes, feet, and hands where they’re supposed to be. You just have to make your play at a high level, throughout the course of four quarters of a football game, and so getting you to execute at that high level, that’s what’s important,” Benedetto said.
Nick Benedetto (Ryan Sepulveda)
He’ll be facing off against Boise State Offensive Coordinator Nate Potter, who was an offensive lineman for the Broncos from 2007-11.
“It was always something you thought about,” Potter said. “It’s always been very, very competitive.”
Only six players were on the Broncos roster last time they beat Fresno State, including starting Quarterback Maddux Madsen, but none were significant contributors.
Stenge, who joined the Broncos as a freshman in 2023, compared the Fresno State atmosphere to that of a passionate European soccer club.
“There’s so much history around [the rivalry], and I feel like we kind of owe it to the players that came before us and won the trophy to get it back,” Stenge said. “So yeah, it does matter.”
Stenge will be trying to get around a behemoth of a man in Fresno State left tackle Brayden Walton, who told reporters he still remembers watching the Bulldogs beat Boise State to win Mountain West Conference Championship in 2022.
“It’s going to be loud (on Saturday), and just walking down the ramp is going to be special. That’s my favorite part,” Walton said. “Defense is going to be on all fours. They’re just going to be getting after it. There’s going to be a lot of energy, a lot of juice in that stadium.”
Brayden Walton
Logan Mankins returns to Fresno
The legendary offensive lineman and Maripoda native makes his return to the Valley and to Valley Children’s Stadium, or “Bulldog Stadium” as he might remember it.
Former Fresno State All-American left tackle Logan Mankins returns to the school he called home from 2000 to 2004. In his senior year, he was named first team All-WAC and was the first offensive lineman in school history to be named team MVP.
“Someone who really epitomizes the Valley, the toughness, the grit that’s required to be a Bulldog,” Entz said.
Mankins went on to be drafted in the first round by the New England Patriots as a left guard, where he spent the first 9 of his 11 years in the NFL. He was a 6x All-Pro (1st team in 2010) and a 7x Pro Bowler.
Logan Mankins
At halftime on Saturday, Mankins will become the 12th player and 14th total member of the Fresno State Ring of Honor, joining his former Quarterback David Carr and Head Coach Pat Hill.
Injury Report
Injury report for both teams as of 7:10 p.m. on 10/09.
An updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday, visit the PAC-12 website for the latest on Fresno State’s availability report.
Broncos to watch
Maddux Madsen — “He’s gotta graduate at some point,” Entz said on Monday, jokingly.
The Boise State starting quarterback is 87-of-132 this season for 1,058 yards and 11 touchdowns (0 interceptions).
“He’s at home in their offense. So it’s just kind of just making sure to make him uncomfortable and things like that,” Jacks said on how to stop Madsen. “He runs their offense really well. We know he’s able to run.”
Jahzon Jacks
He’s also got a touchdown and over 100 yards on the year on the ground, serving as a dual-threat option.
“He’s good at identifying pre-snap where he wants to go with the football. He’s very strategic about when and where he does have the mobility, the athleticism to hurt you with his legs to extend plays,” Entz said.
Dylan Riley — The nation’s leading rusher has been quite busy this season: 108 carries, 685 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also caught seven passes for an additional 56 yards.
Dylan Riley (Boise State Athletics)
“An explosive runner, a guy that runs downhill, runs through contact, and so we got to do a great job of keeping our feet alive. ‘Dead feet don’t eat’ is a big thing that we always hammer with our players, and making sure you gang tackle anyone that’s like that, that has explosive yards after contact, we have to gang tackle them, and we have to be able to push him back in order not to get those extra free yards,” Benedetto said.
Travis Anderson – The redshirt sophomore safety from Mission Viejo has been a ball hawk in 2026, snapping up three interceptions. He also is second on Boise State in total tackles (24).
Dog-Factors
Startingfast – Despite the strong record, the Bulldogs only entered the second quarter this season with a lead once (3-0 vs Washington State). In fact, Fresno State’s only points in the first quarter this season came off a field goal from kicker Manaki Watanabe on Saturday.
Manaki Watanabe
The slow starts and eventual second half wear downs of its opponents have worked over the last month for the Bulldogs, something Entz attributes to his strength and conditioning staff and the team’s #toughnesswins mentality.
“I think our kids understand that our style of football, our demeanor, our approach, our process is going to allow us to be in these close games and always feel like we’re competitive,” Entz said.
With that said, it could be argued that Boise State is a lot closer in caliber to a team like USC, who defeated the Bulldogs 39-0, than the ‘Dogs previous four opponents.
If Fresno State stands a chance against Boise State, and they do, they must score early and establish a lead so that they can utilize the run game and establish momentum.
How they can score early is another question. Fresno State has had opportunities in opponents red zones in the first quarter a few times this year, and were aggressive in trying to score six over three.
Give Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis credit, he’s been increasingly more creative in playcalling. Perhaps another Jordan Malau’ulu throw or Josiah Freeman reverse is in the works this week to catch Boise off guard.
“Josiah’s skill set is extreme. There’s not a whole lot he can’t do on a football field, so he’s really grown up in the football IQ realm these last two years as well, being a number one, being a number two, or even a number three receiver. He’s got banked experience at all three of those spots now, so he feels comfortable, and we feel comfortable putting him there,” Davis said. “We just gotta continue to be creative and find weaknesses and defenses where we can exploit that.”
Josiah Freeman
Let’s get to Dallas – The Dallas Cowboys? No. Dallas as in Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu. The true freshman tight end continues to see the field more and more each week, including 70 total snaps over the last two weeks.
The Omaha, Nebraska native was on the receiving end of a double flea flicker that resulted in a 36-yard catch on Saturday. It was the first of potentially many big plays for the early enrollee freshman.
“He’s blessed with his body and his skill set, and he’s also tough. He’s not afraid of a situation. He’s very confident,” Davis said. “A really quiet kid. He doesn’t say a whole lot, but when you play football, his personality kind of shows and his attitude and the way he attacks practice.”
Jahlil McClain and Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu chest bumping after a touchdown versus Rice on Sept. 26 (Evan Hernandez).
Starting tight end Jake Appleget was in uniform this past Saturday but didn’t play with an undisclosed injury. If he’s unable to suit up again against Boise State, expect more opportunities for Gaius-Anyaegbu.
Getting to the QB – I said last week for defensive x-factors that edges Dylan Hampsten and Jahzon Jacks needed to step up, particularly in getting to Cougars Quarterback Caden Pinnick.
The Bulldogs had five sacks this past week, 1.5 of them from Hampsten. Fresno State held Pinnick and Washington State to just 182 yards of total offense and the amount of pressure they were getting on Pinnick played a huge role in that.
Dylan Hampsten
The mission stays the same this week. The Bulldogs have to get to Maddux Madsen. The Boise State signal caller is mobile and is adept at getting away. But sacks aren’t everything.
“Sometimes the best sack is because of coverage, or sometimes the best coverage is because of a sack, and we’re all tied together,” Benedetto said.
Score predictions
Fresno State 27, Boise State 24
Game preview written by Al Scott, cover photo captured by Bobby Sedano (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X) or @AlScottSports on IG.
Not every victory is beautiful, and even for a Fresno State team that had already won three straight games by 14+ points, Saturday was no different. The Bulldogs used a relentless defense and a creative second half offensively to wear Washington State down and defeat the Cougars 26-6 on Saturday night in Pullman. The win improves Fresno State to 4-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
“Winning the first one in the Pac-12 was a big deal,” Head Coach Matt Entz said after the game. “This was an opportunity for this group to leave their legacy by winning the first one in Fresno State’s Pac-12 history.”
The first quarter offensive struggles Fresno State continued on Saturday, with a three-and-out on the first drive. The defense returned the favor giving them the ball right back.
This time the Bulldogs got the run game going, with a trio of first downs, including a 13-yard scramble up the middle by Jayden Mandal and a 36-yard outside zone run by Rayshon “Speedy” Luke. The ‘Dogs were on the WAZZU five yard line prepared to go for it on fourth and short before a false start, forcing them to go for a field goal, good by Manaki Watanabe from 27 yards out.
Rayshon Luke
A couple minutes into the second quarter, Mandal fumbled on a 4th-and-1 QB sneak attempt. The Cougars took over at the 50 and ripped off a pair of first downs, but nothing else. Cougars kicker Jack Stevens nailed it from 32 to tie the game.
The next drive included a double flea-flicker reverse, 36-yard pass from Mandal to tight end and true freshman Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu. The drive stalled from there though. On third down, Mandal found Josiah Freeman on the right side of the zone but after replay review, it was ruled he didn’t have a foot in bounds, leading to another field goal.
The Cougars added a field goal at the end of the half to tie it up at 50. Fresno State out-gained the Cougs 197-116 in the first half but only had six points to show for it. Mandal in particular was 0-for-3 on QB sneaks.
When the Bulldogs went into the locker room, Entz said he walked in and they were already ready to go back out, “you don’t even have to say it, we got this.”
Sure enough, they did.
The Bulldogs defense came out with another 3-and-out, including a Dylan Hampsten sack. The offense took over and looked a whole lot different than we’ve seen in 1.5 years under Josh Davis.
A deep throw from Mandal to Jahlil McClain for 27 yards followed by a Josiah Freeman 14-yard reverse set the Bulldogs in the Cougars Red zone. A few plays later, Mandal pitched it to Freeman who practically walked into the end zone.
“Just trusting the path and trusting that you know the guys are gonna make those blocks for me. The O-line gets that push and they just guide me into the end zone. Basically, they make it easy,” Freeman said.
Freeman finished the night with 78 total yards, which isn’t a lot, but he was the only player on either side of the ball to really make noise offensively.
“He’s one of the best players on the West Coast right now, and playing with an unbelievable amount of confidence,” Entz said.
Coach added that Freeman’s leadership and ability to play without the football are two positive traits that stand out about him and it’s causing a chain effect.
“You ask him to block, you ask him to crack on the safety, he’ll be the first one to volunteer, and guess what? That passes down to everybody else in the room. When your best players are your best leaders and your hardest workers, it makes my job really easy,” Entz said.
Following the touchdown, Deijon Laffitte jumped on a first play fumble by Quarterback Caden Pinnick. In addition to the fumble, the Bulldogs defense got to Pinnick five times on the ground and forced by throw after bad throw. He finished the night 21-of-34 with 152 yards thrown.
The Cougars for their part actually hung around in this game until the fourth quarter. After another 3-and-out, Mandal found wide receiver Ezekiel Avit open deep on the right side of the field for 38 yards to put the Bulldogs in the red zone. It only resulted in a field goal but it began as a sprinkle and turned into a down pour.
“Coach Hardy says every game, it will feel like everything revolves around us,” Freeman said. “We start making big plays. Zeke gets going, Jahlil gets going, and it’s really hard to stop us because you can’t just focus on one person.”
With less than five minutes in the game, the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs inside the Cougars 10-yard line. Washington native Julius Gillick found the end zone on the first play, on an inside run that ended up with him jumping back to the outside.
The very next play, linebacker Justin Johnson picked off Pinnick, leading to another Manaki Watanabe field goal, who finished with 14 points on ⅘ field goals and 2/2 extra points. The interception for Johnson was the first for his career.
One could argue the score was a lot closer than it was, after all, it was still 13-6 a few minutes into the fourth quarter. But for Fresno State, it’s just how they operate. They continue to wear teams down in the second half and Saturday in Pullman, Washington was no different. The Bulldogs have won all four games during its winning streak by coming from behind or being tied after the first quarter.
“We believe in strength and conditioning. We believe in practicing with a physical nature. We believe in still putting on full pads,” Entz said. “I think our kids understand that our style of football, our demeanor, our approach, our process is going to allow us to be in these close games and always feel like we’re competitive.”
There were no touchdowns on Saturday but Mandal finished with another productive win, doing just enough to lead his team to victory. The signal caller completed 24-of-33 passes for 245 yards. He also rushed for 27 yards.
Man, we’ve grown a whole lot. He came in as an early-enrollee freshman (in 2023). We’ve had that connection ever since. When he got the starting job, there was no real trying to build the connection. We’re just building on the connection that we have already,” Freeman said.
Josiah Freeman
The duo have become film junkies off the field and it shows. Mandal and Freeman are up to 25 completions for 322 yards on the season through five games.
“Whatever he needs me to do, I’m gonna go do it because I trust him, and I know he trusts me,” Freeman said.
Injury update
Running back Rayshon Luke left the first half, going into concussion protocol and did not return.
Brayden Walton returned to action, starting at left tackle for Fresno State.
Starting tight end Jake Appleget was in uniform but didn’t play.
Linebackers Logan Studt and Niko Baumgartner, wide receiver Harold Duvall, guards Gino Quinones, Jonah Leaupepetele and Braylen Henderson all missed Saturday and remain out with lingering injuries.
What’s next
Fresno State returns home to Valley Children’s Stadium this next Saturday, October 10, for Homecoming and Boots & Buckles as they welcome the rival Boise State Broncos, who are . The Bulldogs will also be inducting legendary offensive lineman and Fresno State alum Logan Mankins that evening into the Ring of Honor at halftime.
“If every ticket isn’t sold, I’m gonna be frustrated. It’s a huge game,” Entz said. “Part of the reason why I went to the Pac-12, we’re gonna play meaningful games in mid-October, and that’s exciting. Not gonna worry about it yet. I’ll worry about it when I wake up tomorrow. I’m gonna enjoy this one right now with the football team.”
Fresno State will travel to San Diego the following week to play the Aztecs on Oct. 10 at Snapdragon Stadium.
Game recap written by Al Scott, photos captured by Bobby Sedano (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X) or @AlScottSports on IG.
It’s a new era for Fresno State Football. When the Bulldogs take the field tonight at Martin Stadium, it will be the program’s first ever PAC-12 conference game, against a legacy conference opponent no less.
Is it the same conference as it used to be? No. But it still is the PAC-12 and with it presents an opportunity for Fresno State to make a lasting first impression on its new conference home.
After a Week 1 loss at USC, the Bulldogs put together three consecutive solid wins, including last week’s 38-24 victory over Rice. A win tomorrow for the ‘Dogs would not only be the first PAC-12 victory and the first regular season win over the Cougars since 1991, it would give Fresno State a 4-1 record heading back home for its biggest game of the year: Boise State.
But the Bulldogs can’t get too far ahead of themselves. They still have a game tomorrow against a savvy, veteran led Washington State team that despite its 1-3 record, has looked like it at least belonged on the field in each of its three losses (all to Power 4 opponents). Fresno State actually enters the weekend as 1.5 point underdogs, though Head Coach Matt Entz isn’t concerned about that.
“It doesn’t affect my world. I can’t gamble on it anyway, so that doesn’t have any bearing on how we approach it,” Entz said. “It’s the next one on the schedule. That’s why it’s the most important one right now, and it’s a really good football team that we’re playing, and it’ll be exciting.”
Need to know for Saturday
What: Fresno State at Washington State (1.5-point favorites)
When: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Martin Stadium (Pullman, WA)
TV: USA Sports
Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins) and Caliente – 105.1 (Jose Gonzalez)
Bulldog Bites
Fresno State ranks 6th nationally and 1st in the PAC-12 with a +1.75 turnover margin per game. Fresno State has forced nine turnovers, while only committing two. The Bulldogs have gone three straight games without a turnover.
“We’re gonna stay consistent in what we do. Every day we have shots on the ball chart to see how much time someone shot the ball, which is a punch out, rake out, knock out. So we really, really key on that, and technique-wise, like before practices, you got ball hog drills, like trying to work on stripping the ball from offense and helping them get better as well, keeping the ball,” linebacker Tytus Khajavi said after practice on Tuesday.
Fresno State has outscored its opponents 83-38 in the second and third quarters this season. The Bulldogs are still looking for their first points in the first quarter this season.
Simeon Harris has had an interception in three straight games, raising him to nine his career, tied for the most in the FBS among active players (Braden Awls, Iowa State).
Fresno State leads the PAC-12 in scoring defense, allowing just 19.0 PPG.
Washington has four non-offensive touchdowns this season, including back-to-back punt return touchdowns vs Duquesne.
Saturday will mark the 7th total matchup and third this decade, including a 29-6 Bulldog win in the 2022 LA Bowl for Jake Haener, Jordan Mims and company over Cam Ward.
Injury Report
An updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday.
Washington State
As mentioned earlier, Washington State went 1-3 in its non-conference slate, including a 34-24 loss to Arizona last week. The Cougars had an early 14-0 lead before falling behind in the second half. They also lost Week 1 at then #17 Washington 24-10 and in Week 2, 34-7 at Kansas State. The lone Washington State win this season came at home for the Cougars against Duquesne (48-7) in Week 3.
The Cougars are under the leadership of first year head coach and former Bulldog Offensive Coordinator Kirby Moore. Saturday will mark the first meeting between Entz and Moore.
WAZZU is averaging just under 14 points per game in its three losses. Between struggles under center and third down efficiency (25.5% on the season), they have their work cut for them against a Fresno State defense that has allowed 13.3 PPG over its last three games.
Running backs Kirby Vorhees (36 carries, 210 yards, 2 TD) and Maxwell Woods (28 carries, 173 yards) work in tandem for a rushing attack averaging 152.8 YPG, a duo Fresno State Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto has done his homework on.
“They will run downhill. A lot of outside zone, a little bit of duo action too as well. And then you’re going to see receivers on the edge being able to make some plays and get in some one-on-one situations because of what that quarterback can bring to the table,” Benedetto said.
Coug-Factors (with Jamey Vinnick, 247 Sports)
Caden Pinnick — There’s been some good and there’s been some bad for the Washington State sophomore signal caller who transferred to Pullman from UC Davis. Pinnick is 41-of-63 for 644 yards passing and three touchdowns. The dual threat quarterback also has 201 yards and three scores on the ground.
“A lot of their offense goes through him. A tremendous athlete, he has played a lot of football. From an experience standpoint, [Pinnick] is very comfortable in the pocket. There’s some designer quarterback run game, the ability to scramble and move around. They’ve been very productive on the ground, but as you saw last week against Arizona the pass game elevated too,” Entz said.
Pinnick also has thrown four interceptions and taken 13 sacks already this year. When there’s pressure, he has struggled at times.
“Really, it’s about us. He’s learning what he did on those plays too, and so we have to put ourselves in position. Interceptions or takeaways happen because you put yourself in a position. Then it depends on if the quarterback throws it or not, and is the ball at risk or not. So what we have to do is focus on us, and then those are the results of our preparation and our focus within a football game,” Benedetto said.
Jaylen Thomas — The former San Jose State Spartan, turned Washington State safety has a strong start to his 2026 campaign with 16 tackles and two interceptions, including one for a touchdown at Kansas State. Thomas had three tackles and a fumble recovery as a freshman against the Bulldogs last season.
Consistency — “The offense has to be able to find a rhythm and stick with it. When things have gone awry, it’s because they’ve gotten caught flat-footed or are too slow to adapt,” Vinnick said.
Pass Rush — “The defense needs to bring heat. The pass rush has started to wake up and it’s been extremely impactful the last couple games,” Vinnick said.
Dog-Factors
Keep Speedy going – I stressed last week how important it was that Rayshon Luke get going on the ground game for Fresno State and surely enough, one of the fastest players in the country delivered: 177 yards and a touchdown, good enough for Offensive Player of the Week.
“He’s an element. He’s a guy that you need to find the football. Anyone who has the nickname Speedy, yeah, you better try to find a way to get the football in his hands,” HC Matt Entz said.
Now that they got Luke going, they need to keep him going. For the second straight week, I’ll predict a big game for Speedy. His versatility and obviously his speed are too much of a weapon to not be used.
Dylan Hampsten and Jahzon Jacks – The pass rush was an issue for Fresno State the first two weeks of the season and while the Bulldogs primary edge rushers, Dylan Hampsten and Jahzon Jacks have been great contributors in the run game, getting to Pinnick will be paramount for the ‘Dogs to have success. been far from perfect, his 36.0 QBR ranks 122nd in the nation.
Buy or Sell (with Jackson Moore of Barkboard)
Buy or sell: This one will sound similar to last week, Jayden Mandal will have 250+ total yards and no turnovers.
Jackson Moore – “Sell, I will buy the no turnovers but sell the yards. I’m anticipating a defensive battle between these two. Like the San Jose State win, Mandal leads the offense to a win with under 250 yards as long as there are no turnovers.”
Al Scott – Buy, I went back and forth on this one several times but I’ve really been impressed with Mandal over the last 3 weeks and I think he keeps it going, even against a Cougars defense which will be one of the tougher looks he’ll see all season.
Washington State will have a non offensive TD, buy or sell?
Jackson – “Sell. If Wazzu does have a non-offensive touchdown, they probably win the game. I think between Fresno State’s conservative offensive approach and coach John Baxter overseeing the special teams, that both phases of the game will be clean.”
Al – Sell, I think Fresno State’s key to victory in most games will be winning the turnover battle and that starts by protecting the ball on the offense. Coupled with a fundamentally sound special teams unit, there won’t be enough opportunities for the Cougars to score in alternate fashion.
Simeon Harris will make it 4 straight games with an interception, buy or sell?
Jackson – “Buy – I do think another interception late in the game seals this one. And Simeon Harris always seems to be at the right place at the right time. Three Bulldog cornerbacks have combined for six interceptions, perhaps another defensive back like Loyall Mouzon also joins the party on Saturday.”
Al – Buy, as Jackson said, Simeon always seems to be in the right place at the right time. If Fresno State can get a first half lead, I’m predicting a panicked Pinnick with 2-3 interceptions for the defense. I’ll also say sophomore Gerayas Grimes gets his first career interception.
Score predictions
Al: Fresno State 27, Washington State 21
Jackson: Fresno State 16, Washington State 14
Jamey: Washington State 27, Fresno State 23
Game preview written by Al Scott, cover photo captured by Evan Hernandez (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X) or @AlScottSports on IG.
For the third straight week, a not-so-pretty start to the game ending with Bulldogs celebrating in victorious fashion.
Three Jayden Mandal touchdowns and a strong rushing attack were enough for Fresno State (3-1) in its 38-24 win over the Rice Owls (1-3) on Saturday at Valley Children’s Stadium.
Mandal finished the night with 267 total yards and a trio of passing touchdowns. He also had zero turnovers for the third straight week. His running back Rayshon Luke was confident in Mandal even after the Week 1 loss at USC, citing “11 games to prove Jayden deserved to be the Quarterback.” Luke echoed those comments again tonight.
“He should be the starting quarterback. You see why he should be playing. I think it’s very simple. Jaden comes in here every day ready to work. I love that kid,” Luke said.
It’s also three straight games without a turnover for Mandal and the offense, something Entz is trying to stay aloof on.
“I don’t think we should talk about it because I don’t want to hex anything,” Entz said. “We’ve gone three games. That’s a win. It’s big. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort on being you know ball security because I think we all know that there’s a couple other games last year that you know coulda woulda shoulda, but we turned the ball over too much.”
Rayshon Luke (FS): 14 touches, 177 total yards, TD
Tytus Khajavi (FS): 4 tackles, 2 sacks
Jaccuri Brown (Rice): 8-for-17, 119 yards, 19 carries, 141 yards, 2 total TD
AJ Brown (Rice): 8 tackles, 1 pass defended
What happened
Fresno State’s first quarter offensive issues plagued them again on Saturday night, limited to just 39 yards over 14 plays. The Bulldogs have yet to score in the first quarter this season.
Rice was moving down the field on the first drive before Bulldog nickel Simeon Harris picked up on the read, intercepting Owls Quarterback Jacurri Brown. Harris is now tied for the FBS lead with nine career interceptions.
The next drive, Rice running back Ben Grice found an open lane on the right side and the rest was history: 88 yards to pay dirt and a 7-0 lead for the Owls.
The Bulldogs opened the second quarter with an 8-play, 69-yard drive ending in a Mandal to Josiah Freeman touchdown connection for the second straight game, this one for six yards on a slant pass.
Brown matched Mandal with a touchdown scoring drive of his own, connecting with Max Mosey for 40 yards to give the Owls a 14-7 lead.
Late in the half, Mandal escaped pressure for a 21-yard run for a first down. Two plays later he found a streaking Jahlil McClain down the left side of the field for a 28-yard touchdown.
Rice marched back up the field, setting up a 22-yard field goal to take a 17-14 lead into halftime. The Owls had 254 yards rushing in the first half.
A flip switched at halftime and the Bulldogs who were 13.5 point favorites entering the game, started to look like it, and then some.
An onside recovery to open the half gave the Bulldogs great field position, leading to a 29-yard Manaki Watanabe field goal to tie the game.
On the sixth play of the Owls opening drive, Fresno State brought the pressure on third down where linebacker Tytus Khajavi sacked Brown, poking the ball free in the process. Edge Dylan Hampsten recovered the fumble. Khajavi finished with four tackles, including two sacks.
“Consistency shows up. His preparation is really good. He has a tremendous understanding of the game,” Entz said. “ He’s a selfless player, all about his football, all about his teammates, and that’s why he has success. He’s worked hard.”
Using the good field position, Mandal found Avit open twice on the drive, including for seven yards and a score to give the Bulldogs a 24-17 lead.
The ‘Dogs ended the quarter by forcing a three-and-out, giving the offense the ball back in a near perfect third period.
The two teams traded rushing touchdowns in the fourth, with Julius Gillick and Brown trading scores. It was a long 52-yarder run by Rayshon Luke that was the nail in the coffin for the Bulldogs to go ahead 38-24. Luke finished the night with a career best 167 yards rushing (177 total yards) after a showish start to the season.
“All glory to God,” Luke said smiling. “It feels really good because I always ask questions, like God why? These first few games, I’m always just asking why, but I just keep working, putting my head down and trusting the process.”
He would have had over 200 if it weren’t for him being called out of bounds on his 45-yard (could have been 75) run in the second half. Speedy insisted he never went out.
It was not all sunshine and rainbows, despite the win, the Bulldogs still allowed 463 yards to the Owls, including 344 on the ground and the first quarter scoring woes continue to plague them.
Brown finished with two touchdowns and 260 total yards. He had a couple other plays called back for penalties that would have had him well over 300 yards. Entz after the game called Brown “one of the top-2 players” he’s ever had to defend against as a coach.
“Tremendous athlete, made a lot of plays just with his legs when you know we thought we had some pressure on him at different times and he just took off running. They’re going to win some ball games because of him,” Entz said.
Entz added that the no scoring in the first quarter isn’t a concern for him for now, citing opportunities over results as a priority for the offense.
Injury update
Left tackle Brayden Walton, linebacker Logan Studt and Harold Duvall all missed Saturday but were walking around in good spirits. Studt injured himself earlier this week at practice.
Right guard Gino Quinones also left the game on Saturday, joining Walton, Jonah Leaupepetele and Braylen Henderson with lingering injury issues on the offensive line.
What’s next
The Bulldogs will begin Pac-12 conference play next week on the road in Pullman on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Washington State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Fresno State will return home to Valley Children’s Stadium on October 10, for Homecoming and Boots & Buckles as they welcome the rival Boise State Broncos. The Bulldogs will also be inducting legendary offensive lineman and Fresno State alum Logan Mankins that evening into the Ring of Honor at halftime.
Game recap written by Al Scott, photos captured by Evan Hernandez (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X) or @AlScottSports on IG.
The biggest party in the Valley is back in Fresno this weekend with Fresno State Football hosting Rice. After a rough season opener at USC, the Bulldogs are right where they probably expected to be after three weeks: 2-1.
Thanks to a relatively clean offensive game and a game changing defense that forced four turnovers and six sacks (7 if you ask Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto), Fresno State defeated the rival San Jose Spartans 26-10 (recap) on Saturday night in Silicon Valley.
“The Bulldogs are the team of the Valley, period. It doesn’t matter if it’s the San Joaquin or the Sacramento Valley, we’re it. We want to make sure that people know that,” Head Coach Matt Entz said after the win.
The real star of the show was kicker and Special Teams Player of the Week Manaki Watanabe, who nailed 4 of his 5 field (long of 52) goal attempts, as well as both of his extra point opportunities, outscoring the Spartans 14-10 by himself.
Manaki Watanabe (38) being embraced by right tackle Rolan Fullwood (71) after a FG.
“We knew that when we crossed the 50, they would start to heat things up a little bit defensively. There would be a little more pressure, a little more man coverage. But when you have someone who is comfortable, he’s got three 50 yarders already that he’s hit, it is comforting,” Entz said. “Of course, I want touchdowns. Field goals are good enough to get you beat, right? They don’t beat anyone, but we needed them at times tonight. If we end every series with a kick we’ll be okay.”
Quarterback Jayden Mandal was 15-for-29 with 186 passing yards and a touchdown throw to Josiah Freeman. He also ran for 46 yards and had zero turnovers for the second straight week.
“When you come away with a win, it’s a great feeling,” Mandal said. “I think the whole offense knows we got to be a little better in certain areas, especially third down and minimizing negative plays. But I’m really proud of the way we fought, especially with a couple guys going down on the O-Line. People were stepping up, next-man-up mentality. Really proud of our guys for doing that. At the end of the day, a dub is a dub.”
Jayden Mandal against San Jose State
Need to know for Saturday
What: Rice at Fresno State (13.5-point favorites)
When: Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Valley Children’s Stadium
Theme: Bulldog Fiesta
TV: The CW (Rick Allen, Will Blackmon and Michael Bumpus)
Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins) and Caliente – 105.1 (Jose Gonzalez)
Bulldog Bites
Fresno State is 6-1 all-time against Rice. The Owls only win was the last matchup between the two schools, winning the 2014 Hawaii Bowl 30-6.
It is the first regular season matchup since 2004.
Fresno State is 2-0 all-time when playing on The CW.
Manaki Watanabe became the first Bulldog to score two 50-yard field goals in a game in program history, and also the first to have back-to-back games with a 50-yarder. He’s the only player in the FBS that is 3/3 on field goal attempts over 50 yards.
Injury Report
Left tackle Brayden Walton is considered day-to-day and has been walking around in a boot at practice all week. If he can’t play on Saturday, fellow sophomore Ben Baker is expected to fill in at center with Oscar Weigel sliding over to left guard and Marquise Thorpe-Taylor moving to left tackle.
Running back Bryson Donelson and right tackle Rolan Fullwood are healthy and were full participants in practice this week after being banged up at San Jose State.
Wide Receiver Harold Duvall continues to practice in a limited capacity.
Bryson Donelson motioning for a first down versus Sacramento State.
Without naming anyone specific, Entz mentioned on Monday that a few players are a few weeks away. Corner back Jomarion Briggs and defensive lineman Auckland Asiata resumed practice this week.
Guard Jonah Leapepetele and defensive end Noah Yeh remain out indefinitely.
An updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday.
Rice Rice baby
The Owls (1-2) come into town this weekend for the Bulldog’s second home game and final non-conference game on the season.
“Excited about the home game,” Entz said. “Opportunity for the Red Wave to impact the game. I’m looking forward to seeing a huge crowd, hopefully an excited and energetic crowd.”
The Owls began the year with a 31-3 win over Houston Christian before being dismantled 52-0 by Notre Dame. Like the Bulldogs, it was a much closer game in week 3 when Rice hosted Western Michigan in a 28-21 loss.
The Owls triple option offense is led by 6-foot-4, fifth year QB Jacurri Brown who completed 11-of-18 passes for 121 yards and a TD against Western Michigan. He also has 128 yards and a score on the ground. He leads Rice with 203 yards rushing this season.
“It is a 180 degree change in mentality from what we saw last week. You’re talking about run-and-shoot, and now all of a sudden you’re talking about a triple option. A little more assignment-driven, gotta be great with your eyes,” Entz said. “[Brown] does a tremendous job of running the offense. He has 50-plus carries on the year. They do a great job of dispersing the ball. They are a run-first program.”
Jacurri Brown running (Rice Athletics)
The top playmakers on offense for them this season have been wide receiver Barry Jackson Jr. (5 rec, 77 yards, TD) and running backs Dandre Hardeman Jr. (31 carries, 133 yards, TD) and Tyvonn Byars (31 carries, 146 yards, TD).
Entz wasn’t kidding when he said they run a lot. The Owls have already run 147 times in three games for 731 yards. The triple-option offense gives them plenty of looks and opportunities for their playmakers to make something happen.
Benedetto mentioned eye placement and the training of the eyes as two key factors when it comes to facing different types of offenses. For the triple option specifically, the defensive line will have its work cut out for them.
“It’s the greatest equalizer in all sports, and you have three different options that you’ll have to stop every play,” Benedetto said. “The most important thing is the front, it’s not a sweet game for the d-line where you get all these sacks and everything, but you see us, handling the option. It is because of the guys up front and the blocks are taking on and shedding and handling the dive.”
It’s worth noting, Fresno State did not yield a rushing touchdown over the last two games. That will certainly be put to the test this Saturday against a run heavy Owls offense.
Defensively, Rice has two former Nevada linebackers that visited Valley Children’s Stadium last year when the Bulldogs won 2017: Stone Combs and Austin Harnetiaux, who have combined for 29 tackles this season.
AJ Brown leads the Owls with 20 tackles this season, including 9 tackles and a forced fumble in last week’s loss. The 6-foot, 188-pound corner can play all over the secondary, though has been primarily featured at nickelback for Rice this year. Prior to this season, Brown spent four years at UAB and started six games last year, finishing with 53 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in 2025.
“He’s a very active DB,” Fresno State Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis said. “He does everything, really good in man coverage, really good fit in the box, and then really, really savvy as a one-high football player when they rotate him to the deep third.”
A.J. Brown (Rice Athletics)
Defensive lineman Aquantis Clemons is another name to look out for. Despite his smaller stature (5-foot-10, 286 pounds), his athleticism and toughness make him an impact player. Clemons has 13 total tackles this season, including a sack and a forced fumble.
“He’s a little bit undersized but extremely hard to block. Very active. He chases sideline to sideline and he doesn’t tap his helmet,” Davis said.
Dog-Factors
The run defense – It’s kind of self explanatory but if Fresno State can eliminate or at least slow down the Owls rushing attack, they can force them to throw (a weakness) against the Bulldog secondary (strength) and possibly create some turnovers.
The Bulldogs have held opponents to just 343 yards on the ground this season at a mere 3.3 yards per carry. Against a run-happy team, Simeon Harris may be asked to serve a little bit of a more versatile role, whether in the run game or taking more responsibility in the secondary to get some more bodies in the box.
The offensive line – This isn’t geared at anyone in particular but despite what the scoreboard said on Saturday, the big guys up front for the Bulldogs struggled both with penalties and pass blocking (13 pressures allowed). Both of these factors limited the Bulldogs ability to extend drives and get into the red zone.
Thorpe-Taylor appeared to struggle when moved over to left tackle, allowing six pressures. There’s a good chance Walton will miss Saturday’s game, meaning Thorpe-Taylor will likely be back as the blind side tackle for Mandal and the offense.
Get Speedy going – Rayshon Luke has just 73 yards rushing on 25 attempts through three games. In order to exploit his elite receiving ability, the defense needs to respect his rushing ability and he hasn’t been able to do that in 2026.
Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but look for Saturday to be the day Luke breaks out for the Bulldogs, leading Fresno State to victory.
Buy or Sell (with Jackson Moore of Barkboard)
Buy or sell: Jayden Mandal will have 200+ total yards and no turnovers.
Jackson Moore – “Buy. This game shouldn’t have as many possessions, and the Bulldogs will still want to establish the run first. I’d still expect Mandal to get around 200 yards through the air and take a few quarterback draw plays after last week’s running success.”
Al Scott – Buy, Mandal has looked a lot more composed and confident the last two games. Expect his rhythm with Josiah Freeman to continue as well. The duo have connected 12 times the last two weeks.
Buy or sell: Secondary will force at least one interception.
Jackson – “Sell. Rice is averaging 14 passes per game and is yet to throw an interception. An option team playing from behind could be ripe for an INT, but Quarterback Jacurri Brown has a past in other offensive schemes.”
Al – Call me a homer if you want but I expect the Fresno State defense to create havoc up front, forcing the Owls to throw a lot more than they would typically like. If the Bulldogs stuff the run and create a sizable lead, Rice may get aggressive and start throwing deep and that’s where Fresno State thrives. I am buying a Bulldog pick on Saturday.
Buy or sell: Manaki Watanabe will hit another 50+ yard FG?
Jackson – “Last week I said sell because 50-yard attempts aren’t to be expected all that often. Then he attempted not one, but two of them at SJSU. This week I’ll buy based on the matchup. Both teams want to run the ball and play field position. Fresno State’s offense either breaks loose this week or needs Watanabe to come through in the 40 to 50-plus range a few times to squeak by.”
Al – Buy, Manaki might be my favorite player through three weeks of the season. His ability to extend the field for the ‘Dogs is massive. Whether or not he hits from 50+ has more to do with opportunity than ability and if the last two weeks are any indicator, the odds of him getting another chance are high.
Buy or sell: Ralph Edwards intro will be well received.
Jackson – “I am buying that the speakers will be improved and will solve the primary complaint from the home opener. I will sell the intro song for at least one more game. A largely late-arriving crowd may trickle in after kickoff even more than usual with a 7:00 start rather than 7:30. That keeps the fan opinion on the song from being overly vocal one way or the other. The next home game vs Boise State will have the fans in their seats early and will be the true test whether it gets the crowd going or not.”
Al – Sell, if you read my column earlier this week, you’d know I was not the biggest fan of Edwards intro song. I agree with Jackson that the speakers would improve the overall perception of it but I personally think simple is better, and the intro song overcomplicates things.
Score predictions
Al: Fresno State 26, Rice 14
Jackson: Fresno State 27, Rice 10
Game preview written by Al Scott, cover photo captured by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X) or @AlScottSports on IG.
A month into the PAC-12 era for the Bulldogs, I take a look around the University to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of Fresno State Athletics.
Stock up: Jayden Mandal
I’ll be honest, I was skeptical when Jayden Mandal was named the starting quarterback ahead of the ‘Dogs week one matchup at USC.
The last time we saw Mandal play was in 2024 and the results weren’t great in limited action. He completed just 4-of-9 passes for 39 yards and threw two interceptions.
The redshirt junior missed all of last season (arm injury) after failing to beat out EJ Warner and Carson Conklin during fall camp. Warner graduated and Conklin transferred back to Sacramento State leaving Mandal with a prime opportunity to get his first real shot at starting for his hometown school.
Jayden Mandal looking to throw against San Jose State (Ryan Sepulveda / FSM)
Then Fresno State brought in transfer Khristian Martin from Maryland, who with his size and athleticism seemed to be a shoe-in to start at quarterback for the Bulldogs. Throughout fall camp, the position battle was consistently described as just that, a battle. Both Head Coach Matt Entz and Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis lauded the roommates and teammates leadership and attention to detail both on the field and in watching film. Ultimately it was Mandal who won the job.
In his first start since the bowl game in 2024, Mandal struggled and as the quarterback took a lot of the heat and blame for a rough 39-0 loss at USC. The reality was the whole offense struggled. It wasn’t just Jayden, who for his part, seemed to spend most of the game having less than two seconds to throw before he was on his back.
Mandal looked much better against Sacramento State. He wasn’t scared or timid, he was confident and poised. He made big time throws even in the face of pressure. He finished the night 23-of-26 with 316 passing yards and two touchdowns (3 total).
Jayden Mandal running against Sacramento State (Ryan Sepulveda / FSM)
Facing a much tougher defense with a banged-up offensive line, Mandal threw down field considerably less but was nevertheless productive, completing 15-of-29 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. He also ran nine times for 36 yards, including a massive 17-yard first down run in the third quarter.
The biggest confidence booster for me in Mandal and probably the biggest reason he earned the job over Martin was his ability to protect the football (0 turnovers in back-to-back weeks). He’s got plenty of weapons. Trusting his guys to get the football and make something happen is sometimes the best thing you can do as a quarterback. Simple is better.
Contingent on his ball security continuing to be a strength, I think Jayden Mandal is good enough to lead Fresno State to where they need to be to have a successful season and potentially a conference championship in December.
Stock down: Fresno State women’s soccer
The Lady Bulldogs tied a season high with two goals (both by junior Hayden Crotty-Romero who has 4 on the season) on Sunday afternoon against a one-win Cal State Bakersfield team. It was unfortunately a draw with the Roadrunners though.
Hayden Crotty-Romero warming up (Evan Hernandez)
Even in a rebuilding year, not taking advantage of what was a very winnable game is disappointing. Fresno State is now 1-7-2 on the season in year one for Head Coach Gabe Bolton.
Through 10 games, Fresno State is being outscored 30-6 by its opponents with opposition getting nearly twice as many scoring opportunities (175-92). That’s not a standard the school or the fan base should be okay with.
To make matters worse, a post is circulating on social media questioning the culture and team environment being cultivated by Bolton and his staff.
In Bolton’s defense, this particular review seems to be written by a parent of a former recruit that was cut from the team for reasons only the coach and the player in question know. The concerning part of it is the post and comments underneath it are liked by multiple former players/recruits, seeming to validate some of the concerns.
All of that can be put to rest if the team starts to win. In the program’s current state, developing a consistent winner may take a few years but Bolton does have a track record of winning.
In his 21 seasons as the head coach at Stanislaus State, Bolton had just one losing season that saw a 7-11-2 record in his first season of his second stint (2006). The rest of his career with the school, he led the program to an impressive 216-112-46 record.
Photo of Gabe Bolton on August 20 (Evan Hernandez / FSM)
Only time will tell if Bolton can replicate his success with the Warriors at Fresno State or if his first month of games coaching the Bulldogs is a sign of things to come.
Bolton and the Bulldogs will look to right the ship this Sunday, September 26th as they travel north to face Cal at 2 p.m.
Buying: New Valley Children’s Stadium Additions
In an effort to extend the length of Valley Children’s Stadium and boost the game day experience, Fresno State brought in some new and old things to the stadium this season.
The new LED ribbon boards give not only extra ad revenue opportunities, they also show out of town scores and open up more possibilities for in-game experience.
The Modelo Block Party has the potential to be a super hit and provides a tailgate experience for the average fan that doesn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars to have their own reserved space. The area is great for all ages with something for everyone.
Located at the soccer field, it’s close enough to the stadium that you can enjoy a proper pregame experience before walking over into the stadium.
Fresno State also brought back The Boneyard, near the south entrance of the stadium, featuring bones of all the Fresno State opponents this season.
The biggest hit though was the tractor entrance, particularly on social media. The big red, heavy-duty farm vehicle driving out onto Jim Sweeney Field creates a rush of excitement while also embracing the Central Valley agricultural roots. I would expect this to be a fixture at Fresno State football games for a long time.
Ryan Sepulveda / FSM
Selling: Ralph Edwards intro
The one new addition that was not a hit during the Bulldogs season opener was the intro song by Fresno native and runner-up from season 28 of NBC’s The Voice, Ralph Edwards.
Before I go any further, I think Ralph is fantastic and his National Anthem performance at The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl game was terrific. I also appreciate the marketing department willing to try something new and be creative.
With that said, sometimes simple is better and expecting 40k fans to sing-a-long to a fairly unknown rap song is unrealistic. Many of the fans during the season opener had no idea what was going on, leaving a less than desirable introduction for the football team.
There are two potential options to try to fix this. The first is to try to improve what you got. My suggestion would be to put the lyrics on the song on the ribbon boards throughout the stadium. Additionally, having Edwards go out with the tractor as opposed to about 20 seconds beforehand would help bring everyone’s attention. That and improved speakers would help significantly.
The alternative is to go back to the Let’s Go/Crazy Train remix that’s been a hit at Valley Children’s Stadium for years, to go along with the tractor. What’s the saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?”
I don’t think they need to pick option two this season. If you make the necessary adjustments and try to get the crowd involved with the song, the potential is there for it to be a hit.
If it’s not (it probably won’t), go back to what works in 2027.
Buying: Fresno State women’s volleyball
After a magical run in 2024 to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament, the Bulldogs had a rough 2025 season going 7-22, including 3-14 in Mountain West action. Fast forward to 2026, the Bulldogs without their best best player from a year ago, Addison Halluska (graduated), started out 0-3 with a rough tournament to begin the year at Ohio State.
Head Coach Leisa Rosen rallied the troops though and won five of its next seven games to finish non-conference play at 5-6, including wins over New Mexico and St. Mary’s this past weekend in Moraga. The latter matchup showed the perseverance and resilience of the young Bulldogs team, coming back from being down 2-1 to winning in five sets.
Senior captain Jenna Legault leads the team in most offensive categories, including 177 kills and 30 service aces, both which lead the conference. Lots of season left, but Legault is a favorite for Conference Player of the Year and will play a huge role for the Bulldogs in its first season in the new Pac-12.
Jenna Legault with a spike against Southern Utah on September 3 (FS Athletics).
I wouldn’t pencil them in yet for a conference title but this is an exciting team to watch, from the Lombardi twins to Brooklyn Washington blocks to the checkered sleeves, count me in for Bulldog volleyball.
The Bulldogs begin Pac-12 playing Washington State tomorrow, September 24th at the Save Mart Center at 6 p.m. They will play there again on Saturday, hosting San Diego State at 1 p.m.
Column written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda.
It wasn’t a perfect night but the Bulldogs did just enough to secure the Valley Trophy for the third straight season. Thanks to a staunch defense and a standout game from kicker Manaki Watanabe, Fresno State defeated rival San Jose State 26-10 on Saturday night in Silicon Valley.
“I don’t know how many picks we ended up having, but I know it was enough that helped us win. You know, there’s some things that we have to address,” Head Coach Matt Entz in his opening remarks to the media after the game.
Watanabe nailed four field goals, including two from 51+ yards, a week after becoming the first Bulldog kicker to ever make a 50+ yard FG in their Bulldog debut.
“We knew that when we crossed the 50, they would start to heat things up a little bit defensively. There’d be a little more pressure, a little more man coverage. But when you have someone who’s comfortable, and what’s that, 3x 50-yarders already this year that he’s hit? You know, it is comforting. Of course, I want touchdowns. Field goals are good enough to get you beat, right? They don’t, and they don’t beat anyone. But we needed them at times tonight. Just if we end every series with a kick, we’ll be okay,” Entz said.
With the win, Fresno State has won the rivalry game over the Spartans three times in a row now, something not lost on Entz.
“The Bulldogs are the team of the Valley. Period. Doesn’t matter if it’s the San Joaquin or the Sacramento Valley. We’re it, and we want to make sure that people know that,” Entz said.
The Fresno State defense held San Jose State to 335 yards and forced five sacks and four interceptions.
“I had to go against them in fall camp for a month, so I know how it feels for that other quarterback. They’re pretty good…credit to the defense; they kept us in that game,” Quarterback Jayden Mandal said postgame.
Fresno State’s offense came out flat in the first quarter again on Saturday, beginning with a three-and-out. The Spartans responded with a moderate attack: Quarterback Luke Weaver finding wide receiver Cooper Hoch open for 18 yards and a first. Jabari Bates would run four times for 10 yards. He also had a 8-yard catch. A third down stop from K’Vion Thunderbird and Logan Goodspeed forced a Spartans field goal from Trent Carrizosa (45-yards).
Jayden Mandal found a connection with Josiah Freeman early in the second drive with a pair of first down completions. Fresno State kicker Manaki Watanabe missed left from 44 yards out.
The Bulldogs got the ball back on the 49-yard line early in the second quarter and had a pair of big plays from Rayshon Luke and Ezekiel Avit. But two offensive line penalties limited the Bulldogs from going any further. Watanabe redeemed himself with a 52-yarder.
Taking over with less than a minute and half left in the second quarter, Mandal found Avit open on the right side of the field for 27 yards. The Bulldogs didn’t get much else but they got far enough to get into the Watanabe zone – who nailed it from 51 yards (his third 50+ yard FG in two weeks).
The Spartans took over and a pair of 19 yard passes from Weaver to wide receiver Anthony Ivey had them at the Fresno State 31. Weaver went for it again, this time Bulldog safety Ethan Tierney was there and intercepted the ball in the end zone for the second straight season. Fresno State went into the half leading 6-3.
The defense for Fresno State came out strong to begin the second half, forcing a three and out. Jordan Malau’ulu then returned the punt for 68 yards. A few plays later, Mandal threw over shoulder to the right corner of the end zone finding Freeman who muscled his way to the ball for an 18-yard touchdown. The extra point gave the Bulldogs a 13-3, one they wouldn’t lose.
San Jose came out firing in the fourth quarter. Bates ran for a season best 26 yards, followed by another four yard carry. Weaver then found Ivey, his favorite target of the night, open for 28 yards to put them at the three. Fresno State forced a fourth down on the one yard line but after a timeout, Weaver found Carson Clark open on the right side for a touchdown to make it 13-10 with 12:36 left.
Mandal found Freeman open for a pair of first down completions the following drive to set up another field goal from Watanabe. Freeman finished the night with six receptions for 95 yards and a score.
The defense forced three interceptions in the final 16 minutes of the game, including a second from Tierney (Kiontre Harris + Simeon Harris).
“I talked to him at halftime about keeping his head up, missed a tackle early on a little bit of a bubble play down as the ball was going right to left from our sideline. But you know, our guys executed. It was man free. We talked him into throwing it deep because he thought it was too high and thought he had an isolation throw on the perimeter. And it was a great job by Ethan. But you know, he’s just a football player. He’s around the facility all the time. A lot of our guys are. I think our guys really enjoy playing for each other,” Entz said.
A Bryson Donelson late 36-yard TD run was all the Bulldogs needed to seal the deal, capturing a third straight Trophy hoisting.
Mandal finished the night 15-for-29, with 186 yards and the score. More importantly, zero turnovers. The redshirt junior also ran the ball nine times for 46 yards.
“Whatever it takes to win. Honestly, we knew we kind of had an advantage with that kind of quarterback draw play, and we just kind of went to it. That’s what was working,” Mandal said.
Injury update
Left tackle Brayden Walton (left foot) went down in the first quarter and right tackle Rolan Fullwood (returned on the next drive) went down in the third quarter, dealing a devastating blow to the Fresno State offensive line which is already missing Jonah Leaupepetele and Edward Fonua.
“You have to prepare for these moments, and that’s why we double rep. You guys have seen how we practice. Next man up mentality,” Entz said.
Wide receiver Harold Duvall (arm) missed his second straight game.
What’s next
Fresno State returns home to Valley Children’s Stadium for its fourth and final non-conference game to host Rice next Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Bulldogs will begin Pac-12 conference play on the road in Pullman on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Washington State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Recap written by Al Scott, photos by Ryan Sepulveda.
