UC Riverside entered Saturday with its first 3-0 start in program history but they left the Save Mart Center with a mark in the loss column. Fresno State used a strong first half and a relentless attack to the basket to defeat the Highlanders 89-80. Bradey Henige and Dragos Lungu each had 21 points.
The Bulldogs only made three triples on the night but a whopping 36-of-45 makes from the charity stripe were enough to lead Fresno State and coach Vance Walberg to victory.
Fresno State overwhelmed UC Riverside early with an efficient offense and dominant play on the glass, building a commanding lead before halftime, 50–28.
The Bulldogs made four of their first six shots while the Highlanders opened 1-for-8, giving Fresno State an 8–2 advantage at the first media timeout. The lead grew to 12–2 as the Bulldogs outrebounded UC Riverside 10–1 over the opening six minutes.
Fresno State consistently attacked the basket and created extra opportunities through offensive rebounds. UC Riverside struggled to generate the same quality of looks, missing 11 of its first 13 shots and opening 1-for-11 from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs stretched their advantage to 21–5 while holding a 14–2 edge on the boards. Six Fresno State players had already scored as the offense moved the ball and found opportunities inside.
A 17–0 run pushed the lead to 27–5 before UC Riverside ended a roughly five-minute scoring drought. Bradey Henige made his first five shots, helping the Bulldogs maintain their offensive rhythm.
At a later media timeout, Fresno State led 31–9 and held a 23–7 rebounding advantage, including seven offensive boards. The Bulldogs put together a 25–4 surge over eight minutes, and Dragos Lungu reached 12 points when the Highlanders had managed just 12 as a team.
Fresno State piled up 30 points in the paint and 12 second-chance points during the half. Its ball movement and success inside prompted UC Riverside to switch to a zone defense, which helped slow the Bulldogs’ attack.
The Highlanders finally found some offensive rhythm late, making five of seven shots during one stretch, including three 3-pointers, to cut the deficit to 48–26.
Fresno State still carried a comfortable 22-point lead into the locker room. Lungu led the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Henige added 10.
The second half flipped with Fresno State’s offense going cold, making just five field goals after halftime. What was once a 30-point deficit, became a 4-point game on a Ben Waller layup with just over 3 minutes left in the game.
Despite their shots not falling, the Bulldogs attacked the basket often, only taking three shots outside the arc. The method worked, getting to the line for 38 opportunities in the second half and making 29 of them.
“I’ve always told the players, ‘like threes love layups,’ If you really want to win, you have to get to the free throw line. And I think you saw that today,” Walberg said.
It was enough to secure an 89-80 victory to stay undefeated at home as this group of 14 mercenaries begins to come together as an actual team.
“It’s been really fun. Just a brand new group of guys getting to know each other’s playing style. We are not our best yet, but we don’t want to play our best basketball right now. We want to play our best basketball in March,” Henige said.
Fast starts and slow second halves are becoming a trend for the Bulldogs through the first four games, five if you include the exhibition versus Cal State Fullerton.
“We always have a pretty strong first half, but in the second half, past couple games, we just came out a little weak, a little relaxed. I think just being able to finish out a game, we’re gonna be competing with every school we play,” Henige said.
Henige for his part provided the Bulldogs with plenty of production, scoring 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and grabbing nine boards. He’s now averaging 16.8 PPG on 78.4% shooting from the field.
“He’s what I call a pro. He does everything the right way. There’s no BS with him. He works his tail off. It’s really nice when you can have players like that who are consistent every day. They’re never too high, never too low,” Walberg said.
What’s next
The Bulldogs play at San Jose State (1-2) this coming Wednesday, Nov. 18th at 6 p.m. in Silicon Valley. UC Riverside beat the Spartans 80-75, recovering from a 16-pt first half deficit. San Jose State will host Alabama State (plays Fresno State at Selland Arena on 11/20) on Sunday.
The weird but convenient schedule for Fresno State, giving them a scouting advantage isn’t a coincidence.
“Coach Stamps does a great job of scheduling that. When a lot of these teams come up, they want to play a couple teams in relatively the same area, and that’s kind of helped us,” Walberg said.
Two of Fresno State’s seven wins in the Mountain West Conference last season came against the Spartans after going 0-2 against them in 2024-25.
“They got some pretty darn good players,” Walberg said. “I just think if we do the basics and take care of the basketball, we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”
Game recap written by Al Scott and Noel Thompson, 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.
Before the season, head coach Ryan McCarthy said Fresno State built its nonconference schedule to challenge the Bulldogs, particularly on the road to prepare them for league play. But that doesn’t mean they can afford to overlook their home opponents. So far, they haven’t. Fresno State has won its first three home games and will look to carry that momentum into its trip to Florida Gulf Coast on November 24.
The Bulldogs improved to 3–1 with an 85–71 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday at the Save Mart Center. But while Fresno State earned another win, it left plenty of meat on the bone.
Junior Ashlyn Rean led four Bulldogs in double figures with 18 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Senior Mekhia Chase finished with 17 points, Lola Donez scored a career-high 15 and Jada Hunter added 14 on perfect 7-for-7 shooting. Ivy Brown collected a career-high 12 rebounds.
Those performances gave Fresno State plenty to celebrate. In his second season leading the Bulldogs, McCarthy still saw a team that fell short of its standard.
“Overall, I didn’t feel like we got better today,” McCarthy said. “That’s our goal every time we go out there is to get better.”
The Bulldogs’ “Mayhem” identity surfaced in a game-changing second quarter, but McCarthy wanted more consistent defensive discipline. Fresno State committed 26 fouls, giving Northern Arizona free-throw opportunities and preventing the Bulldogs from creating more separation.
“I didn’t feel like this was poor officiating or anything like that,” McCarthy said. “It was our lack of discipline.”
Bench helps Bulldogs overcome slow start
Fresno State struggled to establish an offensive rhythm in the first quarter, shooting 31% from the field and making just one of its final 11 shots. The Bulldogs managed only one basket over the last six minutes as Northern Arizona took a 16–12 lead.
Zawadi Ogot picked up two early fouls, forcing McCarthy to turn to his bench. Brown supplied immediate energy, leading Fresno State with four first-quarter points.
The Bulldogs stayed close through their defense and offensive rebounding. They held Northern Arizona to 33% shooting, forced five turnovers, and collected six offensive rebounds in the opening period.
Rean sparked the second quarter, scoring Fresno State’s first four points, with Brown assisting on the second basket. The Bulldogs forced four turnovers in the opening three minutes and began turning defensive stops into offense.
“We turned some defensive rebounds into transition points, and I thought the pace was more like what we wanted,” McCarthy said.
Rean and Donez each scored eight points in the quarter, while Hunter added six off the bench. Fresno State forced nine turnovers in the period while committing just two.
An 11–2 run to close the half, capped by a Donez steal and layup in the final seconds, gave the Bulldogs a 42–34 lead. They scored 30 points in the second quarter despite going 0-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Fresno State also generated 16 first half points off turnovers. Rean led the Bulldogs with 12 points at the break, while Brown contributed five points and six rebounds.
Newcomers make their impact
The Bulldogs carried their offensive momentum into the third quarter, making their first four shots. Donez opened the scoring, and Hunter added six consecutive points. Ava Marr finally broke Fresno State’s 3-point drought with 6:32 remaining in the period. The Bulldogs missed their first 10 attempts from behind the arc.
By the 3:44 mark, Chase, Donez, Rean and Hunter had all reached double figures.
Fresno State’s defense also tightened, holding Northern Arizona scoreless for more than three minutes during one stretch and limiting the Lumberjacks to 21% shooting in the quarter. Hunter scored eight points in the period, while Brown grabbed five rebounds to bring her total to 11 through three quarters.
Northern Arizona kept fighting in the fourth, and Fresno State struggled to close it out. Rubi Gray provided timely offense with two 3-pointers, accounting for all six of her points.
The Bulldogs ultimately had enough contributions to finish the job, with the transfer portal’s impact evident throughout the lineup. Chase supplied 17 points and eight rebounds, Hunter finished perfect from the field and Brown secured five offensive rebounds among her career-high 12 boards.
McCarthy praised Brown’s ability to create additional possessions, especially on a day when Fresno State struggled to make outside shots.
“She’s a monster on the glass, and she’s so strong and she’s so explosive,” McCarthy said.
Donez credited the bench with changing the energy after the slow start.
“Just our bench coming in can bring a lot of life and a lot of energy, and just knowing that it doesn’t drop off when we have our bench come in is very important,” Donez said.
Donez also grew more comfortable in McCarthy’s offense, topping her previous career high of 11 points against New Mexico.
“I feel a lot more comfortable just attacking and hunting the shot that I’m comfortable taking,” Donez said.
For McCarthy, the newcomers’ contributions reflect both the relationships that brought them to Fresno State and their willingness to embrace bigger roles.
“At the end of the day, they’re good players, but they’re really good people,” McCarthy said.
Four Key Players
Ashlyn Rean: 18 points, 10 rebounds and three steals.
Mekhia Chase: 17 points and eight rebounds.
Lola Donez: Career-high 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Jada Hunter: 14 points on perfect 7-for-7 shooting and five rebounds.
On the glass: Ivy Brown added five points and a career-high 12 rebounds, including five offensive boards.
A higher standard ahead
Fresno State finished with 56 rebounds, including 24 on the offensive glass. That effort remained a bright spot in an area McCarthy said needed improvement after the Bulldogs’ road loss to Colorado.
“I’m really proud of the steps that we’ve made from a rebounding standpoint and our commitment on the glass,” McCarthy said.
Now the challenge is pairing that commitment with a more disciplined defense. The Bulldogs have time to address those issues before traveling to Florida Gulf Coast on November 24.
McCarthy believes the team can compete for a postseason opportunity, but Saturday reinforced how much work remains.
“Our goal is always to compete for championships, play in the postseason, put some banners up there,” McCarthy said.
The Bulldogs protected their home court again. Their next road test will demand a more complete performance.
Game story written by Noel Thompson, cover captured by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow@AlScott1998on Twitter (X) or@AlScottSportson IG.
Some things just take time and a few tweaks. In the case for Fresno State women’s basketball, they took a 86-64 shellacking from New Mexico in March earlier this year to end the 2025-26 season. It was different on Wednesday night though.
New Mexico underwent a massive roster shakeup and brought in a new coaching staff, similar to Fresno State a year ago. Tonight, Fresno State got the best of their old Mountain West foes, some efficient offense and 14 steals defensively paced Ryan McCarthy’s Bulldogs to a 74-56 victory.
“Our ladies are just coming together, because we revamped too. We were in the same position. We went out and got 11 new players, like Jada and Lola and Mekiah and Ivy, and the list goes on. We got a really talented recruiting class to come here and ladies that signed up knowing that this was going to be the hardest thing they did in their life, and hopefully we can prove that every game,” McCarthy said.
The driving force on Wednesday was not any one player but rather a collection of playmakers that made the Bulldogs octane offense run. Seven different Bulldogs scored 9+ points on Wednesday: Lola Donez had 11 points. Ashlyn Rean, Ava Marr and Jada Hunter each had 10 and Zawadi Ogot, Rubi Gray and Ivy Brown all had nine. Mekhia Chase added six points, two assists, eight rebounds and four steals to complete an all-around Bulldog performance.
“It’s a good problem,” McCarthy said. “It helps us from a depth standpoint. It’s hard to scout when you don’t have just like two or three dominant players. I think a lot of programs have that, and if those two or three cannons don’t fire that night, you’re going to be in the 50s or 40s. We have a lot of ladies, and we’ve all given them the green light.”
Hunter, a St. Mary’s transfer has fit in nicely into McCarthy’s fast-paced offensive style that allows her to work in transition.
“It plays into how I like to play because point guards like me and Mekiah, we get a lot of options to go to score the ball. He’s a tough coach, but I feel like he’s the best coach I’ve had in my college career because he wants me to get mine. He makes it known that I can get mine. I was overthinking things at my previous school,” Hunter said.
Jada Hunter versus UC Merced (Ryan Sepulveda/FSM)
The guard added that she’s coming into the season with “a dog-like mindset” at both ends of the floor, whether it’s getting her teammates involved or wreaking havoc for her opponents, something she’s been very good at this season. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week is up to 10 steals already on the season.
“I definitely take pride in defense. I feel like that’s my thing, and then if I play hard on defense, the offense is going to come to me,” Hunter said.
A slow start for both of the teams in the first quarter with Fresno State leading 8-6 through the first six minutes. The Bulldogs then went on a 12-2 run including a triple from the corner via sophomore Ava Marr. A layup at the other end from Lobos forward Drew Jordan cut the deficit to 20-10 to close the first quarter.
Marr kept things going in the second quarter, nailing a 17-foot pull-up jumper to give the Bulldogs a 28-12 lead with 5:31 left in the half before a media timeout.
New Mexico went on a 9-2 run to close the gap but another strong quarter gave Fresno State a 37-26 lead at halftime, while forcing 12 Lobos turnovers. Fresno State shot 45 percent in the first half overall but made just 2-of-13 from beyond the arc.
Fresno State continued to outpace the Lobos in the third quarter, raising the Bulldog lead to 16 points. Rubi Gray drained a pair of deep triples in the quarter.
Rubi Gray
Early in the fourth quarter, point guard Mekhia Chase drove to the basket for an acrobatic layup. At the other end, forward Ashlyn Rean jumped into the passing lane to pick off a poor Lobos pass, taking it coast-to-coast for a layup. Fresno State went on to win 74-56.
What’s next
The Bulldogs stay home this weekend as they welcome Northern Arizona to the Save Mart Center this Saturday for the first matchup of a doubleheader (the men’s team plays UC Riverside afterwards) tipping off at Noon.
The Lumberjacks opened the young season with a 79-52 loss at Arizona State last week and fell to 0-2 yesterday, Nov. 10, with a 76-74 loss at home to UC Irvine.
Fresno State will then get a 10-day break before a trip to Fort Myers where the Bulldogs will play at Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday, Nov. 24th at 11 a.m. PT. FGCU is the alma mater of McCarthy’s wife and assistant coach Jenna McCarthy, who played two seasons with the Eagles before transitioning to the coaching staff where she coached for four years.
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.
Even in an era of college basketball with so many moving parts, it’s not very common where two teams with 13+ newcomers face off. But that’s what happened on Tuesday night as fans were treated to an overtime thriller at the Save Mart Center as Fresno State defeated Georgia State 95-92.
With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 2-1 and stayed undefeated at home this season. Despite the victory, Head Coach Vance Walberg noted postgame that there were still several areas the team desperately needs to improve in if they’re going to be successful, from making free throws to effort on both ends to even finding out who the third or fourth guys off the bench are going to be.
“I think it’s going to be a process, for me right now, it’s been pretty hard with 13 new players,” Walberg said. “There’s not one guy out there that played last year. Obviously, I had Brian [Amuneke] two years ago, but not one of those guys played together with one another. And we’re trying to figure out who can play with who?”
Speaking of Amuneke, the former Bulldog-turned-Witchita State Shocker-turned-Bulldog again, was quite efficient on Tuesday, scoring 27 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor. He also made half of his eight attempts from beyond the arc.
“Brian’s the type of kid, with his smile, everybody loves him, and he knows how much I respect his game. But I thought what you saw tonight, he should be able to do it consistently, and I’m trying to get him to have that sense of urgency all the time,” Walberg said.
Walberg added that he’s been pleasantly surprised by his growth on the defensive side of the ball. Amuneke’s presence back on the court at the Save Mart Center has been a delight for Bulldog fans, a fan base he referred to as “turnt” after the game, despite low attendance (2,754).
He joked after the game that even when he left, the food in Fresno and better weather had him wanting to come back.
“I was thinking about some of the food places I did miss, some certain spots in the arena. I’m like, man, this would be nice to be back,” Amuneke said. “No tornadoes, maybe some sunshine.”
Jaden Jackson (GSU): 21 points (6-of-11 FG), 2 rebounds
What happened
Brian Amuneke and Dragos Lungu (10 points, 11 rebounds) hit a pair of early threes to give Fresno State an 8-7 lead in the first three minutes of action. Nine minutes into the first half, Lungu jumped out ahead for a fastbreak steal before passing it to K.J. Perry for an easy dunk to make it 20-18. The Panthers tied the game on the next possession though.
K.J. Perry dunking after a pass from Dragos Lungu
Trailing 22-20, Georgia State went on an 11-3 run, including seven points from guard Jacob Meyer until an Amuneke triple stopped the bleeding. Fresno State closed out the first half on a 9-2 run with a floating buzzer-beater from Ross Candelino to give the Bulldogs a 39-38 lead.
Chris Jones made a crafty-and-1 layup to give Georgia State a 47-44 lead before the Bulldogs responded with a 15-3 run to retake the lead, capped off by a three from Candelino.
Point guard Roger Fabrega Urpina really came alive for the Bulldogs second half, running the offense, taking charges and playing some key on-ball defense. He made a pair of threes midway through the second half to give the Bulldogs a 68-59 lead.
“He keeps you under control most of the time, and I thought he did a very good job there. But when we were struggling, he found people, and there’s nothing better than when you got a point guard who’s gonna find you when you’re open,” Walberg said.
Fabrega Urpina, the freshman from Barcelona, Spain finished the night with 14 points and 12 assists (24 on the season). He’s also turned the ball over just twice in each of the Bulldogs’ first three games this year.
“It’s fun because you just never know what’s going to happen. He just finds the ball in your hands. You got to be ready to shoot it,” Amuneke said. “Just just kind of the uncertainty, but also that the other team might not know when he’s going to pass, but we know because we’re so used to it.”
An 11-2 Panthers run, including a three from Eric Parnell made it 74-72, forcing a pair of Bulldog timeouts with just over three minutes left. It was tied 78-78 with seven seconds left when Fresno State brought the ball up but a turnover gave the ball back to Georgia State. A missed shot at the buzzer sent it to overtime.
In overtime, Candelino hit a corner three to go up 84-82 with three minutes left. He hit another one a minute later before Jaden Jackson responded with a triple of his own to tie the game at 87 points apiece. Fresno State went on to win 95-92.
Candelino and center Bradey Henige both finished with 18 points apiece on the night. The latter was forced to guard Panthers 6-foot-10, 300-lb big man Mason Nicholson most of the night. Henige held his own though.
“I never have to worry about Bradey with his effort. He’s always consistent. He’s going to give you what he can,” Walberg said.
Ross CandelinoBradey Henige
The lack of a second unit remains an ongoing storyline. Fresno State went to guys on the bench for less than 33 total minutes during the evening, between K.J. Perry, Baye Fall, Marko Vuckovic and freshman Anthony Granger.
“I’m trying to find who that eighth and ninth guy is going to be for us. I mean I’ve tried Q. I have given some different players, Marko and some others some time and so forth,” Walberg said. “Anthony’s a phenomenal athlete. You’re going to see Anthony in about three years, probably one of the best players on this team. He’s got that type of ability.”
Anthony Granger making his NCAA debut
Fresno State made 31-of-67 (46.3%) tries from the field but missed 15-of-37 from the line. They were also outrebounded 46-39. On the flipside, only seven turnovers was a big win for the Bulldogs.
What’s next
The Bulldogs stay home this weekend as they welcome UC Riverside (2-0) to the Save Mart Center for an afternoon matchup (3 p.m. tip-off) following the conclusion of the women’s game.
Walberg is very familiar with one of UC Riverside’s best players, Tyus Parrish-Tillman, who played for Walberg when he was at Clovis West.
“He always had the ability,” Walberg on Parrish-Tillman scoring 30 points in their win over Denver on Nov. 7.
Fresno State will then hit the road and play at San Jose State on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Before that though, the Spartans will actually host UC Riverside this Thursday, a good scouting opportunity for the Bulldogs.
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.
Following back-to-back losses, the Fresno State Football (5-3, 2-2) team may have saved its season this past week with a 38-22 win over Oregon State.
Now the Bulldogs enter the final stretch of the season with two road games to begin November, starting with a trip to Utah State (3-5, 2-2) and the top defense (333.9 yards per game allowed) in the Pac-12 this Saturday in Logan.
“We’re gonna have our work cut out for us. They’ve done a good job keeping points off the board. They are physical, they do what they do, they are a really sound, good tackling football team and a very physical football team,” Head Coach Matt Entz said on Monday morning at his weekly press conference.
Need to know for Saturday
What: Fresno State (2.5 point favorites) at Utah State
When: Saturday, Nov. 7th at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Maverik Stadium (Logan, UT)
TV: USA Sports Network (Ted Robinson, Darius Walker and Dalen Cuff)
Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins), Caliente – 105.1 KKBZ (Jose Gonzalez and Abraham Montano)
Bulldog Bites
A win on Saturday would make Fresno State bowl eligible for the sixth-straight season.
Fresno State has been one of the best teams in the country at protecting the football and creating turnovers, ranking 7th in the FBS in turnover margin with +1.13 turnovers per game.
The ‘Dogs are set to play its first game of the season not in the Pacific Time Zone, and just the second outside of California (Washington State).
Fresno State is among the most disciplined teams in the country, ranking second nationally (Notre Dame) in fewest penalties (32), penalties per game (4), penalty yards (234) and penalty yards per game (29.25).
Avenging the Aggies
Fresno State holds the series lead (19-14-1) over Utah State, dating back to October of 1952. The Aggies won five straight matchups from 1955 to 1981. The Bulldogs have dominated this century though, including six consecutive wins from 2007-2013, as well as victories in two of their last three matchups (2020 and 2023).
The Aggies won last year however, a 28-17 comeback victory last November in Fresno. After trailing 17-7 at halftime, Utah State flipped the script in the second half when they scored 21 unanswered points.
Fresno State offensive coordinator Josh Davis admitted on Wednesday that last season was definitely a learning opportunity for him.
“Calling plays and building and sustaining drives with a lead, for me, has been a challenge. If you’re not creating advantages as a play caller and as a play designer, you’re failing,” Davis said.
He pointed out the Nevada game last season as one where despite the victory, they struggled massively in the third quarter. Fast forward to this past week, the offense struggled in the fourth quarter resulting in a 7-play, 18-yard drive ending in a missed field goal, followed by consecutive three-and-outs.
The last drive in particular allowed Oregon State one last touchdown drive to make it a two possession game.
“We should have won that game 38-16. Making sure that we’re being aggressive with play calling, I think that falls into a lot of what happened in the second half last year versus Utah State,” Davis said.
To Davis’ credit, the ‘Dogs are outscoring opponents 122-62 after halftime this season, including a 62-15 advantage in the third quarter.
The 2026 Aggies feature the second best scoring defense (21.9 PPG allowed) in the conference but the worst offense (16.9 PPG).
After starting the season at 1-4, the Aggies enter Saturday having won two of their last three games, including a 31-14 crushing at home versus Colorado State last week, led by starting quarterback McCae Hillstead.
Playing in his first full game since their season opener, Hillstead completed 17-of-22 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown pass. The do-it-all signal caller also ran for 79 yards and caught a 44-yard pass.
Sep 15, 2023; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Utah State Aggies quarterback McCae Hillstead (10) passes in the second quarter against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Aggies currently ranks first in the conference and 46th nationally in total defense, allowing just 333.9 yards per game, and 30th nationally and first in the conference in passing efficiency defense (118.68). Utah State ranks 63rd nationally and third in the conference in passing defense at 208.3 YPG allowed, 41st nationally and third in the Pac-12 in rushing defense (125.6 YPG allowed).
Two former Aggies are at Fresno State making their return to Cache Valley. Nickelback Simeon Harris was one of the first transfer commits for Matt Entz during his tenure. Harris had 59 tackles, one interception and a fumble recovery for the Aggies in 2023 before redshirting in 2024.
Assistant offensive line coach Spencer Petras played one season for the Aggies as their quarterback in 2024 with 2,315 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Aggies to watch
Anthony Garcia — Utah State will likely be without top wideout Eli Wood for the second straight week. Wood caught 37 balls (7th in Pac-12) for 479 receiving yards (4th) and five touchdowns (t-2nd) through the first seven games.
Even if he can play, senior wide receiver Anthony Garcia has stepped up in recent weeks and remains a player to watch. Over the last two games, Garcia has 19 receptions for 208 yards. He also threw a 44-yard pass to Hillstead on a double reverse trick play.
Asher Cunningham — The Aggies middle linebacker will play all over the field. Cunningham ranks tied for fourth in the Pac-12 in tackles (65) and first in forced fumbles (3).
Davis called him “one of the better linebackers in the conference” on Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of Utah State Athletics
Honorable Mentions: After struggling early on in the season, starting running back Javen Jacobs has now rushed for 363 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and three touchdowns over the last five games, including a 64-yard run at Boise State.
Sophomore defensive tackle Carson Tujague already has 103 tackles and 2.5 sacks in his young collegiate career. He had five tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss this past Saturday versus Colorado State.
Cornerbacks David Kabongo and D’Angelo Mayes both rank in the top nine in the conference among corners in PFN rating.
Dog Factors
Winning the trenches — Fresno State had arguably its best game blocking wise all season against the Beavers. This came while using eight offensive linemen, to keep guys coming back from injuries like guards Marquise Thorpe-Taylor and Jonah Leaupepetele fresh.
“That rotation takes a lot of stress off of the guys, because they’re all we’re all battling something and they’re able to just go out there for a drive or two and then kind of switch around,” left tackle Braden Walton said.
They’ll have an even bigger task though against Utah State and one of the bigger and most talented defensive lines in the conference. Walton is excited about the opportunity though.
“Very good team up ahead, very well coached, gap sound. They got a lot of forced fumbles. They’re always around the ball, and I mean, number one defense in the Pac-12. I know it’s going to be a challenge,” Walton said.
As good as the Utah State defense has been, Fresno State defensive tackle Deijon Laffitte (17 tackles, 2.5 sacks in 2026) still believes his guys are the best.
“We feel like we’re the best defense in the conference,” Laffitte said. “Kudos to them for having a good defense right now. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to face each other, and we ultimately go see who is better.”
Defensively, Fresno State’s defensive line accounted for four sacks, two pass deflections and seven tackles for loss in what might have been the game’s biggest tide turner. Maverick Noonan and Mordecai Hines also each recovered a fumble.
“Coach [Gigli], he challenged us. It wasn’t a different week for us, but he challenged us. He let us go play free, go play loose, and he just told us, ‘We being good right now, but good is average.’ He wanted us to be great, and I feel like the whole D line took that as a challenge,” Laffitte said.
Bulldog defensive end Dylan Hampsten was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week following his performance, featuring seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
“I love playing with a great edge rusher. You know, he takes a lot of attention off of the guys on the inside because of how good he is, and he does a good job of communicating,” Laffitte said.
Laffitte and fellow nose tackle Martin Owusu also each had a sack. He said on Tuesday that the team’s energy on the sidelines, especially in between the third and fourth quarters, has been crucial this season in finishing games.
Dylan HampstenMartin Owusu
“It’s a tone setter…Like alright, it’s time to go kill because you know we know they’re on their last knee, and it’s just time to go take them out,” Laffitte said.
The junior said there is a lot of “friendly competition” on the sidelines during games, trying to one-up each other while still celebrating each other’s successes. That energy was noticeably missing a few weeks ago though when they lost at San Diego State.
“That was just an us thing…If you don’t have any energy and you come out flat, then you can’t expect good results. So we just tried to change that. Now you see the results,” Laffitte said.
Running game back on track? — For a run-first offense, the Bulldogs have not been great at moving the ball on the ground this season, rushing for just 145.4 YPG (90th in FBS).
Things looked a bit different though on Saturday versus Oregon State in part to collectively improved run blocking led by right tackle Rolan Fullwood and tight end Jake Appleget, Fresno State ran 35 times for 196 yards (excluding kneels).
Rolan Fullwood
The biggest benefactor from the improved offensive line play was running back Bryson Donelson, who broke free for a 63-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. He finished the night with 108 yards on 16 carries.
“Appleget made a great play on the safety, and I don’t think Bryson got touched that whole run. I just get up off the ground, and I’m looking in the end zone. Like, I threw my hands up. I’m like wobbling down there. I didn’t even make it to the end zone,” Walton said.
Rayshon “Speedy” Luke also ran nine times for 44 yards and Julius Gillick had two carries for 10 yards, in addition to a few quarterback keepers for Jayden Mandal.
Rayshon LukeJayden Mandal
Injury Report
Fresno State came away from the game on Saturday versus Oregon State healthy for the most part. Interior offensive lineman Oscar Weigel left the game in the second quarter and defensive end Sione Noa left late in the fourth quarter. Safety Gerayas Grimes was briefly off the field Saturday before returning.
Defensive ends Jahzon Jacks and Merhauti Xepera both missed Saturday with undisclosed injuries, as well as defensive tackle Jauris Satele, linebacker Niko Baumgartner and long snapper Ethan Rossetti.
A final updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday, visit the PAC-12 website for the latest on Fresno State player availability throughout the week.
Gerayas Grimes
Score predictions
Fresno State 24, Utah State 17
The Aggies like to keep games low scoring. It could be a “trap game,” but I trust the Bulldogs to keep things going and to get vengeance after losing to Utah State last season. Expect a big game from the Fresno State defense.
Game preview written by Al Scott, photos 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.
Never satisfied, it’s the Ryan McCarthy way. The Fresno State women’s basketball head coach kept things honest after the Bulldogs’ 94-32 win over UC Merced on Wednesday.
“I thought we played three and a half quarters at the standard that we’re used to. Today definitely wasn’t like our best day, but it definitely wasn’t our worst,” McCarthy said.
Of course it wasn’t all gloom. After all, a 62-point win came with plenty of positives for Fresno State, including transfers Mekhia Chase and Jada Hunter, who combined for 14 of the Bulldogs whopping 30 steals on the evening. Fresno State shot 38-of-87 from the field on the night, though just 5-of-23 in the fourth quarter to McCarthy’s point.
Jada Hunter
“I’m glad that we did some good things that we can build off of, and we did some things that we can definitely learn from,” McCarthy said. “The next opponent (Colorado) is going to be one of the best in the country, and some of the things that we did tonight, can’t happen again.”
Following the tip, Loyola Marymount transfer Zawadi Ogot got a quick layup for the first basket of the new season. UC Merced took a 5-2 lead on a three a few minutes later from senior forward Nicole Lukito (6 points, 13 rebounds). Transfer guard Rubi Gray came in and nailed a pair of triples on back-to-back possessions. Gray made 90 threes in her two seasons at Sacramento State, one shy of the program record.
Rubi Gray (Ryan Sepulveda/FSM)
The Bulldogs went on a 34-9 run to end the first quarter, including a pair of threes from sophomore Ava Marr (13 points), who still has the “green light” from Coach McCarthy. Mehkia Chase to give Fresno State a 36-14 lead over the Bobcats. The quarter ended with a buzzer-beater from Chase, who is playing point guard for the first time in her career.
“That’s been an area that she’s really developed. It’s been a lot of game film and it’s been a lot of individual workouts and things like that. But she’s playing like a leader, and I think that playing that point guard position is not just getting people involved in the offense,” McCarthy said. “She was in at the end of the game with a lot of the freshmen and bailing us out of bad possessions and things like that. She’s done a good job leading on and off the floor.”
Mekhia Chase (Ryan Sepulveda/FSM)
Fresno State opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run, including a three from Cal transfer Lola Donez (nine points), who along with returner Ashlyn Rean, was named to the Pac-12 preseason Team Impact list. Rean finished with 11 points, a game high 15 rebounds, three assists and four stocks (steals + blocks).
“It makes everything a lot easier when you get a rebound and you know someone is already probably at the other end of the court. I think that our guards do a really good job of implementing what Coach McCarthy wants us to do, and it just makes the game really fun,” Rean said.
Tonight was extra special for Rean, a team captain playing in her first official game back since tearing her MCL after just six games last season alongside an almost entirely new team.
“This summer, it may have felt like a long time, but it kind of just flew by with this group because everyone’s just super hardworking, easy to be around,” Rean said. “To get out on the floor and put everything together and everything we’ve kind of been through together just made that transition a lot smoother and really enjoyable.”
The Bulldogs defense stepped up in the second quarter, limiting the Bobcats to just five points as they went into halftime with a commanding 56-17 lead. Gray continued from her strong first half after halftime, with a steal and a fast break layup to give Fresno State a 64-19 lead. She finished with 18 points and 4 steals on the night. Ogot (14 points) finished the quarter off with an athletic layup to lead 79-24.
Zawadi Ogot (Ryan Sepulveda/FSM)
Despite being up 55, McCarthy opened the 4th quarter with five of his seven primary rotational players on the quarter. Still pushing the tempo, Fresno State would go on to win 94-32. Redshirt freshman Sienna Clark scored her first career points, on a triple with just over four minutes left in the game.
“It’s super rewarding. I’m really proud of her. She’s put a lot of work in and she’s an even better kid off the floor. I love being around her. She’s really funny,” McCarthy said. “She’s kind of a goofball.”
UC Merced didn’t do much well against the Bulldogs, shooting just 8-of-37 from the field (40 less shot attempts than Fresno State) and 3-of-17 from beyond the arc. They also had more turnovers (39) than points scored (32).
The lone bright spot for the Bobcats was probably the rebounding. Lukito and Olivia Gill combined for 24 rebounds on the night. Fresno State still outrebounded UC Merced (46-36) but McCarthy still wasn’t satisfied, noting that dominating the glass is an area they will have to improve upon if they are going to beat higher competition.
“I think the biggest concern for me is rebounding and just focus,” McCarthy said.
Coach noted a lack of urgency in some baseline out of bounds plays, as well as a lackadaisical effort on some transition opportunities, passing up open shots because they “were looking at the scoreboard.”
Schedule outlook
The Bulldogs begin the 2026-27 season in a new conference and a schedule full of plenty of competitive opportunities.
Fresno State will play 15 non-conference games between November and December of this year, including eight times at the Save Mart Center during non-conference play, which began with tonight’s home opener victory over UC Merced.
Other opponents coming to the Save Mart Center in 2026 include former Mountain West mate New Mexico, Northern Arizona, Saint Mary’s, Southern Mississippi, Grambling State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Hawaii.
Up next, Fresno State’s first road game of the year will likely be its toughest of the season, heading to Boulder to face a Colorado team that went 22-12 last season with ranked wins over Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech and Baylor before finishing strong with a Big 12 semi final appearance and an NCAA at-large bid. The Buffaloes, who received two votes in the first AP Poll of the season, defeated Morgan State 83-38 on Wednesday.
“They have top-100 recruits on their team, and from a budget standpoint, it’s the Flint Tropics against the Chicago Bulls. We will have to play our very best game when we play them,” McCarthy said.
Fresno State will also play at assistant coach Jenna McCarthy’s Alma Mater Florida Gulf Coast on November 24. Following Thanksgiving, the ‘Dogs will be in New Orleans for the 2026 Big Easy Classic.
Other road games include San Diego, Bowling Green and Ball State. The latter two will finish up the Bulldogs’ non-conference slate during the final week of December.
“We made a non-conference schedule that we feel will challenge us in many different ways and will make some road trips that will help prepare us for league play,” McCarthy said.
The Bulldogs will play its first of 16 Pac-12 Conference games on the road on Thursday, January 7th at 5:30 p.m. at Colorado State.
Fast forward to January 23rd, the Bulldogs 8 p.m. matchup at home with Oregon State is set to be broadcast on The CW.
Fresno State was picked seventh out of the nine teams in the conference preseason media polls. Gonzaga received 16 of 19 first place votes, followed by Oregon State and San Diego State.
The Pac-12 Conference Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 9th in Las Vegas, Nevada. For a complete schedule, visit the Fresno State Athletics website.
Season prediction
Ceiling: 20-22 wins
Floor: 15-16 wins
Prediction: 20-14 record
Year two for Coach McCarthy and his staff features a competitive schedule, but this team is significantly more deep than it was a year ago.
If Rean can stay healthy and Coach McCarthy gets the buy-in from his team for a full season, I see no reason why this squad can’t compete amongst Gonzaga, Oregon State and the other top teams in the newly-reformed Pac-12 conference.
Lola DonezIvy Brown
Game recap written by Al Scott, photos 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.
Vibes are generally great after a win, a season opener at home no less. But what could have been a night of celebration for basketball in the Fresno community, felt more like your average of Monday following Fresno State’s 88-79 victory over Fresno Pacific to begin the 2026-27 men’s basketball season.
“It’s a win. Let’s just say that, it’s a win. A little disappointing,” Head Coach Vance Walberg said postgame. “I’m tired of being patient. It’s Division-I basketball now, and it’s time that we just do what we’re supposed to do.”
Despite the narrow win, newcomer Dragos Lungu endeared himself to the Fresno State fans with a dazzling performance, scoring 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting. He also had seven rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks.
Walberg complimented Lungu’s offensive game but admitted he needs more from him defensively and vocally.
“Nobody knows how talented he is. He can create. He can do a lot of different things. He gets to the rack like you saw tonight. That part I think is really good. But if he wants to get better, he’s got to talk more. That’s what I’m trying to get him to do,” Walberg said.
Fresno State was picked last in this year’s Pac-12 conference media poll, something Lungu disagreed with.
Neither team had much of a lead in the first half. Fresno State took a 11-6 lead with a layup from transfer guard Dragos Lungu. The Sunbirds responded with a 9-0 run including a couple of threes from San Joaquin Memorial alum Jaden Geron to give Fresno Pacific a 15-11 lead.
A few minutes later, center Bradey Henige made baskets on three straight possessions to give the lead back to the Bulldogs, 22-20.
A nice cut from Dragos Lungu was rewarded with a stealthy pass from Ross Candelino for an under-the-basket layup. Candelino found him again a minute later for another layup. He then scored himself on a dish from Lungu on the next possession as part of a 6-0 run for the duo to give Fresno State a 28-23 lead with 6:57 left in the first half before a media timeout.
The Sunbirds went on a 15-9 run, capped off by a Brandon Gipson Jr. layup to take a 38-37 lead. Fresno State recovered with four free throws to end the half from Candelino to make it 41-38. Despite shooting 55 percent from the field in the first half, the Bulldogs held just a three point lead. Fresno State had 14 turnovers on the night, including 10 in the first half.
“During the first three exhibitions, we turned it over a heck of a lot more than I wanted to see it. And it’s not like the other teams are creating the turnovers; it’s just our sloppiness at times, and then just our sense of urgency,” Walberg said.
He added that he wished his team would give more effort defensively.
Lungu and Loukas Jones (Clovis North HS alum) trade threes early in the second half. Fresno State made only one triple in the first half, compared to five from the Sunbirds.
Despite struggles from most of the offense that allowed the Sunbirds to stay in the game, Lungu held his own in the second half. His layup with six minutes left in the second half gave him 25 points for the game. Layups from point guard Roger Fabrega Urpina and center Baye Fall on the next two possessions gave Fresno State a 77-67 lead, their biggest advantage to that point. They would go on to win 88-79.
Of the 88 points scored, only 5 came from the bench (Baye Fall). That includes transfer guard K.J. Perry (17 points during exhibition versus Cal State Fullerton), who was held scoreless in 12 minutes.
“I’ve gotta find a bench that cares for their teammates more than anything else. I think a lot of them, it’s the first college game. Everybody thinks they’re going to play a lot and when the game begins, there’s only so many minutes,” Walberg said.
When asked about how he can get more out of his second unit, Walberg put the onus on the players to show they are deserving of a bigger look.
“They’ve got to give me the confidence of being able to put them in, to where you can get something out of them,” Walberg said.
What’s next
Fresno State will face a much bigger test this weekend as the team travels south to play at UC San Diego, one of six non-conference games for the Bulldogs this season. The Tritons got the better of the ‘Dogs last November, winning 78-73 at the Save Mart Center. Tip-off on Saturday is set for 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs will return home to Fresno to host Georgia State (Nov. 10) and UC Riverside (Nov. 14) next week.
Game recap written by Al Scott, photos 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.
It was a wet, rainy night and despite allowing 450 yards to one of the nation’s top offenses, Fresno State came out victorious on Saturday night and quite decisively too, defeating Oregon State 38-22.
“A lot of people were talking about how explosive they were, how good they were. I think they were even ranked in some polls in the top 25. So it was a great opportunity for our players just to know that they can play and compete with them,” Head Coach Matt Entz said postgame.
Quarterback Jayden Mandal was efficient, averaging near 12 yards per attempt and threw a pair of touchdowns to Josiah Freeman (6 receptions, 88 yards). Mandal used his legs to not only avoid the Beavers pass rush but also rush for two scores. Bryson Donelson also had a 63-yard rushing touchdown.
“Consistency. That’s what it took tonight. Very consistent approach, consistent effort for four quarters,” Entz said.
The real story though was the defense: two fumble recoveries, five sacks, nine tackles for loss and nine pass deflections.”
Despite the light crowd, they did make an impact. Entz noted postgame that Oregon State false started three times on third or fourth down and less than a yard (with credit to the Red Wave), leading to field goals or no points instead of touchdowns.
“Field goals don’t get you beat, and we knew for as high of a scoring offense as they had, if we can hold it to field goals, we’d have an opportunity,” Entz said.
Fresno State got the ball to begin the game but Quarterback Jayden Mandal threw an interception (Sailasa Vadrawale III) on just the second play. It was the Buchanan alum’s only incomplete pass of the first half but it was a big one, as it gave the Beavers prime field position.
On the second play of the drive, the nation’s leading passer, Braden Atkinson, found the nation’s leading receiver, Jesse Legree, open for a 23-yard gain. Fresno State’s defense locked in on 4-and-goal, giving the Bulldog offense the ball back.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Beavers used the good field position for a 54-yard field goal from kicker Cameron Smith.
Fresno State’s running game came alive at the end of the first quarter with big runs from tailbacks Bryson Donelson and Rayshon “Speedy” Luke. After a gain of nothing and a three-yard pass from Mandal to wide receiver Ezekiel Avit, the Bulldogs faced a third and medium from the 15-yard line. Mandal opted to keep it and maneuver through the Oregon State defense for a touchdown.
After a Beaver field goal to begin the second quarter, Mandal found Josiah Freeman open on the right side for a quick 12-yard out route. The next play, Donelson found an opening and broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run to make it 14-6.
Oregon State steadily moved the ball down the field on its next drive but a third-down pass breakup from Kiontre Harris forced another field goal.
Fresno State turned around and got a pair of first down runs from Donelson and Mandal. Mandal then looked deep left to find Freeman in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 21-9 lead heading into halftime, despite being outgained 235-214.
Leading 24-9 in the third quarter, Fresno State defensive lineman Martin Owusu strip-sacked Atkinson, recovered by Maverick Noonan. It led to another touchdown run for Mandal and a 31-9 Fresno State lead.
The two teams traded touchdowns on the next two drives, including another Mandal-to-Freeman connection to make it 38-16.
Oregon State added a garbage time touchdown in the final two minutes on a throw from Atkinson to tight Eric Olsen, though they missed the two point conversion on a pass breakup from Kiontre Harris, who made waves earlier in the week after saying Tuesday he “wants all the smoke,” in regards to facing Legree.
Legree finished under 100 yards (70) and was held without a touchdown for the first time this season.
“He was excited about the ability to compete against a really good player…when you get an opportunity to play the best, and statistically, [Legree’s] the best. I think he was talking to himself about what a challenge this is. ‘I’m going to step up. This is my opportunity,” Entz said.
The defensive effort was led up front by Dylan Hampsten who had two sacks on the night (5 on the season). The edge said after the game the win was the result of the work they put in during the week off.
“Man, absolutely electric. You know, Halloween night, rainy, different environment. Worked the bye week and saw the fruits of our win,” Hampsten said.
What’s next
Fresno State will begin November with back-to-back games on the road, first with Utah State next Saturday in Logan before playing at Texas State on November 14th .
Following the two road games, Fresno State will return home to Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday, November 21st to host the Rams of Colorado State.
Game recap written by Al Scott, photos 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.
Coming off back-to-back weeks with losses to your two biggest rivals, one could argue Fresno State’s (4-3, 1-2) bye this last week could not have come at a better time.
A well-rested Bulldogs team now welcomes a hot Oregon State (5-2, 3-0) squad that features not one, but two Heisman Trophy candidates in Quarterback Braden Atkinson and Wide Receiver Jesse Legree.
Both teams coming off their bye will meet at Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday for a late night Halloween battle. Fresno State Head Coach Matt Entz said on Monday the team is feeling refreshed and ready to go with much at stake on Saturday.
“It’s going to be an exciting and competitive opportunity against a close to being ranked football team right here in Bulldog Stadium,” Entz said.
What: Oregon State at Fresno State (7-point underdogs)
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Valley Children’s Stadium (Fresno, CA)
TV: USA Sports Network (Nate Gatter, Ryan Leaf and Lauren Green)
Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins), Caliente – 105.1 KKBZ (Jose Gonzalez and Abraham Montano)
Bulldog Bites
Fresno State has been one of the best teams in the country at protecting the football and creating turnovers, ranking 7th in the FBS in turnover margin +1.14 turnovers per game.
The Bulldogs have thrown just one interception in 201 team pass attempts, ranking 4th in the FBS with the least amount of passes intercepted.
Quarterback Jayden Mandal drops back to throw at San Diego State on October 17, 2026 (Evan Bradley/Fresno Sports Magazine).
Fresno State ranks among the most disciplined teams in the country, with just 30 total penalties (6th in FBS) and 31 penalty YPG (3rd in FBS).
The ‘Dogs are outscoring opponents 105-49 after halftime this season, including a 45-8 advantage in the third quarter.
Battlin’ da Beavers
After not playing each other for 19 years, Saturday will mark the 3rd time in five years and the 16th meeting ever between the two schools with Fresno State owning the series 9-6, and a whopping 6-1 at home.
The series has included several close battles including in 2022 when the Beavers won 35-32 thanks to a last minute touchdown run from Jack Coletto.
The ‘Dogs got their revenge last year in Corvallis, winning 36-27, highlighted by safety Jaden Carrillo’s 42-yard punt return for a touchdown right before halftime.
Now the two programs meet for the first time as Pac-12 conference foes but as Entz noted on Monday, this Oregon State team is “significantly different just based on some personnel.” They also have a whole new coaching staff, led by first year Head Coach JaMarcus Shephard.
Shephard was hired by the Beavers last November after coaching under former Fresno State Head Coach Kalen DeBoer at both the University of Washington and at Alabama.
Oregon State took over a program in the middle of an identity crisis of sorts, left behind (along with Washington State) by its former Pac-12 mates. The team went 2-12 and fired former Head Coach Trent Bray before hiring Shephard.
Oregon State head coach JaMarcus Shepard speaks to the media after the 35-24 loss to Texas Tech during an NCAA football game at Reser Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Corvallis, Oregon | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
His Beavers started the year with a pair of ranked losses to Houston (33-20) and Texas Tech (35-24) before winning five straight games over Montana, UTEP, Colorado State, San Diego State and Washington State.
“I’ll tell you what, we kept receipts…people would say we would only go 1-11 this year, and you know what? That just keeps putting fuel to the fire,” Shephard told USA Sports.
Through seven games, Oregon State ranks among the top five teams in the country (out of 138 FBS schools) in several offensive categories: 42.7 PPG (4th), 384.9 passing YPG (1st), 26 passing TD (1st), 527 total YPG (3rd), 40 total TD (3rd) and 7.35 yards per play (5th).
It will be a big test for Fresno State and Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto.
“Their O-line is very physical. They get off the ball really well, and the quarterback does a great job diagnosing plays. I think that’s what stands out to me on film, is [Atkinson] is able to go with the ball very quickly, and you know you can see the receivers and the running back can hit it downhill too as well,” Benedetto said.
Braden Atkinson (Reef Diego/Oregon State Athletics).
While being known for the passing attack, the rushing attack is a weapon as well and has actually outperformed Fresno State this season (142.1 to 139 YPG).
Defensively, Oregon State plays heavy upfront and despite not blitzing a lot, has 18 sacks as a team this season (t-28th in FBS). They’ve forced nine turnovers this season as a unit (six interceptions, three fumble recoveries).
The defense ranks in the middle of the pack in many defensive areas, allowing 23.14 PPG (t-61st), 204.9 passing YPG (t-57th), 140.4 rushing YPG (68th) and 345.3 total YPG (57th).
Beavers to watch
Braden Atkinson and Jesse Legree — Speaking of the Beavers prolific offense, Atkinson and Legree have made quite the waves this season.
Atkinson, threw for 3,611 yards and 34 touchdowns last season before making the jump from the FCS to the FBS and the production didn’t take a hit. In fact, he elevated it.
The sophomore transfer from Mercer has completed 189-of-273 passes in the up-tempo Beaver offense for Nation-leading 2,604 yards and 24 touchdowns, while throwing just two interceptions.
His favorite target has been an 18-year-old true freshman, Jesse Legree, who has 40 receptions on the season through seven games for 1,040 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. Both marks lead the entire country. It will definitely be a point of emphasis for Fresno State and the coaching staff this week.
“You have got to know where he’s at on every single snap,” Entz said.
Jesse Legree (Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics).
“He’s very competitive. You can tell he loves the game of football, and they are gonna find a way to get him the ball,” Benedetto said. “When [Jesse Legree] gets the ball in his hands, that’s when he becomes dynamic. Very good route runner. He can take the top off the defense.”
Legree, who announced during the bye he was signing an NIL-contract extension with the Beavers, struggled to generate college interest out of high school, before ultimately being identified as a player of interest by Oregon State General Manager Eron Hodges this last winter.
Legree joined the Beavers without a scholarship, but was rewarded with a big pay day and a huge investment from the only school that believed in him.
“You could never make up for people not wanting you. It’ll never be made up,” Shephard said. “All those schools across the country, nobody wanted him. And we did.”
Fresno State starting cornerback Kiontre Harris is excited about the opportunity to face off against the best of the best.
“I want all the smoke,” Harris said after practice on Tuesday morning. “Those are notable receivers you go against, and you get the chance to show your own talent so you’re excited about those matchups.”
The Lemoore High School graduate has kept opposing quarto to a team-low 57% completion rate when thrown at this season, per PFF.
Both Atkinson and Legree were named to the Maxwell Award Watchlist earlier this week and should be on the shortlist when evaluating Heisman Trophy candidates at the end of the season.
“Even back to [Jim] Sweeney and Pat Hill days, it’s ‘Anybody, Anytime, Anywhere.’ Me being from the Central Valley, I’ve adopted that mindset of being an underdog,” Harris said.
Don’t forget the tight ends — The passing attack is more than just Legree, Atkinson will get a lot of people involved, especially if opponents are blanketing the freshman wideout.
Oregon State tight ends, led by Eric Olsen and Decorion Temple, have combined for 60 catches, 601 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season. Olsen in particular is capable of having a big game, recording nine catches for 65 yards and a pair of touchdowns at Colorado State on October 3rd.
Eric Olsen (Oregon State Athletics).
“They have a multitude of targets. We have to be at our best in order to make sure that we get the ball back to the offense,” Benedetto said.
The Bulldog defensive coordinator added that all options are on the table when facing an offense as explosive and unique as Oregon State’s is.
It’s quite a stark contrast to Fresno State which has gotten little production (18 receptions, 185 yards, TD) from its tight end room on the receiving side of things.
Takari Hickle — The strength of the Beavers defense lies in the middle of the defense, namely senior edge rusher Takari Hickle (37 tackles, FF), who’s already up to six sacks this season (10 in 3 seasons).
“When he goes out there, it doesn’t matter what’s going on in the game, in his life, in the lives of others on the team or around the country. None of that matters. He is out there to try to wreak havoc on the individuals around him,” Shephard said.
Takari Hickle (Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics).
The linebacker core including Hickle, Aiden Sullivan, Gyriece Goodman, Dylan Lane, Kord Shaw and Jabari Odoemenem are amongst the best in the Pac-12 Conference.
“They do some creative things in their blitz packages on third down that really challenge teams to be good. They’ll load it up and bring everybody. They’ll load it up and drop out and do a drop-eight coverage,” Fresno State Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis said. “They haven’t made many assignment errors on defense this year. We’ll have to be good.”
Dog-Factors
Kiontre Harris – Fresno’s State’s ability to stay in the game on Saturday will (more than likely) come down to two factors: winning the turnover battle and limiting Legree.
The latter of which won’t be easy. The star freshman has had his way in 2026, reaching 100+ yards and at least one touchdown catch in each game this season, one of two FBS players in the last 30 years to reach that threshold in each of his team’s first seven games, joining Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State, 2010).
His versatile skillset allows the Beavers to utilize him in a variety of roles, forcing Fresno State to have multiple eyes on Legree at all times but the main guy on him on Saturday will be Harris, who is looking forward to the opportunity to rewrite the history of his season so far, after allowing a touchdown at San Diego State.
“The bad play doesn’t make up who you are as a player, it’s how you respond,” Harris said.
The redshirt sophomore is drawing on past success when he rewatches film to see where things did go well as he looks to “boost his confidence for his mentality to win the next down.”
Croix Stewart (24) helps Kiontre Harris (31) up versus San Diego State (Evan Bradley/Fresno Sports Magazine).
Benedetto noted that no one was more devastated about the loss to San Diego State than Kiontre, but you can’t dwell in the past.
“It’s the next play, best play, and it’s not just him. It’s all 11 guys. It’s all the coaching staff. It’s all of us,” Benedetto said. “We tell him, ‘hey man, there’s a reason you’re the starter. We believe in you, and we know that you’re going to go get the next play.’”
Other key factors – Beating a team as explosive and as confident as Oregon State will require a lot of things to go the Bulldogs way.
Scoring early: Outside of the Boise State game, Fresno State has scored just three points in the first quarter this season.
Rayshon Luke: Outside of the win over Rice, the Bulldogs star running back has been pedestrian at best. Many factors have contributed to that, including his health and that of the offensive line but bottom line, he needs to produce if Fresno State is going to win.
Rayshon Luke running versus San Diego State on October 17, 2026 (Evan Bradley/Fresno Sports Magazine).
Winning the turnover battle: It’s self-explanatory, but teams that have the ball more often and on the opponents side of the field typically win football games.
Tackling: Via Gabe Camarillo of KMPH Fox 26, the Bulldogs missed a combined 32 tackles in their recent pair of losses – more than they missed in the previous four weeks combined (29) per PFF.
“The fundamentals of tackling is always a thing we have to keep improving on, keep getting better at,” Benedetto said. “We always hammer on our hand placement, our eye placement, and then just our communication level.”
Injury Report
Many key contributors returned from injury to game action on Oct. 17 at San Diego including starting running back Rayshon Luke and right guard Jonah Leaupepetele.
Coach Entz indicated on Monday morning that the starting offensive line unit, while not “100 percent” healthy, is all active and expected to be good to go on Saturday.
A final updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday, visit the PAC-12 website for the latest on Fresno State player availability throughout the week.
Right guard Jonah Leaupepetele playing at USC on Friday, September 4, 2026 (Ryan Sepulveda/Fresno Sports Magazine).
Score predictions
Oregon State 37, Fresno State 31
My answer would have been different if you had asked me this a few weeks ago but I picked Fresno State to win the last two weeks and was wrong.
The Beavers might have the best offense on the coast and I’m not sure the Bulldogs will be able to contain Atkinson, Legree and company for four quarters. With that said, I don’t think it will be a blowout like the first three Beavers Pac-12 conference games have been. Fresno State will make it close.
Game preview written by Al Scott, cover photo of Quarterback Jayden Mandal (7) captured by Evan Bradley (Fresno Sports Magazine). For more pictures and updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X) or @AlScottSports on IG.
Perhaps it’s déjà vu or perhaps it’s a sign of positive change just around the corner.
Nevertheless, the Fresno State Men’s Basketball team enters Year 3 in the Vance Walberg era of Bulldogs Hoops similar to the first two, a mixed bag of unknowns with roster turnover increasing by the year.
“It is what it is,” Walberg said. “No excuses. It’s just really tough.”
Success was hard to find during the first two years under Walberg, going 6-26 in 2024-25 before improving to 13-19 a year ago.
Despite more than doubling the team’s win total in year two, Fresno State returns zero minutes from last year’s team.
Last year’s leading scorer and All-Mountain West Third Team selection Jake Heidbreder (17 PPG) and forward Cameron Faas (5.3 PPG) both graduated and guard D.J. Stickman was removed from the team after suffering an ACL injury during February of last season that’s expected to take up all of this season to recover from.
“It’s a tough situation,” Walberg said. “I’d love to have him, but we only have so many roster spots, and DJ won’t be healthy. He won’t get a chance to play 5-on-5 until the end of December or early January.”
Walberg noted the pileup of injuries in recent seasons as a major factor in the decision. Stickman averaged 3.5 points in 14.4 minutes per game over 21 appearances, including one start.
The remaining 11 players that played minutes last season all transferred elsewhere, including DeShawn Gory (Oregon State), Zaon Collins (Ball State), David Douglas Jr. (Northern Illinois), Gasper Kocevar (Howard), Jac Mani (Tarleton State), Wilson Jacques (DePaul). Jacques in particular will earn $1.1M as part of his NIL package, ‘life changing money’ as Walberg noted.
“I wish we had a few people back. I wish we would have them back,” Walberg said. “It’s the times that we’re in. The NIL is crazy.”
Walberg on Wednesday morning suggested the NCAA limit players to one transfer each to limit the amount of roster turnover from year-to-year.
Fresno State, expected to be near if not at the very bottom of the Pac-12 in NIL budgets, will dearly miss Gory, a do-it-all freshman forward that averaged 13.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 2.0 APG. He also had 25 steals and 11 blocks on the year.
“DeShawn was a special breed. He had an aura of confidence that you just don’t find,“ Walberg said. “The sounds in that gym, if we had workouts at 6:30 in the morning, he wanted to be in the gym at 5:30.”
Gory will return to the Save Mart Center as a member of the Beavers when Oregon State comes to Fresno on February 20th.
The one carryover from last year’s team to this year’s team was guard Nathan Zulemie, who will miss his second straight season with an ACL injury.
So where does that leave Fresno State’s roster for the 2026-27 season?
A brand new squad
What we have learned during the brief time they’ve been in action is Lipscomb transfer Ross Candelino can shoot the ball from deep and guards K.J. Perry and freshman Roger Fabrega Urpina are expected to carry the load of ball-handling duties.
It’s hard to place expectations on a squad with 15 players (14 excluding Zulemie) that have never played with each other, besides a brief trip to the Bahamas this summer and two “secret scrimmages.”
“The biggest thing I think that we took away is we can compete with anybody. I believe that from day one,” Candelino said.
Candelino, a 6-foot-5 guard who appeared in 28 games last season, averaged 11.2 PPG and 5.2 RPG while connecting on a team-high 66 3-pointers (42.6%), providing Fresno State with an experienced perimeter shooting threat.
Perry, the number one JUCO recruit in the country a year ago, transferred to BYU but didn’t play last season. The combo guard should be among the team’s leading scorers and playmakers but he’s more focused on what he can provide on the other end of the floor, citing his on-ball defensive skills as his best asset.
“Everything starts on defense. So if I can kind of just be that person to just get us started, I think everything will just flow with it right after that,” Perry said.
K.J. Perry (Fresno State Athletics)
The 6-foot-1 Fabrega comes to the United States with plenty of professional experience already under his belt and high praise from his teammates.
“I’ve never played with Roger, and obviously he doesn’t speak very good English, so you’re like you’re sitting there thinking like all right, but then you start playing with them and it’s like you guys have been playing with each other for seven years,” Candelino said. “Like you, just kind of form a connection with some players.”
The starting lineup early in the season is expected to be rounded out by fellow transfers Dragos Lungu (UT Martin) and center Bradey Henige (Cal Baptist), though Walberg said there could be a lot of movement in the rotation early in the season.
Lungu has been a potent mid-level scorer in his career, including scoring 13.8 PPG on 62% from the field last season as a redshirt sophomore but the 6-foot-6 Romanian guard has managed to play in just 13 total games since appearing in 30 games (11 starts) for the University of San Diego in 2023-24.
Henige, a 7-footer from Glendale, AZ transfers to Fresno State after spending his first two seasons at Cal Baptist. He averaged 4.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG over 20.2 MPG last season.
He’ll be splitting time with transfer Baye Fall, a 6-foot-11 big who has played sparingly at three different major programs, including Arkansas, Kansas State and most recently Rutgers.
A 4-star recruit and #1 rated prospect of his class out of Colorado, Fall hasn’t quite lived up to the potential but he hasn’t had a whole lot of playing time to prove himself (5.3 MPG in 22 career appearances). He does have 12 career blocks though.
Beyond that, Fresno State brought in Nebraska transfer Quentin Rhymes, a 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman guard, who should see some playing time in the second unit as well as the only guy on the team who’s spent minutes in a Bulldog uniform: Brian Amuneke.
Déjà vu
Amuneke returns to Fresno State after spending the 2025-26 season at Wichita State. The 6-foot-6 guard began his collegiate career with the Bulldogs before transferring to the Shockers, where he appeared in 36 games, but averaged just 8 minutes a game.
Fortunately for Amuneke, it’s a style he’s familiar with.
“Our system is pretty much common sense type basketball,” Amuneke said. “Not only the dribble drive but just trying to play together as a team. Move the ball as a team, get the best open shot, best look for every single one of us.
Amuneke averaged 7.7 PPG as a freshman, and even saw seven starts down the stretch of the season in 2025 before transferring, and is excited to bring even more to the Bulldogs than he did a couple years ago.
Brian Amuneke with Fresno State as a freshman (Vincent Ordonio)
“I just know that with me getting better, I can add on to the system more, way better than I did before,” Amuneke said.
The freshman class
In addition to Fabrega, Walberg brought in five other freshmen to round out a heavy forward class including academy players Anthony Granger and Yeshua Kesse-Beda. He also brought in Rylan Parsley from Arizona.
Finishing up the 2026-27 freshmen class is a pair of 6-foot-8 European power forwards: Colin Schroeder (Germany) and Marko Vuckovic (Serbia), the latter of which Walberg described as an enigma.
“He’s very talented, but he is a stubborn Serbian, and I mean stubborn,” Walberg said. “It’s the first time I’ve had a Serbian in, and Marko at times just looks at me like, ‘Coach, you’re crazy,’ Yeah, I am.”
Vukovic projects as a rangy forward with the ability to shoot from distance while providing help on the glass. Schroder is more of an old-school big, playing the bruiser role.
“Colin gives you everything he’s got, every day. I mean, he’s six seven and a half, 245 pounds. He’s going to knock some people around,” Walberg said.
Their energy has been noticed by teammates already, including Candelino, who despite not always knowing what his European teammates are saying, feeds off their passion.
“They’re both very passionate about the game of basketball, and I think that’ll be something that [the Red Wave] can get behind,” Walberg said. “Obviously for fans, it’s a little bit harder because you can’t play. You have all this aggression, like you want to be able to play the game too, but you can’t. So you gotta kind of gotta live through somebody else on the court. And I think that Marko and Colin will help them blow some steam off. I love being with them. They can really flip the energy in the game real fast.”
Colin Schroeder (via @28.colin on Instagram)
Schedule outlook
The Bulldogs begin the 2026-27 season with one final tuneup this Saturday, October 24th, a home exhibition at the Save Mart Center at 2 p.m. against Cal State Fullerton.
“I had an old coach who said, ‘you only get one first impression.’ So we hope to make it a really good first impression,” Candelino said.
Fresno State will play 15 non-conference games between November and December of this year. Excluding the exhibition on Saturday, Fresno State will play eight times at the Save Mart Center during non-conference play, beginning with its home opener versus Fresno Pacific on Nov. 2nd at 6 p.m.
Other opponents coming to the Save Mart Center in 2026 include Georgia State, UC Riverside, Southern, Cal State University Northridge, San Francisco, Sacramento State and UC Santa Barbara.
The ‘Dogs will also host Alabama State at Selland Arena on Friday, Nov. 20th at 7 p.m.
“We heard great feedback from the Red Wave; they love going downtown one game a year. Coach Walberg really enjoys it,” Klassy said. “We want to lean into what makes this place special.”
The feedback hasn’t all been positive but that’s something Fresno State’s Director of Athletics is grateful for nonetheless.
“Although I prefer it all be positive, the negative feedback means people care and I’ll always take that over someone not caring about the sports teams,” Klassy said.
Of the team’s six games away from Fresno, four of them are in California due to the team’s not ‘very big travel budget,’ as Walberg noted. They will be traveling to UC San Diego, San Jose State, Santa Clara and UC Irvine this season.
The only two non-conference games outside the state will take place the weekend right after Thanksgiving as part of the Second Line Showcase in New Orleans, LA. Fresno State will play South Alabama (11/27) and South Dakota State (11/29) during the tournament.
The Bulldogs will play its first of 16 Pac-12 Conference games at home on Sunday, January 3rd at 1 p.m. versus Washington State.
This season will mark the Bulldogs first time ever playing at Texas State (2/18/27) and first time playing at Gonzaga (1/27/27) since 1961.
Of the other eight teams in its conference, seven of them have made the NCAA Tournament in the last six seasons.
The Pac-12 Conference Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 9th in Las Vegas, Nevada. For a complete schedule, visit the Fresno State Athletics website.
Fresno State men’s basketball will have 19 games televised nationally during the 2026-27 season, including all 16 Pac-12 Conference games.
Season prediction
Ceiling: 17-19 wins
Floor: 10-12 wins
Prediction: 15-17 record
I think this team is better than either of the last two seasons. If the front court can
Stay healthy, I think a strong non-conference showing and 5 to 7 wins in a tough conference can have the Bulldogs finish around .500 this season.
Is that the dream? Of course not, but Fresno State eventually needs to build some culture and continuity and perhaps that can happen beginning this season.
Story 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.
