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Sep 26
0

Big second half spurs 3rd straight win for Fresno State

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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.”

Key players

  • Jayden Mandal (FS): 22-for-34, 210 yards, 3 TD, 5 carries, 57 yards
  • 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.

Sep 25
0

Rice Rice Baby: Week 4 Preview

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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.

Sep 23
0

Al Things Considered: Who’s up and who’s down?

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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. 

Sep 20
0

Bulldogs defend Valley Trophy

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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.

Key players

  • Josiah Freeman (FS): 6 receptions, 95 yards, TD
  • Ethan Tierney (FS): 1 tackle, 2 interceptions
  • K’Vion Thunderbird (FS): 10 tackles, sack
  • Jabari Bates (SJSU): 19 carries, 94 yards
  • Anthony Ivey (SJSU): 7 receptions, 150 yards

What happened 

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. 

Sep 13
0

Balanced Bulldogs rout Sacramento State for first win

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For the first five quarters of the season for Fresno State, the offense was close to unwatchable. Between the turnovers and lack of execution, the Bulldogs looked lifeless on the offensive side of the ball. 

That all changed in the second quarter on Saturday night as the Bulldogs (1-1) used a 32-point quarter to carry them to a dominant 49-3 victory over Sacramento State (1-2) in its home opener. 

“We had a lot of guys in our locker room disappointed with how we played last week. They took that personally,” Head Coach Matt Entz said in the postgame press conference. 

Saturday marked the first win for Fresno State Football in the PAC-12 era. It also was the 70th win of Matt Entz’ head coaching career.

“Excited about the win,” Entz said. “Any time you can have nearly 500 yards of offense and hold a team to three points, that’s a successful night.”

After a rough first week, Quarterback Jayden Mandal turned it around against the Hornets, completing 23-of-26 passes for 316 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown using his legs during that second period. 

“I’m really excited for the young man. But he also had some receivers make some really good catches for him. He had some people make plays for him, and he did a really good job of orchestrating the offense,” Entz said. 

Wide receivers Ezekiel Avit and Josiah Freeman combined for 203 yards on eight catches, all in the first half. Running back Bryson Donelson ran for triple digit yards and a trio of touchdowns. 

Defensively, the Bulldogs held Sacramento State to just a field goal and 262 yards. They also got an interception courtesy of Simeon Harris, the seventh of his career (third in the FBS among active players). 

Harris spoke openly about his faith after the game and why pressing forward even through hard times is so important for both him and his teammates. 

“We had our loss last week. I’m still gonna say no panic, no worry at all, because we’re gonna bounce back,” Harris said.

Key players

  • Jayden Mandal (FS): 23-26, 316 yards, 3 touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing)
  • Bryson Donelson (FS): 13 carries, 102 yards, 3 TD
  • Ezekiel Avit (FS): 2 receptions, 103 yards, TD
  • Martin Owusu (FS): 6 tackles, sack
  • Jamar Curtis (SAC): 9 carries, 48 yards

What happened 

After a bad kick to begin the game, Fresno State took over with good field position. A 28-yard pass to Josiah Freeman and a few runs by running back Bryson Donelson and suddenly the Bulldogs were in the Hornets red zone. Sacramento State’s defense turned up though, stuffing Julius Gillick on a 4th and one attempt at the 14-yard line. 

The Hornets weren’t able to do anything offensively in the first half, especially in the first quarter where they totaled just 33 yards.

Following a rush of two up the middle from Donelson, Mandal opened the Bulldogs third drive of the game with a 28-yard pass deep to Freeman (6 receptions, 100 yards on Saturday). A couple plays later and Bulldogs were back in the red zone to close out the first quarter. 

Mandal immediately found Rayshon “Speedy” Luke open to his right and Speedy did the rest, weaving through the Hornets defense for 18 yards and the first score of the 2026 season for Fresno State. 

The next drive, Mandal only needed one play. The redshirt junior slinged it deep to the right finding a streaking Ezekiel Avit for 73 yards. Mandal then found tight end Gavin Correia open for a two-point conversion to give the ‘Dogs a 15-0 lead. 

As good as the offense was in the second quarter, it was the defense setting them up. A Martin Owusu sack and a Simeon Harris interception stopped back-to-back Hornets drives and gave the Bulldogs very competitive field advantage en route to rushing touchdowns from Mandal and Donelson. A 51-yard field goal from new kicker Manaki Watanabe closed out a 32-0 quarter going into halftime. 

Fresno State had one goal and one goal only in the second half: run Sacramento State into the ground. The Bulldogs were successful in that aspect with two more touchdown runs from Donelson in the third quarter, including a 56-yard run. The junior carried the ball 13 times for 102 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday. 

“He’s running differently than I saw last season,” Entz said. “He did a great job making the safety miss on that first outside zone that we ran.”

Entz made sure to credit the offensive line as well, a unit that was improved from a week ago. 

With the game in hand, Entz turned to Maryland transfer Khristian Martin to lead the offense in the fourth quarter. Watanabe kicked another field goal midway through the fourth quarter. Entz was a little coy when asked about his new boot. 

“You’re lucky you saw him tonight,” Entz said.

Dylan Hampson (“great motor”) continued to draw praise from his coaches this week, including Entz, who also mentioned Maverick Noonan (6 tackles) as impact players defensively against the Hornets.

“Number 95 for us played well. It was good that we got a lot of people, a lot of reps. A lot of those guys late in the game are on our scout team, our developmental team during the week, they don’t get a lot of publicity. They don’t get a lot of attention. So it was fun to see those guys out there compete, and fun to see our starters and our our guys who take the bulk of the reps in it still at the end cheering on their teammates,” Entz said.

What’s next

Fresno State heads north to face rival and former Mountain West foe San Jose State (2-1) next Saturday, Sept. 19 (8:00 p.m. kickoff) for the Battle of the Valley Trophy. The Spartans defeated Cal Poly 30-20 this weekend. Their lone loss came at USC during week 0. 

Fresno State defeated the Spartans 41-14 last November in Silicon Valley. Harris remembers that game vividly. Harris had one of five picks that night for the ‘Dogs.

“You know they’re going to throw the ball,” Harris said. “We’re going to come away with some big takeaways, and we’re going to stop that run. So it’s exciting to go back down there, bring the Valley Trophy, and just bring it back on the bus with us.”

The Bulldogs return to Valley Children’s Stadium to finish non-conference play on Sept. 26 to host Rice. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. 

Recap written by Al Scott, photos by Ryan Sepulveda. 

Sep 09
0

Back in the Saddle: Sacramento State Preview

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The biggest party in the Valley is back in Fresno this weekend with Fresno State Football hosting Sacramento State. 

Need to know 

  • What: Sacramento State at Fresno State (18.5-point favorites)
  • When: Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Valley Children’s Stadium
  • TV: CBS Sports Network (Chris Lewis and Randy Cross) 
  • Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins) and Caliente – 105.1 (Jose Gonzalez)

Welcome to the FBS

Sacramento State is not unfamiliar with Fresno State. The two schools have faced off five times including in 2024 when Fresno State defeated the Hornets 46-30.  

The Hornets have since been promoted from the FCS to the FBS, along with North Dakota State this past offseason. 

Opposite weeks

After a 28-17 week 0 loss at Eastern Michigan, Sacramento State bounced back this past Saturday to defeat former FCS mate Mississippi Valley State 52-0. 

Filling in for former Fresno State quarterback Carson Conklin (wrist), Jackson Sharman in his first collegiate start completed 18-of-28 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns (1 INT). Three of those touchdowns found the hands of senior wideout Matt Coleman who caught six passes for 141 yards. 

Photo of Matt Coleman celebrating a touchdown (Sacramento State Athletics)

The Hornets pounded the rock most of the night, rushing 41 times for 203 yards and a trio of scores. 

Defensively, the Hornets were aggressive getting behind the line of scrimmage (4 sacks, 7 TFL) and held the Dust Devils to just 43 total yards. 

The beat down they bestowed on Mississippi Valley State looks similar to the one that Fresno State took on Friday night by USC. 

The Bulldogs got behind early on a masterful touchdown drive led by Heisman hopeful Quarterback Jayden Maiava. 

The Bulldogs marched back down the field as well with a pair of first down completions from Jayden Mandal to Jahlil McClain and Gavin Correia but a missed thrown ball leading to an interception stalled any momentum the Bulldogs had. Next thing you know, it was 30-0 at halftime. 

Fresno State fared better in the second half defensively but much of that could be attributed to the Trojans slowing down its pace and moving to its second string unit. 

The offense finished with just 116 total yards (77 passing, 39 rushing) for the night.

Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis described the performance as a “humbling” experience.

“Friday was a opportunity for us to grow up and put four quarters of football on film and grab the good out of it and continue to grow as we as we race to maturity for what it’s going to take here with our next 11 games,” Davis said.

It’s a new week 

After a dismal showing in Week 1, the Bulldogs have a lot to prove, not only to themselves, but to the Red Wave. But they aren’t panicking. 

Head Coach Matt Entz vowed after the loss at USC that the team is “gonna play better.”

“I think you looked at last year, our product, and we got better every single week. Maybe we had some bumps along the road, but our 13th game was our best football game we played all year. I have the same expectations and the same standard for our football team moving forward,” Entz said. 

Starting running back Rayshon “Speedy” Luke (8 carries, 21 yards) spoke to the media at the end of practice on Tuesday morning, echoing his Coach’s moving forward type mindset. 

“I mean, we got 11 more, so don’t let one determine our whole season. So that’s kind of just been the whole mindset. We got 11 more to prove to ourselves and to the world why we should be here. So don’t let one loss define our whole season,” Luke said. 

Linebacker K’Vion Thunderbird echoed Speedy’s enthusiasm.

“We are feeling good. Just fixing some things, coming out, executing, coming to practice every day. We’re ready to start the season out right at home,” Thunderbird said. 

Despite a great individual week which included nine tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble, Thunderbird is hungry for more. 

“I feel like I could have actually done way better. I feel like we came out flat. Of course, we lost. That’s why we have practice to come out and get better every day. We got a full season ahead, so we got more games to play,” Thunderbird said. 

Thunderbird mentioned that defending the RPO (run-pass-option) has been a point of emphasis in practice this week. 

Familiar faces

Along with Thunderbird, Dylan Hampsten (4 tackles, TFL, FF) also had an excellent showing in Week 1 in his Bulldog debut, leading all Fresno State players with a 83.4 PFF rating. 

“He plays with a great motor. He loves the game of football. He’s there for his teammates, and he’s always out here working. Him, Coach O, Coach G, they do a great job collectively together putting his plan together for the game coming up, and you know we’re excited for him,” Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto said after practice on Wednesday morning.

The edge will be facing a familiar opponent. Hampsten led Sacramento State last season with 13 TFL’s and 8 sacks. He finished the year with 39 total tackles, earning All-Big Sky honors before transferring to Fresno State. For Hampsten, this Saturday is just another game though.

Former Fresno State linebacker Tim Thomas (nine tackles this season) is set to face his former team, along with defensive lineman Isiah Chala and Miles Bailey. As noted earlier, Carson Conklin is doubtful to play. 

X-Factors 

If Fresno State is going to be successful this season, they need to limit the turnovers and that starts with Jayden Mandal. 

The Bulldog quarterback completed just 7-of-15 passes for 77 yards on Friday. What’s more worrisome is the interception, fumble and not one, but two safeties. 

It’s a new week however and Mandal has an opportunity for redemption with the backing of his coach who reiterated Monday that he has no intention of making a quarterback change anytime soon. 

“Either you’re learning or you’re winning, and I know his best football is still ahead of him,” Entz said. 

Entz added that it’s crucial that he gives his signal caller room to make mistakes and if he were to make a change this early in the season, he’d lose the confidence not only of Mandal, but of the team.

His offensive coordinator remains confident in Mandal but acknowledged some areas that need improvement.

“Mandal did a lot of good things. We’ve got to develop a little bit better of a pre-snap plan. You know, USC’s got a very talented defense, but the pictures weren’t all that hard for us to process. So a few mistakes in that regard, along with some bad play calling and some backed up situations, led to some pretty bad ball,” Davis said.

Davis when asked what a successful week would look like for his offense against the Hornets, was straight to the point.

“Zero negative plays, zero turnovers,” Davis said.

Coming out strong and turnover free against the Hornets would do wonders for the Bulldog offense as whole, including opening up running lanes for guys like Luke. 

“That was his first game. He had to see different looks, different defenses, a whole different thing. So why would we just give up on a guy after one game?” Luke said. “We still have 11 more to go out and prove that Jayden should be the quarterback.”

Josiah Freeman is another guy the Bulldogs need to get going. Fresno State’s top wideout a year ago saw four targets on Friday, but didn’t bring in a single reception and was responsible for the ‘Dogs lone drop. 

Freeman and Mandal’s connection going forward is pertinent to any success this team will have offensively. 

For the Hornets, the entire offensive line remains a big question mark. Despite the 200+ yards on the ground, there weren’t many holes created in the first half by the Sacramento State front five against one of the weakest defenses in all of FCS.

As bad as Fresno State was this past Friday, the front seven weren’t the issue. If there’s a matchup to exploit for Fresno State, it will be in the trenches.

What’s new at Valley Children’s Stadium

If you’ve been around the stadium at all this summer, you’ve probably noticed the scaffolding along both the east and west sides of the stadium. 

Well it’s for some new LED boards on both sides of the stadium that will show a variety of things, including stats and advertisements for additional revenue. 

The Bulldogs will be also featuring a pair of new innovations for when the team enters the field right before game time. Not only will the team be led out by a tractor, Fresno native and runner-up from season 28 of The Voice, Ralph Edwards will serve as a Bulldog Ambassador and help with the team walkout. He’ll also be around the pregame tailgate party. 

Speaking of which, Fresno State Athletics announced last weekend the unveiling of the Modelo Block Party, which will be an extension of Bulldog Boulevard as the school offers more tailgating opportunities. 

Photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics

The new entertainment village will take place at the Bulldog Soccer Stadium with plenty of activities, live music, concessions, entertainment and a new place for fans to gather before games. 

“Gameday at Fresno State is about so much more than the three or four hours inside the stadium,” said Garrett Klassy, Director of Athletics. “We want the entire day to feel like an event from the moment fans arrive on campus.

Injury Report

Graduate senior safety Ryan Wilson, who was carted off the field with an ankle injury this past Friday, is expected to miss the rest of the season, joining guard Edward Fonua and running back Brandon Ramirez. 

Wilson is eligible to apply for a medical redshirt again at the end of the season, being grandfathered into the old rules. All new freshmen in 2026 and beyond will now receive 5 years of eligibility to play 5 seasons with no redshirts or medical hardships in a change by the NCAA.

In the meantime, he’s replaced by Ethan Tierney who will start alongside Taylor Powell up top for the Bulldogs but Entz noted Monday that plenty of guys will see time at the position. 

“As you’ve seen, what’s on the depth chart doesn’t necessarily represent how many snaps someone is gonna get,” Entz said. “Jaden Carrillo is gonna play a bunch for us. TP (Taylor Powell) is gonna play a bunch. RJ (Regan) is going to continue to play a bunch. We have four or five safeties that will continue to elevate their game.” 

It’s too soon to say whether or not starting right guard Jonah Leaupepetele (also exited the USC game) will play on Saturday but as for now, he’s still listed as the starter. 

An updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday. 

For more updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X). 

Game preview written by Al Scott, photos captured by Ryan Sepulveda on September 4th (Fresno Sports Magazine). 

Sep 04
0

Entz, Dogs look to flip the script following rough season opener

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I don’t think Fresno State actually believed they were going to go to Los Angeles and beat the Trojans on Friday night. But they certainly played like they didn’t think they belonged. 

In an abysmal showing to begin the season for the Bulldogs, they fell 39-0 in week 1 at USC in Head Coach Matt Entz’ homecoming. The Trojans 2024 linebackers coach spoke candidly after the game about his and the team’s struggles. 

“I’m frustrated. I think we’re better than what we put on the field in that, Entz said. “I’m frustrated at my inability to get them ready. Our players played hard. I know there’s some individuals that played really well, but individuals don’t win games, right? You win games based on the 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and special teams.”

Key players

Jayden Maiava (USC): 23-for-25, 349 yards, 3 TD

Trent Mosley (USC): 4 receptions, 104 yards, 2 TD

Kennedy Urlacher (USC): 3 tackles, 2 sacks, safety

K’Vion Thunderbird (FS): 9 tackles, 2 TFL, FF

Jahzon Jacks (FS): 7 tackles, 1.5 TFL

What happened 

Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava completed a pair of third downs on the first drive, including a pass to Tron Baker who misled his way through the Bulldog defense for 27 yards. Fresno State then forced a fourth and five opportunity, only for Maiava to find Kayden Dixon-Wyatt open on the right side of the field for another 31 yards. Three plays later, the senior signal caller found Tanook Hines wide open for an easy six points to give USC an early lead 5-and-a-half minutes into the game. 

Jayden Mandal and Fresno State converted a pair of first downs on its first drive, including a nice catch by Jahlil McClain. On third and three on the Trojans 46-yard line, Mandal stepped back and overthrew Josiah Freeman streaking down the field directly into the arms of USC safety Prophet Brown for an interception. 

Entz was conflicted after the game when asked about Mandal’s performance, who completed 7-for-15 on completions, and was sacked twice in the end zone. 

“Ups & downs,” Entz said. “I saw some really good throws. I saw us make some adjustments and change some plays at different times that I thought were really good, and then there were some things that you kind of were left wondering why did we do that? We hadn’t done that all week.”

Dylan Hampsten forced a fumble, picked up by linebacker Tytus Khajavi to give the Bulldogs the ball back on their own 43-yard line. They weren’t able to do anything with it however. USC got the ball a minute into the second quarter and on the third play of the drive, Maiava found freshman phenom Trent Mosley open over middle of the field with only one man to beat. Moseley crossed up Fresno State safety Ethan Tierney before running into the end zone for a 68-yard score and a 14-0 lead. 

It was a hard-to-watch first half for the Bulldogs, especially offensively. Fresno State was held scoreless and managed just 51 total yards. Mandal also turned the ball over twice. To make matters worse, they lost three starters to injury: right guard Jonah Leaupepetele, defensive tackle Deijon Laffitte (returned later) and safety Ryan Wilson. 

The defense wasn’t much better, allowing Maiava and the Trojans offense 357 total yards leading to them scoring touchdowns on four of its five possessions, giving them a 30-0 lead at halftime. 

“Really good football team on the other sideline tonight. Coach Riley’s done a tremendous job putting together a really competitive roster,” Entz said. You see why {Maiava} is a Heisman candidate, tremendously talented, has great understanding, great awareness of what’s going on.”

The Bulldogs fought back in the second half, defensively that is. K’vion Thunderbird forced a fumble and recorded a pair of tackles behind the line. The high-flying USC offense scored just one touchdown in the second half. 

Offensively, Fresno State somehow got worse. Mandal looked outmatched all night and was running for his life with not much help from his offensive line. The run game was nonexistent.

If there was a positive to say about the Fresno State offense tonight, it would be that this was only one of at least 12 games they will play this season and it’s hard to imagine they could play worse. 

What’s next

The Bulldogs return to Valley Children’s Stadium and back to their routine Saturday gamedays when they host Sacramento State on September 12. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. 

“I know we’re a better football team than this, and this is unacceptable. We’re gonna get back to work and the minute we get over the grapevine, we’re thinking about going one and zero next week,” Entz said. 

Hornets starting quarterback and former Bulldog Carson Conklin (wrist) is doubtful to play. 

Recap written by Al Scott, photo by Ryan Sepulveda. 

Aug 12
0

Dogs come up short in season opener

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As much as Fresno State would have loved to kick off both the Gabe Bolton and PAC-12 eras with a victory, it simply wasn’t in the cards for the Bulldogs on Wednesday. 

The UC Davis back line was too much for Fresno State, defeating Fresno State 2-0 in front of a sizable Red Wave crowd. 

“We’re disappointed to lose the game. Obviously, I thought we had some good moments in the game, and unfortunately they had one really great moment in the first half, and in the second half they scored on our inability to kind of clear the ball,” Bolton said postgame. “Davis played very well. They capitalized on their opportunities.”

Despite the loss, the new Bulldog head coach expressed much appreciation for the opportunity and the support he’s received from the school and the community. 

“It’s amazing that we get to do this and compete at this level, and we have tremendous gratitude every time we’re able to do that. The environment out here was phenomenal. The staff put in a tremendous amount of work to create a great environment for our team,” Bolton said. 

How it happened 

The Aggies struck first in the 13th minute with sophomore forward Jaycee DeFazio finding the bottom of the net off the rebound. 

Fresno State immediately tried to counter, pushing the ball down the field, with sophomore Abigail Herren taking a shot on goal, only to be knocked away. 

The ‘Dogs had multiple opportunities in the 18th and 19th minutes, including one from inside the box by freshman midfielder Mariona Sene Corominas. It was blocked however by Aggies goalkeeper Dina Frenkel. 

Bulldog senior transfer Jordan Sprague took a shot on goal with a minute to go in the first half, but Frenkel was right there. 

It was more of the same in the second half with Fresno State getting plenty of opportunities but not being able to find the back of the net. 

“We just weren’t good enough in the final third. We didn’t create great chances. I think we were just a little bit too much in a rush. We were trying to send every ball over the top. I think we just needed to let the attack marinate a little bit more than what we were doing,” Bolton said.  

He went on to use a baseball analogy to indicate their need to focus more on “singles” and working the count or the field for this matter as opposed to swing for the fences. 

“We have to be more patient. We were trying to go for the home run every single time, and as a result, we didn’t create the kind of chances that we’re going to need to create to score goals at this level,” Bolton said.  

UC Davis sophomore defender Kiley Fehrenbacher powered one past Fresno State goalie in the 57th minute to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead, it was all they needed to seal the win as the defense did the rest of the work. 

“At the end of the day, while we didn’t get the result, we know we’re going to grow from this, and we’re going to get better,” Bolton said.

What’s next

The Bulldogs head north this Sunday to Moraga, California to take on the Gaels of St. Mary’s. The match kicks off at 1 p.m. 

Fresno State returns home to host Long Beach State next Thursday, August 20 with kickoff at 7 p.m.

Story written by Al Scott, cover photo by Evan Hernandez. 

Aug 11
0

Fall Camp Roster Review: Running Backs

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Fresno State is just over three weeks away from the start of the 2026 season as they look to build off a 9-4 season a year ago under Head Coach Matt Entz and company. 

Offensively, the Bulldogs averaged 25.8 points per game on 353.8 yards per game in 2025, led by a deep running back room that finished fifth in the Mountain West with 170.5 rushing YPG. 

Taking that success and improving on it will be critical if the Bulldogs are gonna compete in the PAC-12 this season. That starts with the dynamic duo of junior Bryson Donelson and senior Rayshon “Speedy” Luke.

Dynamic Dog Duo

Donelson came out firing in the second half of the 2024 season, including 335 yards and three touchdowns over the final three games of his freshman year. 

The Visalia native didn’t necessarily match the potential that he hinted at during his freshman year, being limited to 45 or less rushing yards in 11 of the 13 games. He finished the season with 707 yards (600 rushing) and five touchdowns on the ground. 

Still, he remains one of the most talented backs in the conference and a threat to wreck opposing defenses, as evident from his 192-yard performance against Georgia Southern in the Bulldogs’ 2025 home opener. 

While Donelson remains the lead back, the Bulldog offense is arguably most dangerous when the football is in the hands of Luke, one of the fastest players in the country.

Speedy racked up a team-leading 1,271 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns in his first year as a Bulldog. Luke understandably had plenty of interest from power-4 schools after last season but he had no intentions of leaving. 

“I’m not really big into transferring. I ended up doing it (began his career at Arizona) but my plans were never to transfer. I’m like a very loyal cat. Toughness wins the brotherhood,” Luke said at Media Day in July. 

Donelson and Luke combining for 2,000+ yards combined (rushing and receiving) would go a long way to Fresno State being a threat to win the conference. They will need both to have success if they’re going to compete. 

“Either you become Bulldogs or the Bulldogs become you,” Luke said.

Bringing the juice

While Donelson and Luke shared the bulk of the carries a year ago, Fresno State regularly gave 5+ carries a game to each of Brandon Ramirez, Elijah Gilliam and Jonathan Arceneaux. The trio combined for 143 carries last season and Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis will need to replace all of them. 

Ramirez is set to miss all of 2026 with a leg injury and the latter two both graduated. So who replaces them? 

Julius Gillick is a name that came up repeatedly all during spring ball and that has only continued through the summer.

“He continues to elevate his play. He had a great end of spring. He’s taking off in the same spot,” Entz said on Monday after practice. 

Gillick carried the ball twice for 16 yards during the final drive of the ‘Dogs bowl game victory over Miami (OH) in December. He’ll be getting a lot more opportunities this season, especially if he can replicate the highlight plays he has made throughout camp including one on Monday morning where he hurdled over starting safety Ethan Tierney. 

Joining Gillick to fill those backfield opportunities is Bucknell transfer Tariq Thomas, who ran for 1,394 yards and seven scores in his first two seasons. 

“You can say it’s 3A, 3B,” Entz said. 

Building depth

Including Thomas, the Bulldogs brought in five fresh faces to running backs coach Aaron Prier’s (2023-present) room in 2026. 

Fresno City transfer Andrew Chavez ran for 542 yards and six touchdowns in two seasons with the Rams. Merritt College transfer Jalen Harris is playing football again after competing on the Merritt track and field team last year. 

Harris possesses game changing speed and would be a candidate to fill in as the do-it-all back should Luke miss any time with injury this season. 

There’s also two new freshmen on this year’s squad, including Clovis High alum Maddox Merrill and prized recruit Jhadis Luckey, who was one of the top commits from this year’s signing class. 

Luckey was a two-time 49ers Cal High Offensive Player of the Year and is coming off an excellent senior year in which he ran for 2,173 yards and 28 touchdowns for Clayton Valley Charter High School (Berkeley, CA). He also caught 14 balls for 325 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns. 

While he probably won’t see the field right away, there’s a chance Luckey could earn some opportunities as the season comes along just like Donelson did in 2024. 

Expectations

The Bulldogs don’t have a Dylan Riley (Boise State) or Lucky Sutton (San Diego State) in their backfield, but the duo of Donelson and Luke plus some emerging underclassmen could make this a top-2 running back room in the conference. 

The Bulldogs ran for 170.5 YPG in 2025. It’s not far-fetched to say 180 YPG is out of reach. 

Story written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).