It wasn’t a perfect night but the Bulldogs did just enough to secure the Valley Trophy for the third straight season. Thanks to a staunch defense and a standout game from kicker Manaki Watanabe, Fresno State defeated rival San Jose State 26-10 on Saturday night in Silicon Valley.
“I don’t know how many picks we ended up having, but I know it was enough that helped us win. You know, there’s some things that we have to address,” Head Coach Matt Entz in his opening remarks to the media after the game.
Watanabe nailed four field goals, including two from 51+ yards, a week after becoming the first Bulldog kicker to ever make a 50+ yard FG in their Bulldog debut.
“We knew that when we crossed the 50, they would start to heat things up a little bit defensively. There’d be a little more pressure, a little more man coverage. But when you have someone who’s comfortable, and what’s that, 3x 50-yarders already this year that he’s hit? You know, it is comforting. Of course, I want touchdowns. Field goals are good enough to get you beat, right? They don’t, and they don’t beat anyone. But we needed them at times tonight. Just if we end every series with a kick, we’ll be okay,” Entz said.
With the win, Fresno State has won the rivalry game over the Spartans three times in a row now, something not lost on Entz.
“The Bulldogs are the team of the Valley. Period. Doesn’t matter if it’s the San Joaquin or the Sacramento Valley. We’re it, and we want to make sure that people know that,” Entz said.
The Fresno State defense held San Jose State to 335 yards and forced five sacks and four interceptions.
“I had to go against them in fall camp for a month, so I know how it feels for that other quarterback. They’re pretty good…credit to the defense; they kept us in that game,” Quarterback Jayden Mandal said postgame.
Fresno State’s offense came out flat in the first quarter again on Saturday, beginning with a three-and-out. The Spartans responded with a moderate attack: Quarterback Luke Weaver finding wide receiver Cooper Hoch open for 18 yards and a first. Jabari Bates would run four times for 10 yards. He also had a 8-yard catch. A third down stop from K’Vion Thunderbird and Logan Goodspeed forced a Spartans field goal from Trent Carrizosa (45-yards).
Jayden Mandal found a connection with Josiah Freeman early in the second drive with a pair of first down completions. Fresno State kicker Manaki Watanabe missed left from 44 yards out.
The Bulldogs got the ball back on the 49-yard line early in the second quarter and had a pair of big plays from Rayshon Luke and Ezekiel Avit. But two offensive line penalties limited the Bulldogs from going any further. Watanabe redeemed himself with a 52-yarder.
Taking over with less than a minute and half left in the second quarter, Mandal found Avit open on the right side of the field for 27 yards. The Bulldogs didn’t get much else but they got far enough to get into the Watanabe zone – who nailed it from 51 yards (his third 50+ yard FG in two weeks).
The Spartans took over and a pair of 19 yard passes from Weaver to wide receiver Anthony Ivey had them at the Fresno State 31. Weaver went for it again, this time Bulldog safety Ethan Tierney was there and intercepted the ball in the end zone for the second straight season. Fresno State went into the half leading 6-3.
The defense for Fresno State came out strong to begin the second half, forcing a three and out. Jordan Malau’ulu then returned the punt for 68 yards. A few plays later, Mandal threw over shoulder to the right corner of the end zone finding Freeman who muscled his way to the ball for an 18-yard touchdown. The extra point gave the Bulldogs a 13-3, one they wouldn’t lose.
San Jose came out firing in the fourth quarter. Bates ran for a season best 26 yards, followed by another four yard carry. Weaver then found Ivey, his favorite target of the night, open for 28 yards to put them at the three. Fresno State forced a fourth down on the one yard line but after a timeout, Weaver found Carson Clark open on the right side for a touchdown to make it 13-10 with 12:36 left.
Mandal found Freeman open for a pair of first down completions the following drive to set up another field goal from Watanabe. Freeman finished the night with six receptions for 95 yards and a score.
The defense forced three interceptions in the final 16 minutes of the game, including a second from Tierney (Kiontre Harris + Simeon Harris).
“I talked to him at halftime about keeping his head up, missed a tackle early on a little bit of a bubble play down as the ball was going right to left from our sideline. But you know, our guys executed. It was man free. We talked him into throwing it deep because he thought it was too high and thought he had an isolation throw on the perimeter. And it was a great job by Ethan. But you know, he’s just a football player. He’s around the facility all the time. A lot of our guys are. I think our guys really enjoy playing for each other,” Entz said.
A Bryson Donelson late 36-yard TD run was all the Bulldogs needed to seal the deal, capturing a third straight Trophy hoisting.
Mandal finished the night 15-for-29, with 186 yards and the score. More importantly, zero turnovers. The redshirt junior also ran the ball nine times for 46 yards.
“Whatever it takes to win. Honestly, we knew we kind of had an advantage with that kind of quarterback draw play, and we just kind of went to it. That’s what was working,” Mandal said.
Injury update
Left tackle Brayden Walton (left foot) went down in the first quarter and right tackle Rolan Fullwood (returned on the next drive) went down in the third quarter, dealing a devastating blow to the Fresno State offensive line which is already missing Jonah Leaupepetele and Edward Fonua.
“You have to prepare for these moments, and that’s why we double rep. You guys have seen how we practice. Next man up mentality,” Entz said.
Wide receiver Harold Duvall (arm) missed his second straight game.
What’s next
Fresno State returns home to Valley Children’s Stadium for its fourth and final non-conference game to host Rice next Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Bulldogs will begin Pac-12 conference play on the road in Pullman on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Washington State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Recap written by Al Scott, photos by Ryan Sepulveda.
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.
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.
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.
“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).
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.”
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.
The wait is over! Head Coach Matt Entz and Fresno State Football released its two-deep depth chart to begin the 2026 season as the Bulldogs get ready for a week one matchup on Friday night at the University of Southern California.
Quarterback
Jayden Mandal | Khristian Martin
The most anticipated position battle during camp finally was revealed on Monday morning with redshirt junior and local product Jayden Mandal earning the starting quarterback position over Maryland transfer Khristian Martin.
“We have to do what’s best for the football team. We kept two metrics, timing and accuracy were the two biggest things that stood out,” Entz said.
Entz went on to add that Mandal being a local product had no sway in the decision and that the Buchanan alum simply “earned it,” with his leadership and command of the offense. He also mentioned that Mandal was extremely humbled when he found out.
“I don’t even know if I got a smile out of him. I think that says a lot about the type of individual he is, but also the respect that he has for the other QB’s in the room,” Entz said.
As for Martin, he begins the season as the team’s primary backup with Coach hope he continues to push the envelope with Jayden.
“He has to always be ready, and he has to continue to push Jayden to be the best version of himself, help him continue to prepare for games,” Entz said. “We want things to be competitive. We want anyone to get comfortable within the program because that’s when complacency sets in.”
Beyond Martin and Mandal, true freshman Deagan Rose is third in line for signal caller duties if needed after a strong showing during fall camp, with Jonathan Craft and Jacob Chambers filling out the young quarterback room for Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis and company.
Running Back
Rayshon Luke | Bryson Donelson
Fresno State averaged a modest 170.5 yards per game on the season a year ago. While decent, this group is certainly capable of exceeding that mark in 2026. A healthy Donelson and Luke could easily top 1,000 yards from scrimmage each, giving the Bulldogs the best backfield duo in the conference.
After those two, redshirt freshman Julius Gillick and Bucknell transfer Tariq Thomas are expected to fill the bulk of the remaining opportunities following the injury of Brandon Bramirez and graduations of Elijah Gilliam and Johnathan Arceneaux.
Wide Receiver
Josiah Freeman | Jayon Farrar
Jahlil McClain | Kenyan Cotton
Ezekiel Avit | Harold Duvall
Freeman is the number one guy in this room. After him, there’s probably four or five guys that could rotate into a starting role at some point this season. Avit (28 rec, 255 yds) and McClain (13 rec, 169 yds) take the other two starting spots. Kenyan Cotton makes the second unit as redshirt freshman.
Tight End
Jake Appleget | Gavin Correia
Similarly to last year, the Bulldogs will run a lot of two-TE packages. Northern Illinois transfer Jake Appleget headlines a group with a lot of inexperience but plenty of potential. Redshirt sophomore Gavin Correia and senior Brock Lium (injured during season opener at Kansas) are also expected to get plenty of run in 2026.
Offensive Line
LT: Brayden Walton | Ethan Dasmann
LG: Marquise Thorpe-Taylor | Ginor Quinones
C: Oscar Weigel | Ben Baker
RG: Jonah Leaupepetele | Pat Barnett or Marsel Akins
RT: Rolan Fullwood | Kyson Van Vugt
The Bulldogs entered fall camp with its two starting tackles, Walton and Fullwood firmly entrenched. San Diego transfer Oscar Weigel quickly grabbed the center position after continuing a strong offseason leaving just the two guard positions open.
“Oscar’s played a lot of college football already, and so he’s transitioned really smoothly. It was good to have him here all spring. A tremendous player, you know, a very smart football player. Has to be because he’s going to be the focal point of a lot of the communication that starts with our offensive line,” Entz said.
Left guard might have been the most competitive battle this fall and it might not be done yet. But for now, former tackle Marquise Thorpe-Taylor shifts inside as a starter. Redshirt freshman Jonah Leaupepetele starts at right guard for the Bulldogs, beating out Pat Barnett and Marsel Akins.
“Man, [Jonah] just shows up every day. He continues to get better. He’s really bought into Coach Ferentz and how we’re going about things up front. Like I said, starting a redshirt freshman against a top-10 team in the country. I’m sure he’s going to have his moments, but I think when you look back at it, it’ll be a huge growing moment, and I’m sure his best football is going to be down the road,” Entz said.
Defensive Line
Jahzon Jacks | Sione Noa or Noah Yeh
Martin Owusu | Jairus Satele
Deijon Laffitte | Mordecai Hines or Logan Goodspeed
Dylan Hampsten | Merhauti Xepera
All throughout spring ball and fall camp, one particular position group has shined slightly above the rest at Fresno State. Under defensive line coach Jordan Gigli and edge coach Marcus Hall-Oliver, the Bulldogs look to build off a top-10 nationally ranked defense a year ago in yards allowed per game (285.7).
Fresno State did graduate defensive ends Finn Claypool (39 total tackles, 6.5 sacks) and Korey Foreman (3 sacks) but still bring back a whole host of high-level talent in the trenches, including the likes of Jahzon Jacks, Merhauti Xepera, Sione Noa, Deijon Laffitte and Martin Owusu.
A potential dark horse for conference defensive player of the year would be Jahzon Jacks, the 6-foot-5 fifth year edge who led the nation with four fumble recoveries a year ago and enters 2026 leading Fresno State in career starts (25) and games played (42).
The senior had a solid season last year, totaling 29 tackles, including 5.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks, but he’s ready for more. The East Palo Alto native slimmed down over summer, cutting down about 30 pounds in an effort to be more athletic and get to the quarterback faster.
The Bulldogs added a few new faces to the line over the offseason, including transfer edges Dylan Hampsten (Sacramento State) and Maverick Noonan (Nebraska).
Linebacker
WILL: K’vion Thunderbird | Niko Baumgartner
MIKE: Tytus Khajavi | Logan Studt
The youngest position group on the team outside of Quarterback. K’Vion Thunderbirds returns to the Bulldogs fully healthy and ready to captain the Bulldog defense alongside Tytus Khajavi. Logan Studt could very well fill in either spot if needed.
Cornerback
Kiontre Harris | Cam Cole or Sammie Hunter
Loyall Mouzon | Truly Bell III
Following the graduations of Al’zillion Hamilton and Jakari Embry, sophomores Kiontre Harris take over on the outside for Fresno State.
Sophomores Cam Cole and Sammie Hunter will continue to battle for the backup role to Mouzon while seeing time on special teams. Truly Bell III is the only true freshman on either side of the ball listed in the two-deep depth chart, which shouldn’t be a coincidence with his name.
Nickel/Slot
Simeon Harris | Andre Cobb
One of six captains and probably the most vocal member of the defense, Harris returns to Fresno State for his senior season in the same role as last year playing the slot.
Safety
Taylor Powell | RJ Regan or Gerayas Grimes
Ryan Wilson | Ethan Tierney
The most competitive position battle on the defense this fall was safety, with as many as nine guys competing for a starting spot. Transfer Taylor Powell starts alongside “super” senior Ryan Wilson who gets an extra year after earning a medical redshirt over the offseason.
Special Teams
K: Manaki Watanabe | Ryan Kobzeff (kickoffs)
P: Clay Lawrence | Nick Verdugo
LS: Ethan Rossetti | Jack Baldi
KR: Jordan Malau’ulu | Rayshon Luke
PR: Jordan Malau’ulu | Rayshon Luke
For the first time since 2021, the Bulldogs will have someone other than Dylan Lynch as their primary place kicker. Manaki Watanabe takes over after being named a DII All-American last season when he was 21-22 on FG (long of 59) and 39/40 on XP at Ashland University. Redshirt freshman Ryan Kobzeff takes over kickoff duties.
After missing all of 2025 with an injury, Clay Lawrence takes back over the starting role at punter. He averaged 40.9 yards per punt in 2024.
Jordan Malau’ulu and Rayshon Luke are back as the primary returners again in 2026.
Story written by Al Scott. Cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda.
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.
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).
The 2026 Spring Football season is nearing its end at Fresno State and week one at USC (Sept. 4) is just a little over four months away.
Head Coach Matt Entz and his staff are looking to improve upon a strong first season in which the Bulldogs went 9-4, including a bowl game victory over Miami (OH).
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. Now the ‘Dogs move into a reshaped PAC-12 conference that includes 3 of the 4 teams Fresno State lost to in 2025.
Improving on or even matching the success they had last season will require a much more balanced offense, one Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis expects to be much more “explosive.” That will require much more consistency from their signal callers.
Fresh under center: Quarterbacks
What the 2026 Fresno State QB room lacks in experience, it makes up for in excitement and potential, both for the upcoming season and the years to come.
Maryland sophomore transfer Khristian Martin and junior Jayden Mandal lead a young group that should give the Bulldogs an opportunity to both stretch the field and get to the outside with ease.
“If we don’t become more explosive, I’m not so sure how championship caliber we’re going to be,” Davis said.
Speaking to the media a few weeks ago, Entz says they plan on incorporating designed quarterback run plays 5-7 times a game this season, regardless if Martin or Mandal is under center, a decision for week one that will likely not be made until the middle of fall camp.
“Hopefully both of them give us that opportunity, or maybe the advantage, but at least they have the ability to force teams to have to prepare for it,” Entz said.
Martin (Highland Springs, VA) spent his first two seasons at the University of Maryland where he redshirted for a year before serving as the backup in 2025, completing 11-of-17 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
The 6-foot-4 QB possesses “elite” arm strength and solid athleticism for his size, something the Bulldogs haven’t had at the position in recent years.
“Athletically, the arm strength stands out. The physical size, 235-pound guy who can run a little bit. That’s exciting. To help us when we don’t have the right play call – improvise and make plays off schedule, is a huge part of how teams win championships. We’re excited about that,” Davis said.
Martin’s transfer to Fresno State came in part because of Offensive Line coach Brian Ferentz, who was a Senior Offensive Analyst for the Terrapins in 2024, where he spent a great deal of time watching Martin on the scout field. His move to Fresno also reunites him with former Maryland teammate Ezekiel Avit.
Despite his short time with the team, he’s made quite a first impression with his teammates, including defensive tackle Martin Owusu.
“He’s probably one of the greatest quarterback leaders I’ve ever had on a team,” Owusu said.
Martin hadn’t heard much of Fresno prior to his decision to transfer but knew the history and legacy of the program well and saw it as an opportunity to grow and achieve his dreams.
“The amount of quarterbacks that come out of this school – your dreams are accomplishable from Fresno State,” Martin said. “Going across the country will help me learn about myself. I’m far away from home, so I’m able to focus on football.”
Competing with him for the starting job is Mandal, who was injured (torn UCL) for all of last season but is back and 100% healthy and ready for the opportunity to prove why he can be the guy.
“I think I bring just that level of leadership and the arm strength. I know I have the abilities to be a Division I Quarterback. I think the biggest separation from last year to this year is just my confidence,” Mandal said.
Getting back on the field and playing football again was nerve wracking for the Buchanan alum.
“I didn’t know how it was going to go, so I was definitely scared,” said Mandal. “Am I going to be able to throw the ball the same way?… It was a down point in my life.”
The nerves have passed and Mandal says he feels better throwing now than even before his surgery. More than anything, getting on the field has breathed new life into him.
“I’m thankful to play. I love that mindset. I just feel happy. I’m just coming here, playing the game that I love with my best friends,” Mandal said. “I’m very blessed.”
Beyond those two, the Bulldogs return Jonathan Craft who redshirted last season and two freshmen early-enrollees in Deagan Rose (Clovis, CA) and Jacob Chambers (Fontana, CA).
One of the top recruits in the 2025 class, Rose is a local product from Clovis High School where he threw for 11,448 yards and 112 touchdowns en route to being named to All-TRAC all four years and Co-TRAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2025.
Chambers threw for 5,480 yards and 58 touchdowns while at Rancho Cucamonga High School, including 2,400 yards passing in 2025. He also had 325 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground this past season.
Mandal mentioned that he and Martin have been intentional about taking Rose and Chambers under their wing to get them caught up, the same way Mikey Keene and Logan Fife had done for him in 2023.
Mandal added that he loves the competition and the camaraderie of this group, something he believes will allow them to thrive.
“A good day for the offense is when all the Quarterbacks are doing well. We root for each other,” Mandal said.
Breakout player: Jayden Mandal
Martin should be considered the favorite for the position but it’s far from guaranteed. Should he get the job and struggle, the Bulldogs would have a capable backup in Mandal who was neck-and-neck for the starting position with E.J. Warner (graduated) and Carson Conklin last season before getting hurt. His experience and familiarity with his receiving corps is advantageous as well.
Regardless, the Bulldogs are in a much better spot than they were a year ago at the position from a talent stand point.
Running it back: Running Backs
Probably the most talented and experienced position group at Fresno State, at least on the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs return junior starter Bryson Donelson as well as senior Rayshon “Speedy” Luke, junior Brandon Ramirez and redshirt freshman Julius Gillick.
This group under coach Aaron Prier (on staff since 2023) played a big role in rushing for 2,216 yards this past fall, its most as a team since 2014.
Donelson ran for 600 yards (4.3 YPC) and 5 touchdowns, in addition to 17 receptions for 107 yards through the air. Luke was arguably the team’s best offensive player in 2025, racking up 1,271 All-Purpose yards and 8 touchdowns. His speed makes him a multi-faceted weapon to play off of the other aspects of the offense.
Ramirez came on as a surprise this last year, rushing for 271 yards and a trio of touchdowns on the ground. He could be in line for an even bigger role following the graduations of Elijah Gilliam and Jonathan Arceneaux. Gillick got into the bowl game late against Miami (OH), carrying the ball twice for 16 yards.
They also brought in three transfers: juniors Tariq Thomas (Bucknell), Andrew Chavez (Fresno City) and redshirt freshman Jalen Ray Harris (Merrit College).
Thomas ran for 1,394 yards and 7 TD’s over the last two seasons with Bucknell, bringing some experience with him. Harris is the grandson of Bulldog great Carl Ray Harris Sr. (1969-70) and nephew of former Bulldog WR Lee Harris (1990-93). His uncle Carl Ray Harris Jr. played basketball at Fresno State.
The freshmen recruiting class included two tailbacks in Jhadis Luckey (Hayward, CA) and Maddox Merrill (Clovis, CA). Luckey had 5,823 All-Purpose yards and 71 total touchdowns over his final three years in High School. Merrill was teammates with fellow freshman Deagan Rose at Clovis High School.
Breakout player: Bryson Donelson
Maybe breakout is not the right word for a guy that started all of last season in a run-heavy offense but Donelson is much better than his 2025 numbers would indicate and going into the year healthy would do wonders for both him and the Fresno State offense as a whole.
A healthy year for Donelson and Luke would give Fresno State the top 1-2 tandem of running backs in the conference.
Stretching the field: Wide Receivers
This group left a lot to be desired in 2025, totaling just over 110 receiving yards per game. A couple of explanations for that could be the heavy use of running backs in the passing game and inconsistent quarterback play.
There’s reason for optimism in 2026 though. Besides the aforementioned change of guys throwing to them, this wideout group is all a year older and they didn’t lose much. Jordan Brown (graduated) is the only wide receiver that caught a pass last season that’s not back.
Notably, Josiah Freeman received a medical exemption to return for a fifth year as a Bulldog. Freeman led the Bulldogs with 52 receptions, 642 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025. It was a good enough season to garner the attention of several P4 programs, including Ole Miss, but Freeman felt right at home in Fresno, a place he feels his goals are still possible from.
“I’ve been here for a while and I’ve seen a lot of great receivers come through here make it to the next level,” Freeman said.
Entz spoke in February to the rumors of Freeman being tampered with and his ultimate decision to stay.
“He found a place that works for him, people that care about him. Every player needs three things. They need to belong to a community. They need to know that people care and they need to know that there’s a process for them to get better, and that’s what we try to provide inside our kind of football environment here,” Entz said.
Freeman has taken the opportunity for an additional season to grow as a leader, both on and off the field by mentoring some of the younger guys and making wings and Mac n’ cheese for his teammates.
Returning with Freeman are senior Jayon Farrar (12 rec, 114 yds), juniors Ezekiel Avit (28 rec, 255 yds) and Jahlil McClain (13 rec, 169 yds, TD) and sophomores Jordan Malau’ulu (9 rec, 88 yds) and Harold Duvall (4 rec, 77 yds, TD).
Freshmen redshirts Kenyan Cotton and Isaiah Dillon and senior Jaylen Garrison are back with the Bulldogs as well.
Fresno State brought in four new wide receivers, two via the portal: Tyler Becker (Southwestern JC) and Darrian Anderson (Oregon). They also brought in two early enrollees in Xavier Owens and Maxwell “Bunchie” Young.
Owens had offers from several top schools including Georgia, Miami, Indiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Penn State; but Fresno State ultimately won out. At 6-foot-3, Owens has both the height and athleticism to be a future WR1 but will likely need to add some weight to get there.
If Bunchie’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he was the Sport’s Illustrated Kid of the Year in 2017. He also appeared in a commercial that aired during Super Bowl 54, showing off his skills even at just 12 years old, darting through would-be tacklers. He also delivered the game ball for the game that year as the finale to the NFL’s “Next 100” commercial. Now he’s hoping to turn those childhood memories into big league dreams for the Bulldogs.
Breakout player: Jordan Malau’ulu
After seeing the field almost exclusively in special teams, Malau’ulu has been making strides to make an impact as a receiver as well.
“He’s come a long way. He was always just more of a hair on fire. Guy was going to go out and play 1k miles an hour, kind of make some mistakes, but now he’s developing into a complete receiver. He is understanding how to create separation, how to use his hands and how to make plays,” Hardaway said.
“Grown men football”: Tight Ends
The Bulldogs only lost one starter on either side of the ball in the transfer portal, tight end Richie Anderson (31 catches, 300 yards, 3 TD’s) to Texas A&M. The Bulldogs also graduated seniors Jake Tarwater and Kamron Beachem. That’s a lot of reps to replace for a team that runs a lot of two tight end sets.
It’s a happy problem though for new tight ends coach Bijan Hosseini, who makes the move from working with the offensive line this last season.
“Coach Entz is always talking about investing in people, and that’s what he did with me,” Hosseini said. “He told me ‘this is your opportunity. You’re a young coach. I trust everything that you’re going to do.’”
Hosseini said that Coach Entz talks a lot about playing ‘Grown men football.’
“He says, ‘big people beat up little people,’ so we have 12 personnel. We are an extension of the offensive line, so might as well have seven alignment out there. We have to be able to do those things. And so if anybody who is in the area or that we’re recruiting wants to be a tight end here, we make sure they know, you’re an extension of the o-line first, and then the other stuff comes,” Hosseini said.
A big step forward in replacing all that lost talent was the acquisition of Northern Illinois transfer Jake Appleget (7 catches, 57 yards, TD), who graded out as one of the top run blockers in the country last season.
Like the quarterback position, lots of potential but also plenty of inexperience. Brock Lium is back after suffering a season-ending PCL/MCL injury on the third play of the 2025 season at Kansas.
He’s joined in the room by sophomores Gavin Correia and Jace Nixon, redshirt freshmen Sebastian Boydell and Ryan Lewis and freshmen Bryce McDaniel and Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu. Three additional freshmen will be joining the team this fall: Sylas Austin, Brayden Ford and Zane Gerbo.
Breakout player: Brock Lium
Lium was expected to play a sizable role last season before getting hurt. At 6-foot-5 and 242-pounds, Lium has both the size and athleticism to make a difference both in the run and receiving game, expect a big year from the junior.
Built on toughness: Offensive Line
Fresno State lost only one full-time coach over the offseason, offensive line coach Zach Crabtree to Purdue. With his exit, Brian Ferentz shifts over to line after working with tight ends last year.
The line returns three of its five starters from a year ago, losing center and offensive captain Jacob Spomer as well as right guard Julian Polendo. The ‘Dogs were able to secure a sixth year of eligibility for graduate senior and right tackle Rolan Fullwood, who is taking the opportunity to grow as a leader this spring.
“I’m making sure I’m holding guys accountable, while also making sure that I’m allowing guys to hold me accountable,” Fullwood said. “Every day I come in here, I make sure I know the standard, and I’m pushing the standard, applying the standard to myself and the ones around me.”
Senior guard Edward Fonua and sophomore left tackle Brayden Walton are back as well, providing the team some stability up front.
Walton became the first-ever true freshman to start at left tackle for Fresno State. At 6-foot-8 and 325 pounds, he’s one of the biggest players on the west coast and serves as a nice blind side blocker for Martin, Mandal or whoever is under center.
Who fills out the rest of the line remains to be seen. The Bulldogs brought in three transfers, including a pair of sophomores from San Diego in Bode Stoddard and Oscar Weigel. Patrick Barnett could be an option to replace Fonua. The UCF transfer played in 12 games last season at right guard.
Graduate senior Gino Quinones missed all of last season with an injury after transferring from USC is an option in the interior as well. Seniors Kyson Van Vugt and Braylan Henderson and sophomores Marsel Akins and Ben Baker all saw playing time in limited capacity or on special teams in 2025.
The Bulldogs added two linemen in their 2026 freshmen class: Alex Rivera (Lovington, NM) and Efren Siuloa (Laie, Hawaii).
Breakout player: Gino Quinonenes
What’s next
The Red Wave will have a chance to watch the Bulldogs in action this Saturday, April 25th for the Annual Spring Showcase as the team gets its first taste of game action with its new roster.
The Bulldogs return to Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12th for a week two matchup against Sacramento State.
Story written by Al Scott, photos courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda.
17 former Fresno State Football players returned to the field at Valley Children’s Stadium on Monday, March 9th for Fresno State’s annual Pro Day, participating in various drills in front of scouts with hopes of getting an opportunity at the next level.
Almost half of the NFL had scouts in attendance on Monday, including the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers (2), Kansas City Chiefs, LA Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders.
Participants
E.J. Warner (QB)
Elijah Gilliam (RB)
Johnathan Arceneaux (RB)
Jordan Brown (WR)
Jake Tarwater (TE)
Kamron Beachem (TE)
Julian Polendo (OL)
Jacob Spomer (OL)
Finn Claypool (DL)
Korey Foreman (DL)
Michael Jordan Jr. (DL)
Jadon Pearson (LB)
Al’zillion Hamilton (DB)
Jakari Embry (DB)
Camryn Bracha (DB)
Dylan Lynch (K)
Wesley Brown (LS)
A Bulldog from A-to-Z
In this day and age of college football, it’s rare for someone to spend all four years at one school, but Al’Zillion Hamilton did and now his time as a Bulldog has come to a close.
Hamilton posted the top scores of the day in several categories including the 40-yard dash (4.5) and shuttle (4.26). His 6.99 3-cone drill was faster than any of the defensive backs at the NFL combine. His vertical (33 inches) and broad jump (9’10) were also among the best results of the day.
“It felt good,” Hamilton said. “All this work I’ve put in, putting it all together, it felt good today … When I went to the American Bowl I had a couple of teams that seemed like they were interested in me. We’ll see.”
Hamilton had another standout season in 2025, including four interceptions, playing a massive part of a Bulldog defense that held opponents to 293.5 yards per game, the lowest in a season since at least 1992.
The Bulldogs are looking for its first draft since 2023 when the New Orleans Saints selected quarterback Jake Haener in the fourth round. Hamilton might be the one to continue the Fresno State to the NFL defensive back pipeline, with the likes of his former teammates and now NFL stars Evan Williams (Green Bay) and Daron Bland (Dallas).
“We a school that’s kind of on the lower side, but we got players that got great over here. Don’t sleep on Fresno State, that’s all I got to say,” Hamilton said.
Williams was in attendance to support and also catch up with Hamilton before the event. He said he reminded him to “soak it in” and to enjoy the moment.
“I remember during my pro day, it’s easy to kind of get caught up in the stress of things. You know, the biggest job interview of your life, you can definitely feel those pressures, like there’s something you’ve been waiting for for your whole life, right? Something that he’s been working for. Just let it loose, you don’t have to be anybody different than you are on any other day,” Williams said.
Captain Cam
It was an emotional week for Camryn Bracha, in more ways than one. The former Bulldog safety lost his grandpa last week.
Bracha made sure to make one of his biggest inspirations proud on Monday during his final time competing at Valley Children’s Stadium.
“He was really proud of everything I put into this. I know he’s watching over me and bargaining for me up in heaven, so he’s always rooting for me, one of my biggest fans, and so I’m just honored that I was able to do this,” Bracha said.
The safety had a solid all-around performance, with a 7 second 3-cone drill, while excelling in the bench, vertical and broad jumps. His hands and footwork stood out during position drills as well.
The Clovis native road to this point was never a straight shot. Bracha attended Fresno City College after graduating from Buchanan High School. He then transferred to Fresno State where battled injuries both in 2023 and 2024.
Finally healthy, “Captain Cam,” as some of his teammates call him, was third on the Bulldogs on tackles with 55 stops in 2025. He added 2.5 TFL, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He had a season-high nine tackles at Oregon State (Sept. 6).
“I’ve got a lot of good people in my corner who have helped me get here, a lot of friends, family,” Bracha said. “It’s gonna be different with a lot of these guys moving on, even myself, you know, and coming back, there’ll be a lot of new faces, but I just hope we left this place better than we found it.”
Mind over matter for JP
Monday was a pivotal day for Jadon Pearson’s football career but he didn’t treat it any differently. The now former Fresno State linebacker stood out at the Pro Day, particularly in the 40-yard dash where he ran a 4.55.
Pearson transferred from Utah State only a couple days after Head Coach Matt Entz took the job at Fresno State and before there were any other coaches on staff, but Pearson had a feeling it was the right move.
“One of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my adult life,” Pearson said. “I put a lot of faith into coming here, and it was well worth it.”
This was Pearson’s second time spent playing football in the valley after playing for Reedley College in 2021.
He added that he’s letting his agents handle all contact with teams and simply focusing on his training and continuing to be the best person he can be.
“All you need is really just one team to believe in you,” Pearson said.
The linebacker (105 total tackles in 2025) played a pivotal role this past year leading a Fresno State defense that finished top 10 nationally in total defense, passing yards allowed, passes intercepted and turnovers gained. A big reason for that was Pearson’s leadership and football IQ, an area he’s very confident in.
“There’s a lot of dudes that run fast, that jump far and are super buff, but really the biggest thing that matters is what’s in between your ears. You have to want to process things really fast on the field and also communicate things. It’s pretty rare that you’re going to be able to have full conversations on the field and get lined up. And so that was one good thing I felt like I was able to do this year,” Pearson said.
Other notable standouts
Both kicker Dylan Lynch and long snapper Wesley Brown had impressive showings and received interest from multiple teams. The former reportedly met with both the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles. The lefty Lynch finished his time at Fresno State 4th in all-time points scored (319), including 64-of-84 field goal attempts (76.1%).
Brown also spoke to the media Monday. While he didn’t reveal which teams he was talking to, he did confirm that there were at least two teams that were interested in him and were impressed with his performance, particularly his athleticism. It was fitting that Brown wore a “Sneaky Athletic” BTJ hat.
“I thought if I wore something that was a little different and kind of caught people’s eye, I thought that’d be a good thing. I also wanted to represent the “Bring the Juice” podcast and another valley brand,” Brown said.
Brown said he was pleased with his performance and got a lot of positive feedback on the speed and accuracy of his snaps. He added that he was surprised with how well his vertical jump went.
Defensive lineman Korey Foreman and Michael Jordan Jr. both completed 29 bench reps. Offensive lineman Jacob Spomer ran a 4.6 shuttle, and a 5.06 40-yard dash while completing 28 reps in the bench. Running backs Johnathan Arceneaux (4.51) and Elijah Gilliam (4.59), cornerback Jakari Embry (4.57), plus wide receiver Jordan Brown (4.58), all timed in the 4.5s in the 40-yard dash. Defensive end Finn Claypool was spry as well, running a 4.64, ahead of the NFL combine average for his position.
Click here for complete results of the 2026 Fresno State Pro Day.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23-25.
Story written by Al Scott, photos courtesy of Nate Velasco.
