Fresno State vs. Nevada preview: How to watch, and beat-up Bulldogs have bowl on the line
Fresno State will not make a third consecutive trip to the Mountain West Conference championship game.
Will it also be the first Mountain West champion since BYU in 2001 to not play in a bowl game the following season?
The Bulldogs at 4-6 need to win their final two games to become bowl eligible starting Saturday with a Senior Night matchup against Nevada and then on Nov. 30 at San Jose State.
Nevada comes in off a bye week and in its past two games has beaten New Mexico and then-No. 24 San Diego State, the first victory in school history against a ranked team on the road.
The Bulldogs have won as many as two games in a row only once this season – they beat FCS Sacramento State and then went on the road and won at New Mexico State, which is 1-9 and one of the worst teams in the nation, ranked 118th in scoring offense and 129th in scoring defense.
Even if Fresno State wins its last two games, there is a chance it will be home for the bowl season with seven Mountain West teams already bowl-eligible and three more with a chance in a conference that has five guaranteed bowl spots and three back-up positions.
Wyoming last season did not play in a bowl game when 6-6 and bowl-eligible.
Injury update: Cropper and o-line
Against Nevada, health will be a concern for the Bulldogs.
Freshman wideout Jalen Cropper, who is second on the team in rushing yards and sixth in receiving yards, suffered a knee injury in the Bulldogs’ loss at San Diego State. He was on crutches and in a brace after the game.
Fresno State also had tackle Alex Akingbulu and center/guard Bula Schmidt go down with injuries at San Diego State in an already injury-depleted unit and their status will be evaluated through the week.
“As usual, on Monday here it’s very difficult to be able to have any concrete answers because we’re still in the rehab phase, getting MRIs, all of those types of things and there are quite a few guys in that boat,” coach Jeff Tedford said.
“Obviously, throughout the week, as we go and practice, guys are able to practice maybe early in the week, maybe it’s later in the week or maybe it’s not all.”
Fresno State already this season has lost eight players for the season including three running backs in fall camp – Jordan Mims (ankle), Peyton Dixon (knee) and Romello Harris (knee).
Defensive tackle Jasad Haynes went down in the second game, guard Netane Muti and cornerback Deshawn Ruffin in the third game and center Matt Smith and defensive end Isaiah Johnson in the eighth game.
The Bulldogs have had eight other players who have been in the two-deep at some point miss at least one game to injury.
The details: How to watch, more
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Bulldog Stadium (40,727)
TV: ESPN2 (Mike Couzens, Kirk Morrison) Comcast (33, 725), AT&T Uverse (606, 1606), DirecTV (209), Dish (144)
Radio: 940AM/ESPN (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill, Cameron Worrell)
Records: Bulldogs 4-6, 2-4 in MW; Nevada 6-4, 3-3
Series: Bulldogs lead 29-20-1
Most recent meetings:
2018 – Bulldogs 21-3
2017 – Bulldogs 41-21
2016 – Nevada 27-22
2015 – Nevada 30-16
2014 – Bulldogs 40-20
Vegas line: Bulldogs -13.5
Weather: Low 60s/higih 50s at kickoff, dropping to as low as high 40s by end of the game; clear and calm.
Tickets: gobulldogs.com/559-278-DOGS (3647) or any ticket resale site. Single-game tickets start at $27. Go to the Fresno State website for details about promotions and pre-game and in-game activities.
San Jose State game time set
The Bulldogs’ regular-season finale at San Jose State on Nov. 30 has been set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
About that offense …
Nevada is bowl-eligible for a second time in three seasons under coach Jay Norvell, but it also is on pace to be one of the lowest-scoring teams with a winning record in Mountain West history.
The Wolf Pack is averaging just 19.1 points per game and in conference play has averaged 26.3 points in its three wins and 5.3 points in its three losses.
The last bowl team in the conference to average less than 20 points a game was Wyoming in 2009. The Cowboys were shut out in three games and scored just 10 points in three other games, averaging 18.3 points per game.
Coincidentally, Wyoming that season beat Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl 35-28.
Does this make sense?
The Wolf Pack not only is 6-4 when last in the Mountain West in scoring offense, it’s allowing 32.4 points per game and ranked seventh in the conference in scoring defense.
Nevada has been outscored by an average of 13.1 points per game.
Senior Night
Fresno State will honor 17 seniors and one fourth-year junior who will be playing their final games at Bulldog Stadium …
OL Nick Aibuedefe
CB Jaron Bryant
P Blake Cusick
WR Frank Dalena
WR Derrion Grim
DT Jasad Haynes
LB Dorrzel Hicks
RB Josh Hokit
S Juju Hughes
DT Keiti Iakopo
DT Ricky McCoy
S Bryson Oglesby
OL Cody Pound
QB Jorge Reyna
TE Jared Rice
TE Cam Sutton
DE Mykal Walker
LS Patrick Williams
Tedford on his message to Reyna playing his final home game: “To play his game and compete like he has been competing. Jorge is one of the best competitors I’ve ever been around, the way he has taken the team on his shoulders and how he’s trying to make plays with his legs. He’s a very strong competitor … just do his job.
“I think last week he was trying to do a lot of things because he had a lot of pressure on him as far as pass rush and things like that, trying to make things happen. Just do his job and keep doing it. He prepares well during the week and goes into games ready to go. He takes losses very hard. He takes them personal. I’m really proud of Jorge. I’m really proud of the way he has competed through the season. He’s a tough kid, and just like any of the other seniors you just wish the best for them, that they could have a good memory coming up that ramp at the end of this game.”
Robert Kuwada: @rkuwada
