Instant analysis: Fresno State shuts out opponent for first time this season on Senior Night

FINAL: Fresno State 30, Wyoming 0

In a game that meant nothing on paper in terms of impacting the Mountain West championship matchup, Fresno State still managed to play quite inspiring Friday night on Senior Night at Valley Children’s Stadium.

THE LATEST: Injury to David Perales and what the Bulldogs are doing right

The Bulldogs put together a stellar defensive effort during their regular-season finale, logging their first shutout of the season en route a 30-0 victory over Wyoming.

The Bulldogs allowed only 191 total yards and forced the Cowboys to punt away the football a season-high nine times. And, in an interesting twist, this is a team that just pounded our 278 yards in a loss at Boise State, the team Fresno State will play next Saturday for the conference title.

Against Fresno State, Wyoming could muster only 87 yards on the ground. Running back Titus Swen, who had 212 yards and one touchdown on just 19 carries against the Broncos, had just 75 yards on 24 carries plays against the Bulldogs.

Fresno State (8-4, 7-1), which last week clinched a spot in the Mountain West championship game, has now won seven straight.

The Bulldogs’ offense lacked a sharpness Friday night before an announced crowd of 40,214, but took advantage of solid field position on its scoring drives. Three of its four touchdown drives started on the Wyoming side of the field, at the 41, 27 and 4 yard lines.

Running back Jordan Mims had three rushing touchdowns for the Bulldogs, bringing his season total to 14, the most by a Fresno State running back since Ryan Mathews set the school record with 19 in 2009.

BULLDOGS PUT DOWN ANOTHER DRIVE WITH PICK

Fresno State cornerback Cameron Lockridge just put down the latest Wyoming drive with an interception on a deep ball to the Bulldogs’ 2-yard line.

The Cowboys have now punted nine times and had two passes intercepted in 11 offensive series.

The interception was the team-high third for Lockridge. He also had picks against San Diego State and Hawaii.

AND, IT’S BACK TO PUNTING

Wyoming just punted for the eighth time in nine offensive series, matching a season high for punts in a game.

The Bulldog/Valley Children’s Stadium record for punts in a game is 13 by Cal State Fullerton in 1991 and matched in 2016 by Sacramento State.

RUSHING TD RECORD?

In case you’re wondering, the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game is five set by Don Driscoll in 1954 against Cal State Los Angeles. Interestingly, quarterbacks twice have scored four rushing TDs in a game

5 - Don Driscoll vs CS Los Angeles, 1954

4 - Michael Pittman vs. San Jose State 1997

4 - Marcus McMaryion vs. UCLA, 2018

4 - Mark Barsotti vs. Utah, 1989

MIMS THIRD TD RUN HAS ‘DOGS UP 30-0

Fresno State is now up 30-0 with Jordan Mims scoring his third touchdown of the game, this one a 2-yard run with 7:55 remaining in the third quarter.

NO PUNT, THIS TIME IT’S A PICK

Fresno State linebacker Malachi Langley just picked off a Wyoming pass and returned it to the 4-yard line to set up the offense with a 1st-and-goal.

The pick ended a run of seven consecutive punts for the Cowboys’ offense.

It was the second interceptions for Langley this season, his first coming at Boise State.

SPOMER DOWN

Fresno State left tackle Jacob Spomer was down on the field after a run play by Jordan Mims, but was able to walk into the medical tent on the sideline.

Spomer, a junior college transfer, has started every game this season. He was replaced by Toreon Penright.

PITCHING A SHUTOUT

Fresno State last posted a shutout victory when it last ran into Wyoming. The Bulldogs beat the Cowboys 17-0 in Laramie, holding them to 271 total yards.

Wyoming has scored a total of 10 points in the past three meetings against the Bulldogs. Fresno State has won 13-7, 27-3 and 17-0.

AT THE HALF

Fresno State has a 23-0 lead and has 195 yards of offense to just 73 for Wyoming.

Quarterback Jake Haener is 16 of 23 for 135 yards with one touchdown. Running back Jordan Mims has rushed it 12 times for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Zane Pope is the Bulldogs’ leading receiver with five catches for 70 yards.

The Cowboys’ 73 yards have come on 30 plays. They are averaging 2.4 yards per play.

Linebacker Malachi Langley is leading the Bulldogs with five tackles.

The six punts by Wyoming in the first half are more than any Fresno State opponent has had ain a game since New Mexico punted seven times.

ATTENDANCE

There are a few no-shows, but Fresno State will announce 40,214 tickets sold for this game. That will bring the season average for six home dates to 39,067.

PENALTY PROBLEMS?

Fresno State has been penalized six times for 50 yards, which is unusual. The Bulldogs are tied with Wyoming for second in the Mountain West in fewest penalties per game, just 4.2. What is even more unusual is that four of those penalties have been called on the offensive line including three false starts.

The Bulldogs’ offensive line has been playing very clean games through its six-game winning streak. It has been called for a total of four penalties over the past five games and it had not been called for a false start since its victory over San Jose State at the start of that winning streak.

WYOMING PUNTS AGAIN. WHAT’S THE RECORD?

Wyoming has punted for the fifth time in five series. It’s high for punts in a game this season is eight, set in the season-opener at Illinois and later matched in a game at New Mexico.

The Cowboys have 47 total yards on 22 plays. They have rushed it 12 times for 11 yards, including one sack. In a loss to Boise State last week, Wyoming rushed for 278 yards and two TDs on 32 plays, averaging 8.7 yards per play.

MIMS SECOND TD MAKES IT 23-0

Fresno State running back Jordan Mims has his second rushing touchdown of the game and 13th on the season, a 1-yard run that pushes the Bulldogs’ lead to 23-0 with 8:28 remaining in the second quarter.

Mims needs one more rushing touchdown this season to jump into a crowded Top 10 at Fresno State. Here are the most rushing TDs scored in a season:

19 - Ryan Mathews, 2009

17 - Anthony Daigle, 1992

17 - Aaron Craver, 1990

15 - Wendell Mathis, 2005

15 - Reggie Brown, 1994

14 - Ryan Mathews, 2007

14 - Ron Rivers, 1993

14 - Myron Jones, 1989

14 - James Williams, 1985

14 - Dale Messer, 1960

14 - Dean Philpott, 1957

Mathews had that school-record 19 rushing touchdowns in 2009 on 276 plays, scoring once ever 14.5 carries.

CROPPER ON THE BOARD

The Bulldogs’ Jalen Moreno-Cropper has his first catch of the game, a 5-yard gain. He has caught at least one pass in 35 consecutive games, the second longest streak ins school history.

COWBOYS PUNT, AGAIN, POINTS FOR BULLDOGS

Wyoming went backward on its fourth series, and its fourth punt was was blocked by Evan Williams out of the back of the end zone for a safety and Fresno State now has a 16-0 lead.

The Cowboys have run 16 plays for 28 total yards.

WYOMING 3 FOR 3

Wyoming has three series and three punts for far, running 13 plays for a total of 44 yards.

HAENER TO REMIGIO, 14-0

Fresno State has pushed its lead to 14-0, scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jake Haener to Nikko Remigio with 2:17 remaining in the first quarter.

Haener is 9 of 11 for 93 yards and the touchdown and has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 27 consecutive games, establishing a Mountain West Conference record that was set by the Bulldogs’ Derek Carr and later tied by Nevada quarterback Carson Strong.

The Bulldogs started with a short field, starting at the Wyoming 41 after Mac Dalena deflected the Cowboys punt.

ADD A PUNT TO STREAK

Fresno State had to punt on its second series, after a 2nd-down pass was dropped. The Bulldogs’ series streak was 24 scores in 30 drives not ended by the end of a half or a game, coming in.

The Bulldogs had scored 17 touchdowns with seven field goals. They also had punted four times, lost one fumble and missed one field goal attempt.

BULLDOGS BREAK ON TOP

Fresno State has taken the opening possession of the game into the end zone, scoring on a 4-yard touchdown run by Jordan Mims with 12:59 remaining in the first quarter.

It is the third game in a row and the fourth time this season the Bulldogs have scored a TD on their first series.

Quarterback Jake Haener was 2 of 2 on the drive for 33 yards, both passes going to Zane Pope.

The touchdown run was the 12th this season for Mims. That is the most for a Bulldogs’ back since 2019 when Ronnie Rivers had 13 rushing touchdowns.

PREGAME NOTES

Fresno State closes out the regular season with a Senior Day football matchup against Wyoming at Valley Children’s Stadium, and with a date next week at Boise State for the Mountain West championship a question for the Bulldogs is whether or how much to play their starters including quarterback Jake Haener?

This is a team that already has overcome a number of injuries to key players.

Haener and safety Evan Williams both missed four games with ankle and knee injuries. Linebacker Raymond Scott, wideouts Josh Kelly and Emoryie Edwards, defensive tackles Gavriel Lightfoot and Leonard Payne, offensive tackle Dontae Bull, cornerbacks Cam Lockridge and Bralyn Lux, defensive backs L.J. Early and Elijah Gates and tight end Tre Watson have missed at least one game or are out for the season due to injuries.

But Fresno State is celebrating its Senior Day and will have a large crowd on hand, and it does still have a chance to win 10 games this season with the Mountain West championship followed by a bowl game still to play.

To play or not to play?

Here is how to catch the game on TV and radio:

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Valley Children’s Stadium

TV: FS1 (Guy Haberman, Will Blackmon)

• Find it fast: Channels 652 and 1652 on AT&T Uverse, 35, 408, 731, 1208 on Comcast, 219 on DirecTV, 150 on Dish Network

Radio: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill, Cameron Worrell)

• Find it fast: 1400 AM in Visalia/Tulare; 1340 AM in Fresno; 1280 AM in Stockton; 970 AM in Bakersfield; 92.9 FM in Modesto; 96.7 FM in Fresno

Coach Jeff Tedford can play that any number of ways, but one player who figures to be in a prime position for the Bulldogs against the Cowboys and their downhill run game is defensive lineman Devo Bridges.

Bridges this season has played at end and at tackle despite weighing in at 242 pounds and played 533 snaps, the most of anyone who has lined up in the interior defensive line.

At a position where 300 pounds is the norm, what comes to mind?

“Toughness,” defensive line coach Jethro Franklin said.

BOISE STATE BUMPS AND BRUISES

Boise State, which will host the Bulldogs in the title game on Dec. 3, closed out its regular season with a 42-23 victory over Utah State and finished conference play with a perfect 8-0 record.

But it did absorb some injuries in the game, according to the Idaho Statesman.

Boise State lost running back George Holani, nickel Tyreque Jones and defensive tackle Divine Obichere to injuries. Jones had to be carted off the field in the fourth quarter.

SENIOR SALUTE

Fresno State will honor 13 seniors before the game: wideout Jalen Moreno-Cropper, quarterback Jake Haener, running back Jordan Mims, offensive lineman Dontae Bull, safety L.J. Early, safety Elijah Gates, tight end Zach Hartsfield, wideout Ty Jones, tight end Raymond Pauwels Jr., defensive end David Perales, wideout Zane Pope, wideout Nikko Remigio and tight end Jared Torres.

CLOSE CALLS

Fresno State wideout Jalen Moreno-Cropper is 36 yards away from 1,000 on the season and keeping the Bulldogs on pace to have a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver.

Haener, who is averaging 321.3 yards per game, is on pace to top 3,000, even missing four games.

If they get there, it would be the first time since 2012 with Derek Carr, Robbie Rouse and Davante Adams. But there have been some close calls ...

2013

QB Derek Carr - 5,083 yards

RB Josh Quezada - 807

WR Davante Adams - 1,719

WR Isaiah Burse - 1,026

WR Josh Harper - 1,011

2018

QB Marcus McMaryion - 3,629

RB Ronnie Rivers - 743

WR KeeSean Johnson - 1, 340

WYOMING QB1

The Cowboys are expected to have quarterback Andrew Peasley back for this game. Peasley did not play last week in a 20-17 loss to Boise State due to a concussion.

He has completed 52.8% of his passes this season and is averaging 5.9 yards per attempt and 128.4 yards per game.

Wyoming started sophomore Jayden Clemons against Boise State. He completed only 3 of 16 passes for 30 yards and threw three interceptions, two in the end zone.

QUOTE OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener on the Bulldogs’ six-game winning streak and championship game berth: “I just think that every guy in that locker room has had an intense belief and passion for what we can do. I think every guy in that locker room believes in one another. Even when I got hurt, I still felt the connection in the locker room.

“Guys knew we hit adversity, but I even told them going into Oregon State and USC, those games are filled with adversity. They always are. The tough ones are always filled with adversity. There are high moments and really low moments, and you have to fight through that to come out on the other side with a win. I think this season has been a great example of what do you do when adversity hits. This team has done a great job at responding, and I never doubted that we would be able to go on a run like this. I am proud of the guys for being able to do it.”