Boise State vs. Fresno State Football 2009
Broncos Aim to Maintain Dominance Over WAC Rival
That's when the No. 10-ranked Broncos play the Bulldogs in a college football game slated for 6 p.m. PST. The Western Athletic Conference opener is scheduled to be telecast by ESPN.
Boise State (2-0) owns a 7-4 series lead against Fresno State, and is 7-1 against the Bulldogs since joining the WAC in 2001. The Broncos haven't lost to the Bulldogs in three seasons under head coach Chris Petersen, and destroyed them 61-10 last year in Boise, Ida.
Fresno State (1-1) joined the WAC in 1992 and has won or shared the conference title three times. But the Bulldogs have been shut out in championship races since Boise State came along. They've defeated the Broncos only once in a WAC play -- a 27-7 decision in a 2005.
For the Bulldogs, Friday would be a great time to do so again. Coach Pat HIll's Bulldogs would not only upend the champs and start conference play on a winning note, they'd be able to take a lot of sting out of their 34-31 double-overtime loss at Wisconsin last week.
Bulldogs Fell to Wisconsin Despite Gaining 468 Yards
Fresno State had little trouble moving the ball against the Big Ten Conference Badgers, managing 468 yards of total offense. Ryan Colburn passed for 289 yards and four TDs, Devon Wylie had five receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown, and Ryan Mathews ran for 107 yards on 19 carries.
But three Colburn interceptions -- one to lead off the second overtime -- proved to be the Bulldogs' undoing.
Still, on the season, the junior left-hander has a 162.9 passing efficiency rating, with 450 yards, a 60-percent completion rating and five TDs against four interceptions.
Seyi Ajirotutu is the leading receiver with nine catches for 140 yards and two TDs, and Wylie has six catches for 138 yards.
Mathews heads a multi-pronged rushing attack with 226 yards on 30 carries, including one for a TD.
Fresno State is averaging 489.5 yards per game, including 244.5 on the ground. But on Friday night, the Bulldogs will face a Boise team that's yielded just 69 rushing yards combined in its two games.
Linebacker Ben Jacobs is Fresno's Top Tackler
Fresno State is yielding just 115.5 yards per game on the ground, but gave up 144 to Wisconsin's John Clay on Saturday. The Bulldogs are surrendering 322 yards per game overall.
Linebacker Ben Jacobs leads the Bulldogs with 21 tackles, including 15 with Wisconsin. DB Lorne Bell is second with13 tackles; and linebacker Nico Herron has 11 tackles and an interception -- which he returned 94 yards for a touchdown in Fresno's season-opening 51-0 rout of UC Davis.
Bulldogs defensive lineman Chris Carter has seven tackles, and posted his team's only two sacks o the season against Wisconsin.
QB Kellen Moore Sharp vs. Boise State
Sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore has continued his sharp play for Boise State, completing 63.6 percent of his passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns. Moore had five TD passes and his only interception of the season in his team's 48-0 pasting of Miami (Ohio) last weekend.
Titus Young and Austin Pettis have been his targets. Young has 11 catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Pettis has 10 catches for 183 yards and two TDs.
But Boise State has been balanced, with D.J. Harper rushing for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Jeremy Avery adding 93 yards.
The Broncos are averaging 401 yards per game.
Broncos Defense Has Been Dazzling
Boise State's defense has allowed just one touchdown, which came in its season-opening 19-8 victory over Oregon. The Broncos are yielding 178 yards per contest, using a mixture of veterans and young players.
Cornerback Kyle Wilson has registered a team-high 10 tackles, including eight unassisted. Other leaders include linebacker Winston Venable with nine tackles; and linebacker Derrell Acrey, sophomore tackle BIlly Winn and freshman linebacker J.C. Percy with eight apiece.
Sophomore linebacker Aaron Tevis has seven tackles and a pair of interceptions, and safety Jeron Johnson -- last year's team leader with 98 tackles -- has six this season.
The Broncos have five interceptions, including four vs. Miami.
Fresno State in Difficult Stretch of Schedule
Fresno State is in the middle of a grueling three-week stretch of games. The Bulldogs not only have to meet Wisconsin and Boise State in consecutive games, they'll have to hit the road again next week for a Sept. 26 matchup at No. 17Cincinnati.
Friday's game figures to be one of the tougher matchups on Boise State's 2009 schedule. It'll be the first of two consecutive road games for coach Chris Andersen's Broncos. They play at Bowling Green next week before facing UC Davis at home on Oct. 3.
The Broncos climbled two spots to gain the No. 10 position in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. They're also No. 10 in the USA Today coaches' poll.
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