San Jose State vs. Fresno State Football 2009
Struggling Spartans Run Defense Braces for Nation's Leading Rusher
Oct 13, 2009
Mathews, the nation's leading rusher, will meet one of the lowest-ranking run defenses when his Fresno State team plays San Jose State in a Western Athletic Conference football game Saturday, Oct. 17, at Fresno, Calif.
The Spartans (1-4 overall, 0-1 WAC) are allowing 251.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 118th of 120 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. One of the reasons is that they've had to tangle with star runners like Stanford's Gerhart and USC's McKnight, as well as Utah's Matt Asiata.
But coach Dick Tomey's Spartans have also yielded 100-yard games to lesser-known backs like Cal Poly's Jono Grayson and Idaho's Princeton McCarty. And opposing runners are averaging a whopping 5.99 yards per carry – third worst in the FBS.
Mathews, meanwhile, leads the FBS with an average of 148.2 yards per game. The junior has rushed 111 times for 741 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 6.68 yards per attempt.
Fresno State (2-3, 1-1) is running for 275.2 yards per contest, ranking fifth in the FBS. So it's obvious what coach Pat Hill’s offense will try to establish in the 7 p.m. contest.
Both the Bulldogs and Spartans are trying to build momentum in conference play after facing rugged non-conference schedules. Fresno State is coming off a 42-17 conference romp at Hawaii. San Jose State dropped a 29-25 heartbreaker to Hawaii in its WAC opener last week.
Saturday's game is not scheduled to be televised.
San Jose State Not So Great Against Pass, Either
In addition to struggling against the run, San Jose State hasn't exactly sparkled vs. the pass either. The Spartans are allowing 211.8 passing yards per game. So in total defense, they rate 114th in the FBS with a 463.2 average. And they're 105th in points allowed at 32.0
But the injury-plagued Spartans have had some good moments. The 24 points allowed against Utah in a 24-14 loss Sept. 12 matches the lowest scoring output of the season for the Utes, who are ranked No. 24 in the nation. And San Jose State also limited Cal Poly to a single touchdown in a 19-9 win Sept. 26.
San Jose is led by safety Tanner Burns, who's made a team-high 47 tackles and two interceptions, as well as forcing four fumbles. Safety Duke Ihenacho has 47 tackles and a team-leading five pass breakups. His older brother Carl, a defensive end, is third on the squad with 33 tackles.
An area in which the Spartans have been good is turnovers. They've forced 14, with cornerback Peyton Thompson making two interceptions and cornerback Devin Newsome forcing three fumbles.
Receiver Jurovich Leads Spartans Offense
The Spartans repeatedly try to get the ball to receiver Kevin Jurovich, and the senior has managed 36 catches for 463 yards. One thing he hasn't yet this year is get into the end zone, and his team hasn't done it much, either.
San Jose State is in the FBS bottom five in points (15.6), rushing yards (68.4) and total offense (274.8). It hasn't help that the Spartans have given up 15 sacks.
But quarterback Jordan La Secla has shown promise while completing 62.2 percent of his passes for 914 yards and six touchdowns. The junior has thrown five interceptions.
Lamon Muldrow is San Jose State's leading rusher, gaining 325 yards on 5.7 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns. Another threat is wide receiver Marquis Avery, who has 22 receptions for 224 yards and three TDs.
Bulldogs Defense Coming Off Strong Performance
The Fresno State defense ended a bit of a slump last weekend. The Bulldogs had been vulnerable in losses to Wisconsin, No. 5 Boise State and No. 8 Cincinnati, but they played solidly vs. Hawaii. They even forced three turnovers to raise their meager season total to five.
Fresno, which is surrendering 26.0 points and 369.8 yards per game, has not been able to mount much of a pass rush. The Bulldogs have recorded only four sacks – all by defensive end Chris Carter.
Middle linebacker Ben Jacobs has anchored the team with 34 tackles. Safety Moses Harris and cornerback Desia Dunn have 22 apiece, with Dunn adding a team-best four pass breakups.
Like San Jose, Fresno State has had trouble against the run. The Bulldogs are only surrendering 134.4 rushing yards per game, but their opponents are averaging 5.5 yards per attempt,
Fresno State Averaging 5 Touchdowns Per Game
The Bulldogs are producing 35.6 points and 468.2 yards per game, and key turnovers have been as big of an obstacle as the opposition.
Quarterback Ryan Colburn, who had seven interceptions over the first four contests, had none vs. Hawaii, and it was no coincidence that the Bulldogs cruised. The picks have been the sore spot of an otherwise solid season for the junior, who's hit on 60 percent of his passes for 910 yards and nine TDs.
Fresno features a sound receiving corps, with Seyi Ajirotutu (17 catches, 231 yards, 2 TDs), Devon Wylie (14 receptions, 215 yards, 3 TDs) and Chastin West (10 catches, 152 yards, 2 TDs).
But the heart of the offense is the ground game. In addition to Mathews, the Bulldogs have a talented freshman in Robbie Rouse, who's run for 297 yards and three TDs on 8.7 yards per carry.
Fresno State-San Jose State Series History
Fresno State has won 14 of its last 15 games vs. San Jose State to take a 37-33-3 lead in the all-time series. The Bulldogs won 24-10 in San Jose last season. The Spartans' last victory was a 24-14 triumph in 2006.
