FRESNO STATE VS. WYOMING, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Stadium

KEYS TO SUCCESS

FOR FRESNO STATE

The Bulldogs' problems in last week's loss at Boise State, as well as losses at Oregon and at Tulsa, started up front against defensive lines that were more physical, more athletic, or both. Fresno State needs to be able to move a Cowboys front that has struggled to stop the run and be solid in pass protection.

FOR WYOMING

The Cowboys have some injury issues at quarterback -- in six games, they have had three starters in Brett Smith, Colby Kirkegaard and Jason Thompson. But they need to find a way to turn some big plays into quick scores, and they have only 23 plays of 20 or more yards this season. The Bulldogs have 40.

PROJECTED STARTERS

FRESNO STATE

Quarterback: Derek Carr

Backfield: Robbie Rouse, RB

Wide receivers: Josh Harper, Isaiah Burse, Rashad Evans, Davante Adams

Tight end: Marcel Jensen

Offensive line: Austin Wentworth, LT; Matt Hunt, LG; Lars Bramer, C; Richard Helepiko, RG; Cody Wichmann, RT

Defensive line: Nikko Motta, DE; Tyeler Davison, NG; Andy Jennings, DE

Linebackers: Tristan Okpalaugo, OLB; Travis Brown, MLB; Jeremiah Toma, MLB; Donavon Lewis, OLB

Secondary: L.J. Jones, CB; Phillip Thomas, SS; Derron Smith, FS; Sean Alston, CB

Special teams: Quentin Breshears, PK; Garrett Swanson, KO; Andrew Shapiro, P; Chad Preacher, LS; Andrew Shapiro, PH; Isaiah Burse, KR or Milton Knox, KR; Rashad Evans, PR

WYOMING

Quarterback: Brett Smith or Jason Thompson

Backfield: D.J. May, RB

Wide receivers: Dominic Rufran, Brandon Miller, Chris McNeill, Jalen Claiborne

Tight end: Riley Lange

Offensive line: Josh Leonard, LT; Tyler Strong, LG; Nick Calrson, C; Jake Jones, RG; Kyle Manguson, RT

Defensive line: Miraldo Michel, DE; Mike Purcell, DT; Kurt Taufa'asau, DT; Sonny Puletasi, DE

Linebackers: Ghaali Muhammad, OLB; Siaosi Hala'api'api, MLB; Korey Jones, OLB

Secondary: Blair Burns, CB; Darrenn White, FS; Luke Ruff, SS

Special teams: Tim Gleeson, P; Zach Ewan, LS; D.J. May, KR; Blair Burns, PR; Stuart Williams, PK; Chris McNeill, PH

Tailgating

Home team rules: The home team has won every game played between Fresno State and Wyoming, including a 2009 matchup in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque when the Cowboys wore their home uniforms. Wyoming won that game 35-28 in double overtime.

In three games at Bulldog Stadium, Fresno State has won by at least 10 points and averaged 456 yards of total offense, generating 532 in 1992, 510 in '94 and 326 in '97.

Wyoming leads the all-time series 4-3.

Milestones watch: The Bulldogs' Rashad Evans, Robbie Rouse and Derek Carr enter another game close to milestone marks.

Evans, who has 123 career catches for 1,160 yards, is one reception away from tying Jermaine Jamison (2001-'05) for 10th place on the Bulldogs' all-time receptions list and two receptions away from tying Seyi Ajirotutu (2007-'09) for ninth place.

Rouse is 55 yards away from becoming the first back with 4,000 career rushing yards and needs one more game with 100 or more yards to tie Ron Rivers (1991-'93) for the most in school history at 17.

Carr is 262 passing yards away from becoming the eighth quarterback in school history with 6,000 in a career -- he is leading the Mountain West Conference with 297.4 per game.

He also has thrown 16 touchdown passes over the past five games, tied for second most in school history over a five-game span. David Carr holds the record with 20 touchdown passes in 2001, and Derek Carr is tied with Paul Pinegar, who fired 16 scoring passes in 2005.