Fresno State didn't just come out and dump Ryan Mathews into San Jose State's drink on Saturday night.
Coach Pat Hill stirred Mathews into the offensive mix slowly, and by the time the nation's leading back was finished eating away at the Spartans on Saturday night, the Bulldogs had romped to a 41-21 victory in front of 35,495.
Mathews ran for 233 yards and one blazing touchdown on homecoming night as Fresno State beat the Spartans at Bulldog Stadium for the 11th straight time since 1987. The Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1) have won 15 of their last 16 meetings with the Western Athletic Conference foe.
"We wanted to be really balanced early," Hill said. "That first series I think San Jose defensed the run really well. Once we really got into it, they still didn't have the answers to stop our run, so the run game more or less took over."
Spartans coach Dick Tomey singled out one player as the main poison.
Fresno State's Ryan Mathews, middle, gets by San Jose State's Alex Germany en route to scoring a touchdown during the first half Saturday.
"We couldn't handle Ryan Mathews," he said. "He's just so strong and so fast. We missed a lot of open field tackles tonight and that's what good backs do, they make you miss. ... He without a doubt is among the top backs in the country."
Every time Mathews touched the ball, it was as if he could score.
He bounced, cut, hurdled and stiff-armed defenders, sometimes making it look like he was back at West High-Bakersfield. With his second 200-plus yard rushing game of the season (he also was 1 yard shy of his career high), he moved into fifth on the Bulldogs' all-time rushing list, past Lorenzo Neal.
"He's gone from a special runner to a special player," quarterback Ryan Colburn said.
But Fresno State didn't give San Jose State heavy doses of him early. The Bulldogs mixed in other players to their concoction of passes and runs but stumbled at the start, as San Jose State scored 14 first-quarter points.
Boasting the nation's fifth-ranked run game, the Bulldogs came out passing against a team that had shown an inability to stop the run. San Jose State was ranked 118th out of 120 teams in run defense coming in.
Colburn threw on the first play of the game, a pass complete to Seyi Ajirotutu on the left sideline. Trying to fight off tacklers, Ajirotutu fumbled the ball.
The Spartans scored four plays later on a 20-yard pass from Jordan La Secla to Jala Beauchman to take a 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs ran Mathews, Lonyae Miller and Robbie Rouse on the next drive before an incomplete pass left them punting.
After the defense held, the Bulldogs again had Mathews on the periphery of the action, as Colburn hit receiver Devon Wylie for a 27-yard score.
The Spartans (1-5, 0-2) didn't go away, though, as help from another Fresno State miscue -- a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty on third down -- gave the Spartans a new set of downs. They then went up 14-7 on Brandon Rutley's 7-yard touchdown run.
The Bulldogs bounced back on their next drive, with Mathews as the catalyst.
The junior ran for 33 yards, stiff-arming two defenders away as he sprinted down the left side. Mathews said he gets "juiced"when he stiff arms an opponent to the ground.
"There's nothing like it," he said. "They're coming over there trying to tackle you, trying to get the ball and you're putting them on their back."
The Bulldogs scored their second touchdown with Mathews on the bench, a 3-yard run by Rouse.
That's when the Bulldogs defense clamped down. They forced a three-and-out and did not allow another score in the game until 9 seconds remained.
Fresno State had its own three-and-out on the next possession, featuring two sacks, after which Mathews stole the spotlight again.
With 6 minutes, 44 seconds left in the first half, he ran for 45 yards on two runs before being taken out. Colburn play-actioned to Rouse and rolled left, finding Marlon Moore open 23 yards down the field in the end zone to make it 21-14.
The defense held again, giving Mathews another opportunity to shine before the half ended.
He used it, hitting a hole on the left side for a 59-yard score and a 28-14 lead.
Said Mathews: "I was just thinking to myself I didn't want to get caught."
On this night? No way.
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Fresno State vs. San Jose State
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