'Dogs won't take Aggies lightly

Fresno State knows one slip-up ruins their momentum.

Published online on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

All seems fine with the Fresno State football team - for now.

The Bulldogs (4-3, 3-1 Western Athletic Conference) have won three straight, all in convincing fashion.

Running back Ryan Mathews remains healthy and on pace to win the nation's rushing title by a sizable margin.

And one more win would give the Bulldogs just their second undefeated October in coach Pat Hill's 13 seasons -- quite a feat in itself after this year's 1-3 start.

"We go through some turbulence here because of schedule and travel," Hill said. "This might be the best team I've had as far as staying level and staying on course. They don't get fazed by too much."

And yet, all it would take is a loss to one of those lower-echelon WAC teams -- such as Saturday's opponent, Utah State (2-5, 1-2) -- to drastically alter the current Fresno State climate.

"Whenever we have a pimple here," Hill said earlier this month, "it's usually brought to the forefront."

The Bulldogs certainly have had their share of unexpected bumps and head-scratching defeats in Hill's tenure, seemingly at least one a year.

And the Aggies, who have yet to win more than three games in a season since joining the WAC in 2005, have proved troublesome for the Bulldogs in each of the past three years.

So when Hill heeds the warning that the Bulldogs must take the Aggies seriously, it's because he knows from experience that Fresno State cannot afford to switch on cruise control.

"Their record is very misleading to the type of team they are," Hill said. "We're going to have our hands full. They've played very well. I think they're playing good football right now."

Last year, Fresno State needed a 58-yard field goal as time expired to escape with a 30-28 victory.

In 2007, Fresno State won 38-27 but almost squandered a 24-point lead in the second half.

And in 2006, the Bulldogs were shocked 13-12 on a final-minute touchdown by a previously winless Aggies team -- the lowest of the lowlights in Fresno State's 4-8 campaign.

Utah State is trying to change its losing ways under first-year coach Gary Andersen. But old habits can be hard to break.

Utah State lost three straight before beating Louisiana Tech 23-21 last week. The Aggies have had four games decided by eight points or less and lost three.

Andersen, who is used to winning after spending the prior five seasons as an assistant at Utah, called out his team entering the Louisiana Tech game for not knowing how to win.

The Aggies responded just as Andersen had hoped, claiming a fourth-quarter lead then making plays down the stretch to hold on to the victory.

"Our ability to finish one was a big positive," Andersen said.

Will that win be enough to get Fresno State's attention? Will the Bulldogs' struggles with the Aggies in recent years help prevent a similar performance Saturday?

"Every week is a challenge," Hill said, "no matter who the teams are."