GameDay Tailgating

Published online on Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Wylie and McEntee missing: Fresno State receiver Devon Wylie and nose tackle Chase McEntee will miss today's game because of injury.

Neither are on this road trip.

Wylie has been hampered by a hamstring injury since the San Jose State game (Oct. 17) and McEntee injured his elbow against Utah State last week.

Wylie was a game-time decision last week and even took the field for pre-game warmups but never played.

McEntee had already lost his starting position, coach Pat Hill said, replaced by junior Cornell Banks before his injury last week.

Defensive lineman Mark Roberts will see increased playing time because of McEntee's absence.

In other lineup news, senior Richard Pacheco will start at center, but Hill said both Pacheco and junior Joe Bernardi will play.

Former walk-on now a player to watch: Idaho receiver Max Komar started as a walk-on, but now in his senior season, he's blowing defenders away.

The senior has caught 50 passes for 807 yards and seven scores. He caught seven for 133 yards and two scores last week and is the Western Athletic Conference's third-leading receiver in yards per game.

WAC defenders are plenty aware of him now, but they remember him from past seasons, too. Bulldogs defenders said Komar is a legitimate threat.

"Sophomore year he seemed hella fast," said cornerback Damion Owens. "Last year he gained weight and he seemed slow. This year it seems like he has got that step back."

Versatile West: Chastin West has been giving the Bulldogs a little something extra. The muscular 6-foot-1, 215-pound receiver has been lining up as a wing and also in the backfield, giving the Bulldogs the chance to cause some mismatches.

"He's really smart and he can block," said Hill. "He does cause some personnel matchup problems. ... When he spreads out, you get him working against a linebacker and that's the matchup you want."

Hill said having a versatile player like West is advantageous, especially since the Bulldogs are without Wylie.

NFL prospect: No, not Ryan Mathews. You know about him. Tonight, watch Idaho left guard Mike Iupati, too.

"Most scouts that come through here think he might be the top offensive lineman in the western United States," said Hill. "He's got good balance and a real good mean streak in him."

BY THE NUMBERS

1: Idaho's DeMaundray Woolridge is tops in the Western Athletic Conference in scoring with 9.3 points per game. He's just above the Bulldogs' Ryan Mathews, who scores 8.2 points per game. Woolridge has 14 TDs.

25 for 31: Both teams have scored 25 times in their 31 red-zone opportunities. Fresno State has scored 20 touchdowns; Idaho has 18.

AUDIBLE

"I think they'll take the plans from the other teams and try to stop the run and try to go man-on-man on the wideouts. We like that challenge."

-- Bulldogs receiver Seyi Ajirotutu, on the defensive strategy he expects Idaho to use