Despite power outage at Bulldog Stadium, Fresno State finds way to light up scoreboard
FINAL: Fresno State 50, Hawaii 20
The Fresno State football team is on a roll, on the brink of ascending into the nation’s Top 25 after winning its fifth straight with a 50-20 win against Hawaii on homecoming Saturday at Bulldog Stadium.
The game was delayed nearly 30 minutes during the first quarter after some lights went out on the east side of the stadium.
But the Bulldogs kept lighting up the scoreboard, including a 100-yard touchdown on a field goal return by Jamire Jordan.
Yes, a return on a field goal attempt.
Bulldogs quarterback Marcus McMaryion completed 21 of 31 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns before leaving late in the third quarter.
Receiver KeeSean Johnson hauled in eight catches for 102 yards to become the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in receptions. And running back Ronnie Rivers 125 rushing yards, including a 76-yard score.
Fresno State (7-1, 4-0) was given a back-loaded conference schedule, with two of its final three Mountain West games at Boise State and against San Diego State.
But through its first four, it still is looking for a challenge. The Bulldogs have outscored their first four Mountain West opponents a combined 136-33.
Hawaii was the first conference foe to score in double digits against Fresno State. But even the Warriors failed to provide much of a challenge as the Bulldogs celebrated before a Homecoming crowd of 33,659.
Record breaker
KeeSean Johnson just caught his eighth pass of the game and is the Bulldogs’ all-time receptions leader.
The pass was 8 yards from Jorge Reyna and the 234th of his career.
Johnson now has eight receptions for 102 yards, his fourth game this season and second in a row with 100 or more receiving yards. He has nine 100-plus yard games in his career.
The reception pushed Fresno State over 500 yards of offense – it now has 505. It is the second time this season the Bulldogs have rolled up 500 or more yards, the first in a 49-27 victory over Toledo.
Third quarter domination
Fresno State did not allow a point to Hawaii in the third quarter and now has outscored opponents 102-14 in the third quarter this season. The last team to score against the Bulldogs in the third quarter – UCLA in the third game.
Done for the night …
Jorge Reyna is in at quarterback for Fresno State, running the last play of the third quarter.
Marcus McMaryion is 21 of 31 for 284 yards and four touchdowns.
TD numbers
Fresno State last had four receivers with a touchdown pass in a 66-0 rout of Incarnate Word last season – Jamire Jordan, Justin Allen, Jared Rice and Kyle Riddering.
Should McMaryion and the Bulldogs add to that, the last time they had five receivers with a touchdown reception in a game was a 42-14 victory over Hawaii in 2015 – Da’Mari Scott, Jamire Jordan, Josiah Blandin, Chad Olsen and Marteze Waller.
McMaryion lighting it up
Marcus McMaryion threw his fourth touchdown pass, this one to Derrion Grim from six yards out to extend the Bulldogs lead to 47-13. There still is 8:45 to go in the third quarter.
McMaryion is 19 of 28 for 266 yards and four touchdowns. His passing efficiency rating at this point is 194.8.
The touchdown passes have gone to four different receivers – tight end Jared Rice, running back Jordan Mims and wideouts Jamire Jordan and Grim.
And, a pick
Fresno State safety Juju Hughes intercepted a pass from Cole McDonald on the Rainbow Warriors’ first play from scrimmage.
It is the Bulldogs’ 14th interception this season and the second for Hughes. Fresno State also has at least one interception in six games in a row.
Fuller FG makes it 40-13
The Bulldogs get a 32-yard field goal by Asa Fuller on their first drive in the second half and now lead 40-13.
Hawaii is about to get the ball for its first drive in the second half. Fresno State has allowed only 14 points in the third quarter this season.
That was a curious decision
The 53-yard field goal attempt before the half that turned into a touchdown for Fresno State?
Hawaii kicker Ryan Meskell had attempted only one field goal this season beyond 40 yards and none of 50 or longer – he missed that kick.
The longest field goal he had made was 39 yards.
A whole game in a half …
Bulldogs’ defensive end Mykal Walker has a team-high eight tackles at half time including five solo tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Well, that didn’t work
Hawaii attempted a 53-yard field goal just before half time – a bad idea, as it turned out.
The kick was well short and fielded in the back of the end zone by Jamire Jordan, one of the Bulldogs’ fastest players.
Jordan returned it 100 yards for a touchdown, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 37-13.
McMaryion with another TD
Fresno State extended its lead to 30-13 with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Marcus McMaryion to running back Jordan Mims, the third touchdown pass for the Bulldogs’ quarterback.
McMaryion is 12 of 17 for 207 yards with the three TDs.
On that drive, KeeSean Johnson had his first reception, extending a streak with one or more receptions to 44 games.
The Bulldogs in the first half have generated 350 yards of offense and are averaging 10.6 yards per play.
Fresno State has run only three plays on third downs.
Hawaii, trading FGs
The Rainbow Warriors drove 65 yards to the Fresno State 10, but after a timeout on a 4th-and-5 play settled for a field goal to make the score 24-13.
24-10
Fresno State has scored on its fourth drive in a row, a 22-yard field goal by Asa Fuller with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
A quick answer
Ronnie Rivers just blasted 76 yards for a touchdown and Fresno State is back up 21-10.
Rivers now has 114 rushing yards and the touchdown on just eight carries.
The 76-yard run is the Bulldogs’ longest play from scrimmage this season, and with 14:11 remaining in the second quarter Rivers is the first Bulldogs’ back with 100 or more rushing yards in a game this season.
Penalty hurts, twice … ‘Dogs lead cut to 14-10
Hawaii took advantage of a personal foul penalty on defensive tackle Kevin Atkins when the Rainbow Warriors had come up short on a 3rd-and-9 play and cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 14-10 on a 50-yard pass from Cole McDonald to Jojo Ward.
McMaryion to Jordan, TD
Fresno State is now up 14-3 on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Marcus McMaryion to Jamire Jordan.
It is the first touchdown reception for Jordan since he had two in a 38-0 victory over New Mexico Oct. 14, 2017.
Bulldogs take 7-3 lead
Fresno State came out of that delay and has taken a 7-3 lead on a 19-yard pass play from Marcus McMaryion to tight end Jared Rice.
McMaryion is 4 of 8 to start for 56 yards and the touchdown. All four receptions have gone to Rice.
Game delayed …
The game has been delayed after one bank of lights on the east side of the stadium went out with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter.
Thee teams have gone back to the locker room.
Not a good time for the lights to go out, considering it’s homecoming and the game is being televised on ESPN2.
Fans were asked to “remain seated” through some “technical difficulties.”
Some fans apparently tried to help out as many turned on the camera light on their cell phone and pointed it in the direction of the field, as if together, they could help light up Bulldog Stadium and provide playable conditions.
Good effort, great execution.
But not happening.
The lights eventually did come back on, following a 29-minute power delay.
When an opponent score first …
Fresno State is 3-4 under coach Jeff Tedford when an opponent scores first, 1-1 this season.
Hawaii takes 3-0 lead
Hawaii is up 3-0 after a 43-yard field goal by Ryan Meskell with 10:26 remaining in the first quarter.
The Rainbow Warriors took the opening kickoff and went 50 yards in eight plays to set up the field goal, the big play their first one, a 31-yard pass play to John Ursua.
The Bulldogs’ defense allowed a score on an opponent’s opening possession for only the second time this season. It still has not allowed a touchdown on an opening drive – Wyoming also opened with a field goal.
Tackle eligible
Fresno State right tackle Syrus Tuitele came out of its 38-7 victory at New Mexico dinged up, and the Bulldogs spent the week looking at a number of combinations up front in case the sophomore was unable to go against the Rainbow Warriors.
In pre-game, redshirt freshman Dontae Bull was with the No. 1 line.
From left tackle across it was Christian Cronk, Logan Hughes, Markus Boyer, Micah St. Andrew and Bull.
With Bull in the starting lineup, Fresno State will have used four different line combinations in its first eight games.
Tuitele was the only one on the line that had started the first seven games at the same position.
Cronk started the first two games at left guard before moving back out to left tackle after Netane Muti was injured in the loss at Minnesota.
St. Andrew started the first five games at center before moving to right guard, and Boyer had started the first five games at right guard before moving to center.
Nick Abbs started three games at left guard after Cronk moved out to tackle, and Hughes has started there the past two games.
Quick return?
Fresno State could be in for a boost on Saturday in a Homecoming game against Hawaii – and down the stretch of the season with large Mountain West Conference games coming up at Boise State (Nov. 9) and against San Diego State (Nov. 17).
Senior wideout Michiah Quick, who has been out with a lower leg injury suffered in the second game of the season, could see some reps against a Rainbow Warriors’ defense that is ranked ninth in the conference in passing and scoring defense.
The former Central High star and Oklahoma transfer practiced during the week, though the Bulldogs want to make sure he is 100 percent before he plays in a game
He is going through pre-game warm ups.
Whether that return comes against Hawaii or in the coming weeks, Quick could prove a substantial addition to an offense that already is generating 38.0 points per game and ranked third in the conference in scoring offense.
Quick had seven targets in a 79-13 victory over Idaho in the season-opener, catching five passes for 25 yards. He then had two targets and two receptions in the first quarter plus one play at Minnesota, before going down with the injury.
The nine targets were second among wideouts behind KeeSean Johnson, who has at least one reception in 43 consecutive games and is eight receptions away from passing Josh Harper and Davante Adams and becoming the all-time leader in school history.
Adams caught 233 passes in his two seasons at Fresno State. Harper, who played for the Bulldogs from 2011 to ‘14, is second on the career receptions list with 228.
Johnson enters the game on Saturday with 226 career receptions.
This story was originally published October 27, 2018 at 6:48 PM.