With title game looming, Bulldogs more likely to play than play it safe
Fresno State won its way into the Mountain West Conference championship game, but between here and there is a matchup against San Jose State, which can either be blithely dismissed or a whole bunch of trouble.
Coach Jeff Tedford was asked shortly after the Bulldogs dispatched San Diego State to win the West Division in the conference how he would approach this last regular-season game and didn’t take much of a cut at it.
“It’s too early to think about that,” he said. “We are going to enjoy this one tonight and then figure that out tomorrow. Next week is Senior Night and we have (27) seniors leaving here so we would love to send them out the right way.”
But how the Bulldogs approach the final game of the regular season – and the 1-10 Spartans – with so much still ahead poses interesting questions.
Do they rest key starters, already down two starters last week in defensive tackle Jasad Haynes and wideout Michiah Quick and with several other players working their way through an assortment of bumps and bruises?
Do they play a lot of those 27 seniors, several of whom have played key roles this season and many of whom have played on special teams or smaller roles?
Do that, and they risk taking some of the edge off a team that righted itself at halftime and dominated San Diego State in the second half of a 23-14 victory, putting up two scores while the defense allowed just 57 yards on four drives.
Do they play their first offense and first defense, and risk an injury that could impact a conference championship matchup against the Boise State-Utah State winner?
Fresno State doesn’t figure to deviate too far from what it has done all season – quarterback Marcus McMaryion played into the third quarter in the rout of Idaho and into the fourth in a blowout victory over Toledo.
San Jose State, believe it or not, figures into that equation.
Spartans: Spoilers?
It could be just a mildly interesting side note or a cautionary tale, but the last two times Fresno State has closed a regular season against San Jose State the Bulldogs have lost and that includes a 2013 crusher when Derek Carr and a 10-0 team was outscored 62-52 in a wild, back-and-forth contest at Spartan Stadium.
And, while Fresno State has owned the series with the Spartans by winning 18 of the past 23, some poor San Jose State teams in this rivalry game and with nothing to play for in the final weeks of the season have given the Bulldogs a lot of trouble.
In Fresno State-San Jose State games played after Nov. 15, Fresno State is only 8-5 in that time and three of those Bulldogs victories each came by just three points.
San Jose State, while 1-10, also has been much more competitive in conference play.
In non-conference games they have been outscored by a 40.5 to 15.8 margin, 24.7 points. In conference games they have been outscored by a 35.1 to 25.6 margin, 9.5 points.
It’s worth noting that Mountain West number is inflated by a 62-24 loss at Utah State.
The Spartans lost to Hawaii by three, 44-41.
They lost at San Diego State by three, 16-13.
They lost to Nevada by nine, 21-12, and were down 14-12 going into the fourth quarter.
They lost to Colorado State by 12, 42-30, after they were outscored 14-0 in the final quarter to blow a lead.
They lost at Wyoming by 15, 24-9, but it was a one-score game until just 1:09 to go when the Cowboys put up their last touchdown.
Their one win in conference play is 50-27 over UNLV, which beat San Diego State, which beat Boise State.
What’s next
Saturday: Regular-season finale, San Jose State (1-10, 1-6 Mountain West) at Fresno State (9-2, 6-1), 4 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium, ESPNU