Bulldogs’ seniors survived 1-11, and now have a chance to go out on top

The Fresno State Bulldogs’ 2014 recruiting class would be known for its attrition if not for wideouts KeeSean Johnson and Jamire Jordan, cornerback Tank Kelly and tight end Kyle Riddering — who are among 27 seniors playing their final football game at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday against San Jose State.

Of the 22 players added to the roster on national letter of intent signing day in 2014, only nine have made it to or through a senior year.

Johnson will finish his career as the leading receiver in school history with 260 receptions and counting. Jordan, Kelly and Riddering all have had productive careers with 43, 20 and 24 career starts.

That group was bolstered by a stellar class of walk-ons including right guard Micah St. Andrew and linebacker George Helmuth, both starters, and tight end David Tangipa and wideouts Justin Allen and Anthony Grayson. The following year, the Bulldogs signed linebacker James Bailey in another class hit hard by attrition.

But the group has seen a lot in going from 1-11 to 10-4 to 9-2 with a date in a second Mountain West championship game against the winner of Saturday night’s game between Boise State and Utah State.

“I’ll always remember when I got here going 3-9 and then the 1-11 season,” said Bailey, who played as a true freshman and has started 40 games including 37 in a row. “That 1-11, that just hurt, because that had never happened to me before.

“Then when (coach Jeff Tedford) came in building a new program and finally we went to the Mountain West championship, we won our bowl game finally and now we have a chance to go to the Mountain West championship again and maybe pull off a win. For my senior year, having that happen, that would be incredible.”

The seniors:

Offense: Jamire Jordan (Lancaster), Michiah Quick (Fresno), KeeSean Johnson (East Palo Alto), Marcus McMaryion (Dinuba), Dejonte O’Neal (Fresno), Justin Allen (Los Angeles), Brian Burt (East Wenatchee, Wash.), Markus Boyer (Huntington Beach), Christian Cronk (Oceanside), Logan Hughes (Henderson, Nev.) Micah St. Andrew (Rialto), Gunner Javernick (Canon City, Colo.), Delvon Hardaway (Los Angeles), Anthony Grayson (Redlands), Nanami Parker (Roseville), David Tangipa (Sacramento), Kyle Riddering (Fresno).

Defense: Emeka Ndoh (Hanford), Tank Kelly (Galena Park, Texas), James Bailey (Austin, Texas), Kesomi Mafi (Oakland), Trent Soechting (Katy, Texas), Sherman Coleman Jr. (Houston) Matt Boateng (Toronto), George Helmuth (Fresno), Maamaloa Mafi (Oakland), Patrick Belony (North Miami Beach, Fla.).

Time and TV

Fresno State (9-2, 6-1 Mountain West) vs. San Jose State (1-10, 1-6), 4 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Stadium, ESPNU

128 to go

Wideout KeeSean Johnson needs 128 receiving yards to pass Rodney Wright and then Charlie Jones to become the program’s leader in career receiving yards.

The Top 5:

1. Charlie Jones (1992-95) 3,344.

2. Rodney Wright (1998-2001) 3,274.

3. KeeSean Johnson (2015-present) 3,217.

4. Davante Adams (2012-13) 3,030.

5. Brian Roberson (1993-96) 2,956.

San Jose State has allowed a receiver to gain more than 100 yards in just two of its past six games with Romeo Doubs (Nevada) catching five passes for 105 yards and Tyleek Collins (UNLV) catching nine for 170 yards and four touchdowns.

But that might not be as solid a streak as it sounds.

In the four games the Spartans did not allow a wideout 100 or more yards, it played Army, which threw the ball just five times; San Diego State, which threw the ball 11 times; and Wyoming, which threw the ball eight times. They also played Utah State, which did not have a wideout with 100 or more receiving yards, but it did have a running back, Darwin Thompson, who had four receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

Just, wow

So, the Spartans have played three teams that have thrown the football at them 11 times or less and, incredibly, they still are ranked last in the Mountain West in passing defense.

San Jose State is allowing an average of 280.9 passing yards per game even with Army racking up just 54 passing yards, San Diego State 86 and Wyoming 51.

That means the other eight teams are averaging 362.4 passing yards per game.

Holding the line

Defensive tackles Keiti Iakopo and Patrick Belony each played more than 30 snaps in the Bulldogs’ victory over San Diego State last week, which might not sound like a lot, but it was a good portion of the 48 plays that the Aztecs ran.

They could be in for another long — and productive — day against the Spartans because of some questions in the Fresno State defensive line group due to injuries.

But they will be ready.

“I wasn’t as tired as I thought I would be,” Iakopo said. “They’re run heavy. It’s a good thing I like my job —

to stop the run. That was fun.”

Crowd impact

There were 36,123 at Bulldog Stadium last week for a 23-14 victory over San Diego State and the crowd got loud, at times.

“I thought it was a great crowd,” Tedford said. “I thought they made it hard on the opponent being loud, and that’s what a home field advantage should be.”

The Aztecs were called for a false start twice, which is the most for a Fresno State opponent playing at Bulldog Stadium this season.

Quick hitters

▪ Eleven of the Bulldogs seniors playing in their final game were signed in the past two seasons, which points to the roster repair done by coach Jeff Tedford and the coaching staff.

▪ San Jose State is 5-2 in its past seven games to end a regular season — and three of those wins have come against Fresno State: 27-24 at Fresno State in 2011; 62-52 in San Jose in 2013; and 16-13 in Fresno in 2016.

▪ The Spartans are 0-12 on the road since that 2016 win at Bulldog Stadium and have been outscored 41.5 to 15.3 in those games.

▪ The Bulldogs have scored 93 points off their 22 turnovers gained, just seven away from hitting 100 for the first time since 2012 when they scored 172 points off 35 turnovers.

The past five years: 61 points in 2017, 38 in 2016, 58 in 2015, 89 in 2014, 96 in 2013.

▪ Fresno State has outscored its opponents 133-21 in the third quarter of its games, it most points scored and fewest points allowed in any quarter. Its defense could face a challenge from the Spartans — they have scored 93 points in the third quarter, more than double the first (43) and fourth (46) quarters.

▪ The Bulldogs’ victory over San Diego State, which put them in the Mountain West championship game, will allow Johnson to set a conference record for consecutive games with at least one reception.

He has a catch in 47 games in a row, the longest streak in the nation and tied with Casey Flair (UNLV, 2005-08) and Jovon Bouknight (Wyoming, 2002-05) for second in MW history. The record is 49 by Dominic Rufran (Wyoming, 2011-14), and Johnson has three games left.

▪ Fresno State has nine players with at least one interception this season led by cornerback Tank Kelly and safeties Juju Hughes and Mike Bell, who each have three. The Bulldogs have 16 total. That is the most players with an interception since Fresno State had nine in 2004 who totaled 16.

The Bulldogs also had three players with three interceptions that season: James Sanders, Richard Marshall and Marcus McCauley.

▪ Finally, this, from McMaryion, one of those seniors who arrived in the Tedford era: “I’m definitely thankful for the experience that I’ve had here. It’s above and beyond anything I would have imagined before I came here, from the community support to the teammates, to everything in between.”