Three straight wins for Fresno State after a convincing victory at Utah State

FINAL: Fresno State 35, Utah State 16

Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers matched a school record for career touchdowns and the Bulldogs, after three games, finally got Jalen Cropper more involved in the offense in beating winless Utah State 35-16 on Saturday at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah.

Rivers scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter to give him the 44th touchdown of his career (35 rushing and nine receiving). He tied the record set by running back Anthony Daigle from 1991 to ’93, and also moved up a spot on the Bulldogs’ all-time rushing list.

With 132 yards against the Aggies (0-4), Rivers has 2,561 career rushing yards.

Fresno State career rushing yardage leaders

5. Michael Pittman (1993-97) 3,017

6. Dwayne Wright (2003-04, ’06) 2,683

7. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 2,561

8. Dean Philpott (1954-57) 2,533

9. Lorenzo Neal (1990-92) 2,405

Cropper, who had just eight receptions in the Bulldogs’ first three games, caught 10 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Bulldogs’ quarterback Jake Haener hit 76.3% of his passes (29 of 38) for 422 yards with four touchdowns and one interception, becoming the first Fresno State quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards since Derek Carr had 404 in a victory over Utah State in the 2013 Mountain West Conference championship game.

Fresno State (3-1) used only Haener at quarterback Saturday after playing backup Ben Wooldridge on a few occasions during the past two games.

The Bulldogs’ offense did slow considerably in the second half, which should be a concern given that Utah State was 11th in the Mountain West Conference in total defense.

Fresno State plays its next three games against San Jose State, San Diego State and at Nevada.

The Spartans were 3-0 going into a Saturday night game against UNLV, San Diego State is 3-1 after beating Hawaii and Nevada 3-0 with a game against New Mexico.

“I think we can be really good, man,” Haener said. “I think we have all the tools. It’s just a never-satisfied mentality. We go and score 28 points in the first half and we go and kind of lay an egg in the second half and score seven points.

“That’s just not acceptable and that’s not the standard that we want to have on offense. I think we can do better and I think there’s a lot of room for improvement, which is very encouraging.”

The Fresno State defense thwarted any threat, taking apart a Utah State offense that had struggled through its first three games, ranking 11th in the Mountain West Conference in rushing offense and passing offense and 12th and last in total offense and scoring offense.

Utah State scored on its first play from scrimmage, an 86-yard run by Jaylon Warren, and hit one big pass play, but for the most part could do little against the Bulldogs’ defense.

Fresno State, despite missing pass-rushing end Kwami Jones, racked up six sacks and now have 20 this season, one more than they had when playing 12 games a year ago.

“We just work together as a unit,” said defensive tackle Kevin Atkins, who had two sacks. “It’s not just one person rushing, it’s us as a whole unit. We work as one piece to a puzzle, one full piece to a three-piece puzzle as a defense.”

Utah State also had just 12 first downs, and scored three points over the final three quarters.

“As always, when we get a win and even when we don’t, I’m proud of this team,” coach Kalen DeBoer said. “I’m proud of how we go about our business during the week, proud of how we respond to the good and the bad, how we stick together.

“There were some ups and downs – I think we took their best shot obviously in the first quarter and the offense and the defense were picking each other up at different times throughout the course of the game, I’m, really proud of that. No pointing fingers, just responding. There are areas obviously we could be better, but I like what I see.”

Here are the earlier in-game updates:

Haener and Cropper hit 3rd TD

Fresno State has pretty much put the game away with Jake Haener hitting Jalen Cropper with a third touchdown pass, this one from 44 yards.

The Bulldogs lead 35-16 with 5:21 to go.

Haener is now 29 of 38 (76.3%) for 422 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Cropper has caught 10 passes for 202 yards with three TDs.

He is the first Fresno State receiver with 200 or more receiving yards since Davante Adams had 264 in a loss at San Jose State in 2013.

Another red zone turnover

Fresno State had a chance to extend its lead, but turned it over in the red zone for a second time in this game. Jake Haener hit Keric Wheatfall for four yards to the Utah State 14, but Wheatfall took a shot and had the football knocked free.

The ‘Dogs batting 400

The Bulldogs have had to punt the football on their first two series in the second half, but do now have 411 yards of offense, the fourth game in a row they have topped 400.

That has not happened since 2013 when Derek Carr was flinging the football to Davante Adams and that deep group of wideouts.

That team did it five games in a row …

647 – Nevada

600 – at Wyoming

822 – New Mexico

646 – at San Jose State

460 – vs. Utah State

Utah State offensive stats

The Aggies have four first downs at halftime, but have run 20 plays for 213 yards. Quarterback Jason Shelley is 3 of 6 for 52 yards, 44 of them coming on one play.

Haener, and three bills

Jake Haener has thrown for 318 yards in the first half, his second game with 300 or more passing yards this season.

Fresno State has not had a quarterback throw for 300 or more yards in back-to-back games since Derek Carr in 2013.

Since Carr departed for the NFL, there haven’t been that many of them.

2020

311 – Haener vs Colorado State

2019

326 – Jorge Reyna vs. Sacramento State

2018

368 – Marcus McMaryion vs. Toledo

317 – Marcus McMaryion vs. San Jose State

2017

332 – Marcus McMaryion vs. Boise State

342 – Marcus McMaryion vs. Houston

2016

303 – Chason Virgil vs. Air Force

2014

318 – Brian Burrell vs. New Mexico

310 – Brian Burrell vs. UNLV

313 – Brian Burrell vs. Nevada

332 Brian Burrell vs. Boise State

Rivers ties school TD record

Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers tied the school record for career touchdowns, scoring on a 4-yard run with 34 seconds to go in the second quarter.

It was the 44th career touchdown for Rivers, and it gave the Bulldogs a 28-16 lead. Rivers is now tied with Anthony Daigle, who had 44 touchdowns from 1991 to ’93.

Utah State hits long pass, settles for 3

Utah State has cut the Bulldogs lead to 21-16, kicking a 38-yard field goal. The Aggies hit a long pass play for 44 yards on the drive, only their third pass play of 20 or more yards this season.

Haener hits another long TD pass

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener hit Josh Kelly with a 71-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulldogs a 21-13 lead with 5:41 to go before halftime.

Haener is now 16 of 22 for 252 yards and three touchdowns, the TD passes a career high. He also is the first Fresno State quarterback with two touchdown passes of 50 or more yards in a game since Derek Carr hit Isaiah Burse with a 97-yard scoring pass and Davante Adams with a 60-yard TD pass in a rout of Colorado in 2012.

Haener has hit Jalen Cropper with TD passes of 9 and 59 yards and the 71-yard pass to Kelly.

Bulldogs back on top, 14-13

Fresno State is back in the lead, Jake Haener hitting Jalen Cropper with a 59-yard touchdown pass with 12:27 to go before halftime.

Cropper now has six receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. He went into the game with eight receptions for 77 yards and one TD.

Fresno State has not had a receiver with 150 or more yards in a game since KeeSean Johnson had 173 in a 2018 game against San Jose State.

Evan Williams forces fumble

The Bulldogs Turnover Money Cape caught the eye of safety Evan Williams, and he just forced a fumble at the end of a long run by Jaylen Warren.

The fumble was recovered by cornerback Brayln Lux.

Haener getting hit

Fresno State went three-and-out and punted the football back to the Aggies, and quarterback Jake Haener took two wicked hits getting sacked on back-to-back plays.

The Bulldogs’ offensive line has now allowed 13 sacks in two games and one quarter.

Aggies with another big play TD

Just seconds after Fresno State got a lead, the Aggies have it back.

Savon Scarver returned the Bulldogs’ kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and Utah State has a 13-7 lead, scoring on an 86-yard run and a 94-yard kickoff return.

Scarver could become a real problem for the Bulldogs, if they continue to kickoff. Fresno State does not have a kickoff touch back all season, presenting one of the best return men in the Mountain West Conference with opportunity for a big return.

Cropper TD gives Bulldogs 7-6 lead

Fresno State is making better use of Jalen Cropper in its first two drives. The sophomore has five receptions already for 65 yards and a touchdown, that coming on a 9-yard pass from Jake Haener with 4:46 to go in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs’ drive was 75 yards in 13 plays and they lead 7-6.

Cropper came in with 8 receptions for 77 yards and one touchdown in two games, and was averaging 5.5 touches per game.

Utah State breaks on top

On the Aggies’ first play from scrimmage, running back Jaylen Warren blasted through a hole and went 86 yards for a touchdown to give Utah State a 7-0 lead.

The point-after was blocked.

That was 86 yards, one play, 13 seconds. Just like that, the ’Dogs are down.

Haener throws red zone pick

Fresno State had its first drive ended by an interception by Utah State safety Shaq Bond inside the Aggies’ 10-yard line.

The Bulldogs had gone 63 yards in nine plays before the pick, including another 3rd-and-long completion by the Bulldogs’ quarterback.

Jake Haener hit Jalen Cropper for 36 yards and a first down and this season on 3rd-and-7 or longer pass plays he is 11 of 12 for 253 yards with seven first downs.

TV/radio

The Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Utah State Aggies at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, on Saturday with kickoff just after 11:30 a.m. Snow overnight has given way to a brisk, windy day.

The game is televised by FS2, and on radio AM940/ESPN.

It appears to be an easy matchup for the Bulldogs, who have a chance to secure their first three-game winning streak since ending 2018 on a four-game run including a Mountain West Conference championship victory at Boise State and a Las Vegas Bowl victory over Arizona State …

Are Bulldogs running into trouble?

For an offensive line that needs to gain a greater level of consistency, 0-3 Utah State would seem an easy mark. The Aggies are ranked 11th in the Mountain West Conference in rushing defense, allowing 233.0 yards per game at 6.0 yards per play.

But the Utah State rushing numbers are dragged down by one very bad game against San Diego State, a 39-7 loss in which it allowed 407 rushing yards on 53 plays, an average of 7.7 yards per play.

Greg Bell rushed for 157 yards on 22 plays, with one touchdown. Chance Bell gained 98 yards on just 10 plays, with one touchdown. Jordan Byrd carried the ball just once, but went 73 yards for a touchdown.

Utah State fared better against Boise State and Nevada, which have not run the football all that well to this point, but still are averaging marginally more per rushing play than Fresno State.

The Broncos are at 3.91 yards per play, the Wolf Pack 4.2. The Bulldogs are at 3.85, and needed a big game from Ronnie Rivers and some runs by quarterback Jake Haener at UNLV to get there.

After its first two games, a loss to Hawaii and a win over Colorado State, Fresno State was averaging just 2.5 rushing yards per play and 102.0 yards per game.

Rivers rolling on

Rivers enters the game with a chance to move up the Bulldogs’ career rushing lists. This is where he stands …

Career touchdowns

1. Anthony Daigle (1991-93) – 44

2. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) – 43

3. Robbie Rouse (2009-12) – 42

4. Ryan Mathews (2007-09) – 41

5. Davante Adams (2012-13) – 38

Career rushing touchdowns

1. Ryan Mathews (2007-09) – 39

2. Robbie Rouse (2009-12) – 37

3. Anthony Daigle (1991-93) – 35

4. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) – 34

5. Bryson Sumlin (2002-05) – 29

Michael Pittman (1993-97) – 29

Dean Philpott (1954-57) – 29

Career rushing yards

5. Michael Pittman (1993-97) – 3,017

6. Dwayne Wright (2003-04, ‘06) – 2,683

7. Dean Philpott (1954-57) – 2,533

8. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) – 2,429

9. Lorenzo Neal (1990-92) – 2,405

Career all-purpose yards

10. Dale Messer (1958-60) – 3,856

11. KeeSean Johnson (2015-18) – 3,781

12. Charles Smith (1998-01) – 3,738

13. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) – 3,735

14. Michael Pittman (1993-97) – 3,573

It’s not all inexperience

Utah State is 0-3 and struggling and a reason for that could be found in its roster – it has 45 freshmen or redshirt freshmen and 23 sophomores and 65.4% of its roster are underclassmen, which makes it the 13th-youngest team in the nation.

The Aggies have had 21 players make their Utah State debuts, and 11 players have made their first career starts.

But Fresno State blows up that inexperience argument.

Coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff have had 23 players make their Fresno State debuts including six true freshmen – defensive back Kosi Agina, wideout Jordan Brown, wideout Mac Dalena, linebacker Justin Houston, linebacker Tyler Mello and offensive lineman Mose Vavoa.

Fresno State also has had 11 players make first career starts this season.

This story was originally published November 14, 2020 at 10:34 AM.