Will Ronnie Rivers be back for Fresno State’s regular-season finale against New Mexico?
Fresno State senior running back Ronnie Rivers’ status will be evaluated day-to-day as the Bulldogs prepare for their final regular-season game in this COVID-19 truncated college football season, coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday.
The senior running back, who is one away from setting the school career touchdowns record, suffered a lower leg injury Saturday night at the end of a 66-yard scoring run in the third quarter in a 37-26 loss at Nevada that was negated by an illegal block penalty.
“He’s going to be day-to-day throughout the course of the week,” DeBoer said in a weekly Zoom news conference. “It’s not something where I feel he would be out for the rest of the season, especially if it was a long season ahead or anything like that.
“I know he’s going to do everything he can with his rehab day-to-day to make sure he’s doing the best he can to get on the football field Saturday. It’s just unfortunate the effort he made on that play was for naught because it was a huge turning point.”
Rivers is a huge part of the Bulldogs’ offense, leading the team with 99 rushing plays, 27 pass receptions, 154.6 yards from scrimmage per game and nine touchdowns.
Jordan Mims is second on the team with just 25 rushing plays and wideout Jalen Cropper is second with 25 receptions, 82.6 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
Rivers also is leading the Mountain West Conference in yards from scrimmage per game and tied for the lead in touchdowns scored, despite playing only five games due to the Bulldogs’ two cancellations related to a positive coronavirus test within the program and contact tracing.
Nevada wideout Romeo Doubs, who is tied for the conference lead in touchdowns scored, has played in seven games.
If Rivers is unable to go against New Mexico, redshirt junior Mims would start.
Mims, who is coming back from a lower leg injury that kept him out for the final two games in 2018 and all of 2019, came off the bench at Nevada. He rushed for 26 yards on nine plays and caught four passes for another 26 yards.
Rivers, who has scored 44 career touchdowns and is tied with running back Anthony Daigle at the top the Bulldogs’ all-time list, also has a chance to move up in the Top 10 in a number of other statistical categories. Here is a look at where he stands …
Career touchdowns
1. Anthony Daigle (1991-93) 44
Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 44
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
Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 35
5. Bryson Sumlin (2002-05) 29
Michael Pittman (1993-97) 29
Dean Philpott (1954-57) 29
Career rushing yards
4. Marteze Waller (2012-15) 3,108
5. Michael Pittman (1993-97) 3,017
6. Dwayne Wright (2003-04, ‘06) 2,683
7. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 2,630
8. Dean Philpott (1954-57) 2,533
Career all-purpose yards
6. Henry Ellard (1979-82) 4,152
7. Ronnie Rivers (2017-present) 4,026
8. Charlie Jones (1992-95) 3,947
9. Brian Roberson (1993-96) 3,938
10. Jamie Kimbrough (1995-98) 3,931
Next for Fresno State
Saturday vs. New Mexico at Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports 1
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 1:44 PM.