Fresno State erupts for nine touchdowns in blow out victory against Cal Poly
FINAL: Fresno State 63, Cal Poly 10
Fresno State made quick work of FCS Cal Poly, scoring nine touchdowns between the final 37 seconds of the first quarter and the first 59 seconds of the fourth quarter en route a 63-10 victory Saturday night at Bulldog Stadium.
Quarterback Jake Haener hit 17 of 22 passes for 380 yards with touchdowns to Jalen Cropper (24 yards), Josh Kelly (14 yards), Zane Pope (62 yards) and Keric Wheatfall (53 yards) and no interceptions. Cropper also threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Kelly.
A Red Wave return
Though Fresno State’s opponent was from the lower-level Football Championship Subdivision, the Red Wave showed up to support the Bulldogs in their second home game of the season.
Saturday’s Fresno State vs. Cal Poly game drew an announced crowd of 30,119, including a sold out student section.
By comparison, the Bulldogs’ season opener vs. UConn logged an announced crowd of 26,043.
And of course, no fans were allowed during Fresno State’s two home games during the abbreviated 2020 season (six games in all) played during the earlier stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
With fans back allowed this season, Fresno State implemented a stadium rule that required face masks to be worn by those unvaccinated — in accordance with California Department of Public Health guidelines for mega outdoor events.
But with the university using an honor system and not asking for proof of vaccination status upon entering the venue, many of those in attendance did not appear to have face masks on.
It’s getting ugly – 63-10
Fresno State is now up 63-10, with running back Jordan Wilmore scoring on a 10-yard run.
There still is 14:01 remaining in this game.
The Bulldogs have blasted FCS competition, winning 25 games in a row. The past five – 34-20 over Sacramento State in 2019, 79-13 over Idaho in 2018, 66-0 over Incarnate Word in 2017, 31-3 over Sacramento State in 2016 and 34-13 over Abilene Christian in 2015.
‘Dogs piling on
Fresno State is now up 56-10, scoring on a 53-yard pass from Jake Haener to Eric Wheatfall with still 5:57 to go in the third quarter.
Haener is now 17 of 22 for 380 yards and four TDs. He has hit seven explosive pass plays of 20 or more yards – 23 yards to tight end Juan Rodriguez, 30 yards to Zane Pope, 24 yards and a TD to Jalen Cropper, 62 yards to Josh Kelly, 21 yards to Cropper, 62 yards and a TD to Pope and 53 yards and a TD to Wheatfall.
Freshman quarterback Jaylen Henderson is making his college debut now, with 4:46 to go in the third quarter.
Haener goes past 300-yard mark on 3rd TD
Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener hit Zane Pope with a 62-yard touchdown pass to put the Bulldogs up 49-10 and go over the 300-yard mark for the second time in three games this season and fifth time in the past six games.
Haener is 15 of 19 (78.9%) for 322 yards with three TDs. He is averaging 16.9 yards per attempt and his passing efficiency rating in this game is 273.4, which would be a career high.
The Bulldogs’ quarterback passed for 298 yards last week in the 31-24 loss at No. 11 Oregon.
Rivers TD makes it 42-10
Fresno State safety Evan Williams recovered a fumble at the Cal Poly 33-yard line and the Bulldogs turned it into a TD with Ronnie Rivers scoring on a 6-yard run with 11:24 to go in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs lead 42-10.
The touchdown was the second for Rivers this season and the first on the ground. He set the Bulldogs’ all-time touchdowns record in a scoring pass in the opener against UConn.
Can Cropper hit the trifecta?
The Bulldogs’ Jalen Cropper has a touchdown reception and a touchdown pass in this game.
Can he add a rushing TD to it?
Fresno State has had five running backs or wideouts including Cropper throw a touchdown pass in a game since 2000, but none of them have hit all three. Josh Hokit came close in a 2017 rout of Incarnate Word, throwing a 65-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jared Rice and rushing for touchdowns from 1 and 4 yards out.
Running back Robbie Rouse threw a touchdown pass in a victory over Air Force in 2013, but he did not rush for a touchdown or catch a TD pass in that game. Wideouts Isaiah Burse in 2010 and Chastin West in 2009 also threw TD passes, but did not rush for a TD or catch a TD pass.
Cropper had the first TD pass of his career in a victory over Hawaii in 2019, a 36-yard TD pass to Zane Pope. He did not have a TD reception in that game, but did run for a 53-yard score.
‘Dogs with quick answer, up 21-3
Halftime stats
Fresno State has rolled up 336 yards at halftime, with quarterback Jake Haener 10 of 13 for 207 yards and two TDs.
Cal Poly has 173 yards of offense, 151 of it passing.
The Bulldogs’ defense has 6.0 tackles for loss including 3.0 sacks. Safety Williams, linebacker Tyson Maeva, cornerback Bralyn Lux and defensive tackle Kevin Atkins all have been in on four tackles.
Cal Poly takes advantage of late turnover
Cal Poly closed to 35-10 at halftime, taking advantage of a late turnover in a muffed punt by Ronnie Rivers. The Mustangs gained possession at the Bulldogs’ 5-yard line and scored on a 5-yard pass to former Fresno State wideout Chris Coleman with no time remaining on the game clock.
Bulldogs make it 35-3
Fresno State is now up 35-3, scoring on a 14-yard pass play from Jake Haener to Josh Kelly with 2:25 to go in the first half.
Haener is now 10 of 13 for 207 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 15.9 yards per attempt.
Blowout underway
Fresno State is now up 28-3, scoring with a little razzle dazzle with Jalen Cropper throwing a 51-yard touchdown pass to Josh Kelly with 7:44 to go in the half.
The touchdown pass was the second for Cropper – he had a 36-yard TD pass to Zane Pope in a 41-38 victory at Hawaii in 2019. He did not have a TD reception in that game, but did run for a 53-yard score.
‘Dogs with quick answer, up 21-3
Fresno State is now up 21-3 with quarterback Jake Haener scoring on a 1-yard run, his second rushing TD in the game.
The Bulldogs went 69 yards in just four plays, the big shot a 62-yard pass play from Haener to Josh Kelly.
Cal Poly on board, settling for FG
Cal Poly hit a big pass play on third down, a 35-yard gain to Giancarlo Woods to the Fresno State 24, but its drive stalled there and the Mustangs settled for a 47-yard field goal to pull within 14-3 with 11:13 to go in the half.
Fresno State tackle Leonard Payne pretty much scuttled the Mustangs drive, hitting running back Lepi Lataimua for a 2-yard loss on first down from the 24, then sacking quarterback Spencer Brasch on the next play.
The Bulldogs have 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
Bulldogs turn TO into TD
Fresno State took back the football on an interception by linebacker Levelle Bailey and in one play pushed their lead to 14-0 on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jake Haener to Jalen Cropper.
Haener is 6 of 9 early in the second quarter for 95 yards and the TD.
The interception by Bailey was the second of his career – he also had one in 2019 in a 56-27 victory over UNLV.
Fresno State takes 7-0 lead
The Bulldogs score first on a 2-yard run by quarterback Jake Haener with 0:37 remaining in the first quarter.
The drive was 8 plays and 80 yards and included a 9-yard run by Jalen Cropper on a sweep and a 13-yard run by Ronnie Rivers. But with a 1st-and-goal from the 5-yard line the Bulldogs needed four plays to get into the end zone.
Rivers gained four yards, then was hit for a loss of 1 and no gain before Haener scored on an option run.
Cal; Poly has three tackles for loss in the first quarter.
Bulldogs’ run game
Fresno State came in averaging just 3.4 yards per rush this season and it’s not a wild expectation that could and should change against a FCS opponent in Cal Poly.
But Ronnie Rivers through two series has rushed the ball four times for 10 yards. He has a 12-yard run, but also on that went for no gain and two that went for minus-1 yard.
Bulldogs start with a punt
Fresno State took the opening kickoff and went three-and-out. It didn’t help that Ronnie Rivers was hit for a 1-yard loss on the first play from scrimmage, the Bulldogs’ run game off to another slow start.
With Matt Smith out, Fresno State has Bula Schmidt starting at center and Dante Adkins Jr. at right guard. From left tackle across it’s Dontae Bull, Mose Vavao, Schmidt, Adkins and Alex Akingbulu.
Pregame
The Fresno State Bulldogs take on the FCS Cal Poly Mustangs Saturday at 7 p.m., but without yet taking the field it has been an interesting day for the home team.
The Bulldogs played Oregon deep into the fourth quarter last week before losing 31-24, and the Ducks just went on the road and beat No. 3 Ohio State 35-28.
Fresno State held the Ducks to 3.8 yards per rush (186 yards on 49) plays, but Oregon ripped through the Buckeyes’ defense on the ground, rushing for 269 yards at 7.1 yards per play.
That could be another sign that this Fresno State defense is vastly underrated – the Bulldogs have allowed UConn and Oregon an average of just 2.8 yards per rushing play, and are ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in passing defense, allowing opponents to hit just 53.7% of their passes and average 122.0 yards per game.
Here’s the TV and radio info for the game …
TV: CW59 (Ralph Wood, Cameron Worrell, Kevin Miller)
Find it fast: AT&T (Channels 59, 1059), Comcast (705, 1059), DirecTV (59), Dish Network (59)
Radio: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill, Marcus McMaryion)
Find it fast: Fresno (AM1340), Bakersfield (AM970), Visalia (AM1130), Modesto (FM92.9), Stockton (AM1280), Bulldogs App, iHeartMedia app
Here are some pregame notes …
More o-line shuffling for Bulldogs?
It wouldn’t be a football season without injuries and some lineup shuffling on the Bulldogs’ offensive line and they could have to do more of it on Saturday night against Cal Poly.
Center Matt Smith, who started the first two games, did not practice late in the week after tweaking a knee and is not dressed for the game. The likely adjustment is moving junior Bula Schmidt to center from right guard and inserting junior Dante Adkins in at right guard.
Fresno State last season had the same starting starting lineup up front in its first four games, but after two cancellations due to COVID it had to play different lineups in its final two games.
In 2019 the Bulldogs played 10 different combinations in 12 games with four different players starting at least one game at left guard and three start at least one game at left tackle, center and right guard.
The Bulldogs and the pass rush
Cal Poly in its three games last spring allowed a total of 22.0 sacks, which is only part of the problem.
The Mustangs allowed 9.0 sacks in a loss to UC Davis, and the Aggies averaged only 1.5 in their other four games.
They allowed 7.0 sacks in a loss to Southern Utah, and the Thunderbirds averaged 2.4 in their other five games.
And, they allowed 6.0 in a loss to Eastern Washington, and the Eagles averaged 1.2 in their other six games.
This story was originally published September 11, 2021 at 6:29 PM.