Defense carries Fresno State to its second shutout of season in win at Wyoming
FINAL: Fresno State 17, Wyoming 0
Fresno State didn’t get much out of its Mountain West Conference-leading passing game or the Bulldogs offense as a whole.
But the Bulldogs got a stellar effort from its defense, which included five turnovers gained, and that was more than enough to get out of Wyoming with a 17-0 victory on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo.
It was the second shutout this season for Fresno State, which opened the season with a 45-0 victory over UConn.
It was also the first time the Bulldogs have had two shutouts in a season since 2017 when they blanked Incarnate Word in a season opener and then New Mexico and Fresno State’s first shutout on the road since 1974, a 41-0 win at Cal State Northridge.
The Bulldogs’ forced turnovers resulted in short and really short fields and the offense.
A fumble forced by defensive end Arron Mosby and recovered by safety Elijah Gates in the first quarter led to a 2-yard touchdown pass from Jake Haener to tight end Juan Rodriguez.
Linebacker Malachi Langley intercepted a pass and returned it to the Wyoming 6-yard line in the third quarter and while it took three plays the Bulldogs scored on a 3-yard pass to Jalen Cropper for a 14-0 lead.
Safety Evan Williams had his second interception of the game in the fourth quarter, setting the offense up at the Wyoming 27. But it had to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Cesar Silva, going three-and-out.
Williams had the first Bulldogs’ turnover gained, picking off Wyoming quarterback Sean Chambers. The resulting possession ended with a punt.
Safety L.J. Early had the Bulldogs’ fourth interception at the Fresno State 7-yard line, putting an end to the Cowboys’ best scoring threat.
No TD, but FG extends lead
Fresno State could do nothing this time with a short field following the interception and had to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Cesar Silva. It’s now 17-0 with 10:25 to go.
Evan Williams has second pick, third for ‘Dogs
Safety Evan Williams has his second interception of the game, setting up the Bulldogs’ offense at the Wyoming 27.
The three interceptions are the most for the Bulldogs since they had three in a 56-27 victory at UNLV in 2019.
Bulldogs get the TD, up 14-0
Fresno State cashed in the turnover, scoring on a 3-yard pass from Jake Haener to Jalen Cropper with 1:52 to go in the third quarter. The Bulldogs lead 14-0.
This is the eighth game in a row Cropper has caught at least one TD dating to the final game of the 2020 season, the longest streak by a Fresno State receiver since Davante Adams had a touchdown catch in nine games in a row in 2013.
Malachi Langley pick sets up Bulldogs
The Bulldogs’ offense has continued to sputter in the third quarter, but linebacker Malachi Langley just picked off a pass and returned it to the Wyoming 6-yard line.
What are the odds Fresno State can score a TD from there?
Shutout stat
The Bulldogs’ defense has kept Wyoming off the scoreboard, the Cowboys missing a 53-yard field goal toward the end of the first half. They have made it as far as the Fresno State 25-yard line, a drive ended by the interception from safety Evan Williams.
Fresno State opened the season with a 45-0 victory over UConn. The last time they had two shutouts in a season was 2017, beating Incarnate Word 66-0 and New Mexico 38-0.
Total offense?
Fresno State has 111 total yards at halftime and is averaging just 3.4 yards per play. The Bulldogs came in averaging 519.8 yards per game and 6.9 yards per play, both tops in the Mountain West.
Where is the ball going?
Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener has attempted 16 passes and targeted leading receiver Jalen Cropper a team-high six times and running backs Ronnie Rivers and Jordan Mims three times.
Can ‘Dogs survive with this Run-Pass percentage?
Fresno State has a 7-0 lead at halftime. It has run the ball 17 times and passed the ball 16 times, and while there was an emphasis this week on getting the run game going there has to be a question whether they can win that way.
In the first six games, the Bulldogs threw the ball on 56.7% of their plays.
The run game has produced just 57 yards on 17 plays, 3.4 per play. On first downs, it is much worse. Fresno State has tried to run it eight times on first down and has gained a total of nine yards, leaving it well behind the sticks.
Of those 17 rushing plays, 10 have gone for 2 yards or less and Wyoming has 3.0 tackles for loss.
Bulldogs coming up empty
Fresno State had a drive working, but it ended with a 40-yard field goal attempt by Cesar Silva. He missed.
Quarterback Jake Haener is 9 of 16 for 54 yards, but the Fresno State wideouts have dropped six passes including three by leading receiver Jalen Cropper and two by running back Jordan Mims.
Bulldogs’ Evan Williams with a pick
Wyoming was on a drive, but safety Evan Williams put it down quickly with an interception on a first-down pass. That’s not in the wheelhouse. The Cowboys coming in had attempted only 50 pass plays on first down, the 10th fewest in the Mountain West Conference.
Quarterback Sean Chambers, the Kerman High grad, had just converted a 3rd-and-8 pass for a first down, though. He had hit just 7 of 23 passes in 3rd-and-7 or longer this season, 30.4%.
The interceptions was the first of the season for Williams and the second of his career. Levelle Bailey had the Bulldogs’ first pick this season in a victory over FCS Cal Poly.
Flipping the field
Fresno State punter Carson King has had an inconsistent season and went into the game ranked only ninth in the Mountain West Conference, averaging 41.7 yards on 23 punts.
But King just did the Bulldogs’ defense a huge favor, unleashing a 71-yard punt that was downed at the Wyoming 4-yard line. The Cowboys take over there with 14:12 to go before halftime, and a long way to go to score.
Quarter over with 96 total yards
Fresno State and Wyoming have hit the end of the first quarter and there was a total of 96 yards of offense in the first 15 minutes with the Bulldogs gaining 50 yards and the Cowboys 46.
Bulldogs’ quarterback Jake Haener hit 4 of his first 5 passes, but for only 18 yards and the TD to Juan Rodriguez.
Atkins off to fast start
Fresno State forced a Wyoming punt with tackle Kevin Atkins and linebacker Levelle Bailey teaming up on a third-down sack of Cowboys’ quarterback Sean Chambers.
Wyoming has run two series and Atkins already has been in on four tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss.
Here are the most TFLs by a Fresno State interior defensive lineman since 2005:
17.0, Logan Harrell in 13 games in 2011
14.0, Logan Harrell in 13 games in 2010
12.0, Tyeler Davison in 14 games in 2014
11.0, Jon Monga in 13 games in 2007
9.5, Malik Forrester in 14 games in 2017
7.5, Tyeler Davison in 13 games in 2013
7.0, Kevin Atkins in 12 games 2019
Bulldogs still running on empty
It’s only two series, but the Fresno State run game has yet to do much with its lineup changes up front. The Bulldogs have rushed it 8 times for 20 yards and two of those eight plays were 7-yard gains.
The other plays? Ronnie Rivers has run 1, 2, 7, 2 and 2 yards. Jalen Cropper has runs is minus-1 and 7 yards. Jordan Mims has one run for no gian.
Fresno State on top, 7-0
The Bulldogs took advantage of a targeting penalty against Wyoming on a third-and-goal and turned it into a touchdown. Jake Haener hit tight end Juan Rodriguez for a 2-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 6:57 to go in the first quarter. It was the 19th TD pass of the season for the Bulldogs’ quarterback and first for Rodriguez.
Haener started the day tied for fifth in the nation with 18 touchdown passes. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud also had 18, behind SMU’s Tanner Mordecai with 26, Westhern Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe with 21, Alabama’s Bryce Young with 20 and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Picket with 19.
Mixing up that run game
The Bulldogs have the football back after Elijah Gates recovered a fumble forced by Arron Mosby at the Wyoming 41-yard line. Fresno State ran into a 3rd-and-1, and had wideout Jalen Cropper line up to take a direct snap from center, one of a number of tweaks they have to put some life into the run game.
Cropper picked up the first down on a 7-yard run.
Bulldogs underway, but another slow start
Fresno State went three-and-out gaining no yards with its opening possession of the game, making it seven in a row it has produced no points on its fist drive.
That looks like this:
UConn: 3 plays for 8 yards, punt
Oregon: 6 plays for 3 yards, punt
Cal Poly: 3 plays for 3 yards, punt
UCLA: 6 plays for 21 yards, punt
UNLV: 6 plays for 13 yards, punt
Hawaii: 4 plays for 32 yards, fumble
Wyoming: 3 plays for 0 yards, punt
The Bulldogs made the anticipated lineup changes at the guard spots with freshman Braylen Nelson at left guard and Mose Vavao moving over to right guard.
Bula Schmidt started at center with Dontae Bull and Alex Akingbulu at left and right tackle.
The game
The Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo., fresh off a badly-needed bye week.
The Bulldogs had a chance to get healthy or at least healthier, most notably quarterback Jake Haener, who had been less than 100% physically since taking a big hit in the victory at UCLA in the fourth game of the season.
The Fresno State quarterback also spent the bye week with a protective boot on his right foot, after taking a low and late hit in a loss at Hawaii. But he was a full-go in practice during this week, and the Bulldogs can see about getting their offense back in a similar mode after turning the ball over six times and producing a season low-tying 24 points in that loss to the Rainbow Warriors.
Here is how to catch the game on TV and radio:
When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Where: War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, Wyo.
TV: FS2 (Dan Hellie, Petros Papadakis)
Find it fast: AT&T (Channels 651, 1651), Comcast (410, 779, 1209), DirecTV (618), Dish Network (149)
Radio: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill, Cameron Worrell)
Find it fast: Fresno (AM1340), Bakersfield (AM970), Visalia (AM1130), Modesto (FM92.9), Stockton (AM1280), Bulldogs app, iHeartMedia app
Pregame chatter
A big question for Fresno State revolves around its run game, and whether expected lineup changes on the offensive line can create more running lanes for Ronnie Rivers and Jordan Mims.
The Bulldogs as a team rank only eighth in the Mountain West Conference in rushing yards per play at 3.8, but there is one stat that really illustrates just how inconsistent that run game has been through a 4-2 start to the season.
Fresno State has rushed the ball 197 times for 743 yards, but within those two numbers they have 23 rushing plays that gained 440 yards and 174 plays that gained just 303 yards.
That’s 23 plays for 19.1 yards per play. And, 174 plays that gained 1.7 yards per play.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and line coach Roman Sapolu challenged the offensive line group over the bye week and again this week as the Bulldogs were in game prep.
The feeling is an attitude adjustment is required, a more nasty mindset. It’s there, Grubb said, but they have to find ways to get to it consistently through a game.
“You always have to pull it out of them, in some regard,” Grubb said. “Some of it is the schematic piece, too, right? When the guys feel like you’re going to throw the ball 50 times a game I think they almost take for granted the run opportunities. I want them to look at that as just that – run opportunities.
“When you’re running the football it’s your chance to really bring the energy to the defense where in pass protection you’re really receiving the energy more than you’re giving it. I wanted to really change the mindset for the guys – if it’s five chances or 55, make it like it’s a buzz saw. I really think that can change the energy of the football team is they come out and run block like I know they can.
“It’d really change how it would feel, to get some energy and some excitement around that. I said it in the press conference on Monday, too, I think running the football can be emotional and when you have that particular demeanor up front it really changes the mindset and the outlook of the defense and your guys.”
Jake Haener on Bulldogs’ 300-yard list
Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener has passed for 300 or more yards in four games in a row and in five of six this season. In the one game he missed, he had 298 passing yards at Oregon.
Wyoming has not allowed an opponent to pass to 300 yards in five games this season, and allowed 300 or more just nine times in its past 36 games dating to the 2018 season.
The Cowboys are No. 1 in the conference in passing defense, but has yet to face a team that throws the ball often or very well, having matched up against FCS Montana State, Northern Illinois, Ball State, UConn and Air Force.
The Falcons threw the football just 10 times last week, hitting on seven for 110 yards and one touchdown.
Haener, who has played in just 12 games at Fresno State, is tied for fourth place with Kevin Sweeney on the Bulldogs’ all-time list for career 300-yard passing games.
The Top 5: Derek Carr with 20, David Carr with 13, Paul Pinegar with 10 and Sweeney and Haener with nine.
Don’t let it be close late
Wyoming has four wins and three of them have come when behind or with the score tied in the fourth quarter.
In their opener against FCS Montana State the Cowboys trailed 16-12 with a little more than two minutes to play, but scored on a 21-yard pass play from Kerman High graduate Sean Chambers to Trey Welch with 47 seconds remaining to win.
At Northern Illinois they were down 43-42 inside of five minutes to go, but Chambers scored on a 9-yard run with 1:35 to play and they ended up with a 50-43 win.
And, the Cowboys were losing 13-10 at UConn going into the fourth quarter, but went up 24-16 with 3:34 remaining and held off the Huskies’ 2-point conversion attempt following a touchdown with 4 seconds to go to win.
For Jalen Cropper, eight would be great
Fresno State wideout Jalen Cropper has caught at least one touchdown pass in seven games in a row, dating back to the final game of the 2020 season against New Mexico.
That is the longest streak for a Fresno State receiver since Davante Adams had at least one touchdown catch in nine games in a row to end the 2013 season.
Stat corner
Fresno State has won just two of its past seven Mountain West Conference regular-season games against Mountain Division opponents. The Bulldogs were 2-1 last year, beating Colorado State and Utah State but losing to New Mexico.
This story was originally published October 16, 2021 at 10:48 AM.