Fresno State football breaks into AP Top 25 rankings in final poll of season

Fresno State was not ranked during the college football season, but after becoming the first team to start 1-4 and finish 10-4, winning the Mountain West Conference championship and dominating Washington State with a 29-6 victory in the LA Bowl, the Bulldogs finished No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll.

It is the first time they have been ranked in the final AP poll since they were No. 18 at the end of a 12-2 season in 2018, and only the fourth time in school history. Fresno State also finished No. 22 in 2004 and No. 24 in 1992.

Georgia, which crushed Texas Christian in the College Football Playoff national championship game 65-7 to finish 15-0, is No. 1 in the AP poll followed by the Horned Frogs, Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama. Tennessee, Penn State, Washington, Tulane and Utah round out the top 10.

The top nine teams in the coaches poll was the same as the AP Poll, with Florida State at No. 10. The Seminoles are No. 11 in the AP poll and Utah is No. 11 in the Coaches poll.

Tulane, No. 19 and No. 20 Troy and the Bulldogs are the only teams from Group of Five conferences ranked.

Fresno State was among others receiving votes in the preseason AP Top 25, but dropped out entirely after losing to Oregon State 35-32 on a last-second touchdown in September. The following week, quarterback Jake Haener suffered an ankle injury in a loss at USC in the second of four losses in a row.

But coach Jeff Tedford and the Bulldogs ripped off nine consecutive victories, winning the Mountain West title with a 28-16 victory at Boise State and then beating the Cougars for their fourth bowl win in a row.

Fresno State appeared in the poll again among others receiving votes after beating Nevada to get to 7-4 and went from one point and No. 38 in the poll to four points and No. 36 and to 25 points and No. 30 after the conference championship games.

The Bulldogs are the only Mountain West team to be ranked in the Top 25 in the Associated Press poll this season, though Air Force, Boise State, San Diego State, San Jose State and Utah State all received votes at some point during the season.

This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 10:14 AM.