Falling for trickery: Bulldogs lose in OT during final game under Skipper at Idaho Potato Bowl

Throughout all of the adversity — the in-game mistakes, the head-scratching losses, the public rejection — Tim Skipper for the most part maintained a smile.

The interim Fresno State football coach, as he had done the entire season, kept encouraging his players to fight through their mistakes.

He showed what it looked like to tough out tough times amid massive disappointment after getting passed over for his dream job as the Bulldogs’ head coach.

Skipper also set an example of loyalty and the importance of finishing out a season, rather than bolt early for another school as has become more and more commonplace in college football in recent years.

This was Skipper holding true to his values and showcasing what “Bulldog born, Bulldog bred,” the program’s longtime motto, means to him.

Yet despite all the positive vibes Skipper tried to generate and hoped to spread to others, similar mistakes committed throughout the year never were resolved.

And this season just could not turn his way.

As was the case Monday as Fresno State lost 28-20 in double overtime to Northern Illinois at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Bulldogs (6-7) suffered its first losing season since 2019 and snapped a five-game winning streak when it came to bowl games.

As had become the case for much of the second half of this season, the Bulldogs once again played poorly following halftime.

And Monday’s struggles occurred with Fresno State playing without 15 players who elected to enter the transfer portal and miss the bowl game, including Mikey Keene (who is committing to Michigan).

Yet despite the sluggish second half (no points in the third and fourth quarters combined) and playing without key players, Fresno State still had a chance to win.

Except, Fresno State kicker Dylan Lynch missed a 35-yard field goal as time expired in regulation. It was Lynch’s third miss of the day, having also failed from 42 and 49 yards.

Rather than enjoying a moment of “Winning one for Skipper,” there was Fresno State’s interim head coach on the sideline with a slight smirk on his face as ESPN cameras zoomed in.

The ESPN audience also might have gotten a laugh at Fresno State’s expense.

The Entertainment Sports Programming Network misspelled Fresno State’s team name during parts of the broadcast with multiple game graphics instead reading “Bulldongs.”

As regulation came to an end, Skipper tried to rally his players for overtime.

But like another regular-season problem, a costly penalty at a crucial time by Fresno State’s defense again plagued its efforts.

Bulldogs sophomore defensive back Jayden Davis was called for holding near the end zone on third-and-2 while trying to prevent a Northern Illinois trick play.

On the next play, the Huskies scored a touchdown to force a second overtime.

And Fresno State never could recover from NIU’s first play of the double overtime — a touchdown pass off another trick play after the Huskies faked a reverse run before freshman receiver George Dimopoulos aired out a 25-yard pass to redshirt sophomore receiver Dane Pardridge.

Afterward, Skipper continued to cheer for his Fresno State players and made sure they held their heads high while leaving the blue field at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho.

He did not get to relish in a post-game “french fries bath” like Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock enjoyed in what’s become a Potato Bowl tradition in place of the stereotypical Gatorade dump.

But perhaps that was fitting, considering Skipper made sure he would not depart from his alma mater on salty terms.

Skipper, who starred for the Bulldogs from 1997-2000 then served as a Fresno State assistant on two different stints (2006-2011, 2022-2024), also wished the program the best of luck in the future under new coach Matt Entz.

What’s to become of Fresno State football under Entz remains unknown — partly exciting but also nerve-racking for Fresno State fans.

But on this day, what certainly was known was Bulldog football won’t be quite the same without the passion and positivity of Coach Skip.

This story was originally published December 23, 2024 at 5:05 PM.