2008 Fresno State Bulldogs Football Preview
2008 Fresno State Bulldogs season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Fresno State Bulldogs football preview as well as the 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs Football Schedule. Before leaving be sure and bookmaker our live college football odds page which offers up to the minute point spreads for this weeks games.
Coach: Pat Hill (12th year at Fresno State)
Team Name: Bulldogs
2007 Overall Record: 9-4
Returning Starters: 17
The 2007 Fresno State Bulldogs (9-6 overall, 6-3 WAC) finished third in their conference, earning an invite to the Humanitarian Bowl. The team met the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, beating them 40-28.
With nine starters returning on offense, Fresno State looks potent. Senor QB Tom Brandstater (337 ATT, 211 COMP, 2,654 YDS, 15 TDs, 5 INT) is accurate and dependable. His favorite target from last season, WR Marlon Moore (48 REC, 694 YDS, 5 TDs), now a junior, returns to lead a sound core of pass catchers. All-WAC player, TE Bear Pascoe is also a fine target. As a freshman, Ryan Mathews (145 CAR, 866 YDS, 14 TDs) proved to be a playmaker. The offensive line looks solid.
Last season, the Bulldog defense struggled, allowing 27.0 PPG (60th) and 407.5 total yards (73rd). The middle looks good, with sophomore MLB Ben Jacobs (81 tackles, 33 solo) anchoring the unit. The frontline is, for the most part, unproven. Senior DT Jon Monga (6.5 sacks) is the best of that group. The secondary should offer solid play.
State plays Rutgers on September 1 and Wisconsin on September 13. Those first two games of the season will be tough to win. On September 27, the Bulldogs venture to UCLA for a tossup game, and their final regular-season game versus Boise State, on November 28, is another swing contest.
This Fresno State team, which has been bowl bound for four of the past five seasons, is poised to take the conference title. Head coach Pat Hill (85-55 in 11 years) has managed to build a consistent winner. But State does have a reputation for not totally meeting expections. Plus, they also have a tough non-conference schedule. Still, this season could be one of their best if they can play up to their potential.
If you enjoyed this piece, underneath this article are more team previews of schools that dont reside in the major conferences.
