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By J. Darin Darst
CBSSports.com Staff Writer
The numbers at Fresno State are mind boggling.
Eight bowl games in the past nine years.
Second-most wins over BCS conferences this decade than any other non-BCS school with 12.
Conference titles this decade ... Zero.
Pat Hill has an "any team, anytime, anywhere" attitude, but recently it hasn't transformed into a WAC championship.
"That's our niche. Our niche in life is being the team that takes on all comers," said Hill, who is in his 12th season at the school. "A schedule like that makes us peak early, and it's affected us in WAC play, but this conference is awful good and the last two years proved that in Boise State and Hawaii making it undefeated and going to a BCS bowl."
In 2005 the Bulldogs had high expectations entering the season, only to lose to Oregon by three and Southern California 50-42. Things fell apart after the loss to the Trojans, with defeats to Nevada, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa in the bowl game.
The Bulldogs' niche will continue in 2008 as Fresno plays at Rutgers (Sept. 1), host Wisconsin (Sept. 13) and travel to UCLA (Sept. 27) before jumping into WAC play. The Rutgers game was supposed to be a matchup with Kansas State, but the Wildcats bought out of the game.
Most would say Hill is nuts to schedule teams like that every year, but there is a master plan to the madness.
All-WAC
"We recruit mainly in the state of California. We compete with the Pac-10, WAC and Mountain West schools," added Hill. "Everybody comes into California to recruit and we needed a point of difference. One of ours is not only do you play in the WAC, you are going to play in a non-league schedule that's going to give you a chance for national exposure, a chance to play the best teams in the country and a chance to play on national TV."
And that's just what Hill has done, making Fresno a big-time program not only in the WAC, but in the nation.
"This is the reason why I wanted to go to Fresno State," said sophomore fullback Vince Pascoe. "You get the chance to play the big teams, the big schedule, and who knows what's going to happen. I think it will be pretty exciting."
Things should be dazzling with 10 starters back on offense on a team that averaged 419.5 yards and 32.8 points per game, making Fresno State the favorite to win the conference title and head back to another bowl game.
And while most of the conference is struggling with quarterback issues, Fresno welcomes back Tom Brandstater, who threw for 2,654 yards and 15 touchdowns with only five interceptions. Bear Pascoe, who is the best tight end in the league, returns after finishing second on the team in receptions (45) and yards (553). Both wide receivers are back, as well as running back Ryan Matthews and four starters on the offensive line.
"Our expectations are always high," added Hill. "The demands within our building and the demands the players put on each other are very high. The expectation to win is very, very important."
Fresno wouldn't have it any other way.
CBSSports.com Staff Writer
The numbers at Fresno State are mind boggling.
Eight bowl games in the past nine years.
Second-most wins over BCS conferences this decade than any other non-BCS school with 12.
Conference titles this decade ... Zero.
Pat Hill has an "any team, anytime, anywhere" attitude, but recently it hasn't transformed into a WAC championship.
"That's our niche. Our niche in life is being the team that takes on all comers," said Hill, who is in his 12th season at the school. "A schedule like that makes us peak early, and it's affected us in WAC play, but this conference is awful good and the last two years proved that in Boise State and Hawaii making it undefeated and going to a BCS bowl."
In 2005 the Bulldogs had high expectations entering the season, only to lose to Oregon by three and Southern California 50-42. Things fell apart after the loss to the Trojans, with defeats to Nevada, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa in the bowl game.
The Bulldogs' niche will continue in 2008 as Fresno plays at Rutgers (Sept. 1), host Wisconsin (Sept. 13) and travel to UCLA (Sept. 27) before jumping into WAC play. The Rutgers game was supposed to be a matchup with Kansas State, but the Wildcats bought out of the game.
Most would say Hill is nuts to schedule teams like that every year, but there is a master plan to the madness.
All-WAC
"We recruit mainly in the state of California. We compete with the Pac-10, WAC and Mountain West schools," added Hill. "Everybody comes into California to recruit and we needed a point of difference. One of ours is not only do you play in the WAC, you are going to play in a non-league schedule that's going to give you a chance for national exposure, a chance to play the best teams in the country and a chance to play on national TV."
And that's just what Hill has done, making Fresno a big-time program not only in the WAC, but in the nation.
"This is the reason why I wanted to go to Fresno State," said sophomore fullback Vince Pascoe. "You get the chance to play the big teams, the big schedule, and who knows what's going to happen. I think it will be pretty exciting."
Things should be dazzling with 10 starters back on offense on a team that averaged 419.5 yards and 32.8 points per game, making Fresno State the favorite to win the conference title and head back to another bowl game.
And while most of the conference is struggling with quarterback issues, Fresno welcomes back Tom Brandstater, who threw for 2,654 yards and 15 touchdowns with only five interceptions. Bear Pascoe, who is the best tight end in the league, returns after finishing second on the team in receptions (45) and yards (553). Both wide receivers are back, as well as running back Ryan Matthews and four starters on the offensive line.
"Our expectations are always high," added Hill. "The demands within our building and the demands the players put on each other are very high. The expectation to win is very, very important."
Fresno wouldn't have it any other way.
Kaz. Nobody remembers who won the liberty, pacific, or toilet bowl unless their team was in it.
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