Tweet
REGARDING FRESNO STATE
Fresno State played one of its best games of the season three
weeks ago in Los Angeles. The Bulldogs played Southern Cal
right to the final gun before succumbing 50-42. Surely, a
team with that degree of skill and toughness would be a worthy
opponent for anyone. However, in their very next game,
with a chance to take the WAC conference title for themselves,
the Bulldogs allowed Nevada to run at will and, despite being
favored by 17 points, Fresno lost 38-35. That can be explained.
Nevada hadn't lost a conference game at home all season and
had ten wins in their last 12 games in Reno. Like I said, a
road loss to Nevada one week after coming off a sell out effort
against the nation's top team is explainable. The home loss
to Louisiana Tech the following week (last week) is not. Again,
with a share of the WAC regular season title and enormous
personal esteem on the line, Fresno State gave it up and gave
it up big. In its last nine road games against winning teams,
Louisiana Tech had no wins and no covers. The Louisiana
Bulldogs averaged 12 points per game over that stretch without
ever going over 27 and only once over 18 points scored.
They also allowed 45 points per game giving up 48 or more
five times without ever yielding less than 34. With those numbers
in hand and off a demoralizing home loss to Boise State,
Louisiana Tech rolled into Fresno and left with a 40-28 win.
IT LOOKED LIKE FRESNO STATE WAS IN THE TANK.
I know that's a strong statement but consider this: Fresno
was fourth in the nation in third down conversions. The Bulldogs
were a season-worst 3 of 12 against Tech. Fresno was
averaging 179 yards rushing per game. It gained 86 ground
yards, its fewest in 18 games. After losing ten turnovers in its
first nine games, Fresno State coughed up the pig five times
in the FIRST HALF in that loss. Add four personal foul penalties
and a complete defensive collapse and you have a reason
for your "college football isn't all that white and shiny" theory.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A CRIME WITHOUT A MOTIVE
Here's the motive: Fresno State had accepted a bid to the
Liberty Bowl immediately after the Southern Cal game. If the
Bulldogs won out, chances are the league would have gotten
only one other bowl bid (Boise State). In a conference struggling
for recognition, that is unacceptable. However, if Fresno
lost to Nevada, that would create a three-way tie for the regular
season title and Nevada would have gotten the league's
automatic bid. Boise State would have still gotten its bid to
play in its home bowl game and, of course, Fresno was in the
Liberty. That's another $750K in the league's coffers and another
team to shine the WAC light in the post season. With
that done, the conference got greedy. If they could convince
Fresno to tank the Louisiana Tech game, then Tech would
also be bowl eligible with a win over a supposedly marquis
team. Tech didn't get a bid but there was a chance to add
another $750K to the bank account. That's a motive.
YOU AIN'T HEARD THE LAST OF THIS
There was a lot of concern in Las Vegas when that game was
viewed by the people who look out for these things and when
those guys are taking second looks, there is usually a rat in
the woodpile. Fresno State deserves reproach. That was a
despicable, cowardly and shameful effort. No team should be
above suspicion when it plays a game that badly.
Fresno State played one of its best games of the season three
weeks ago in Los Angeles. The Bulldogs played Southern Cal
right to the final gun before succumbing 50-42. Surely, a
team with that degree of skill and toughness would be a worthy
opponent for anyone. However, in their very next game,
with a chance to take the WAC conference title for themselves,
the Bulldogs allowed Nevada to run at will and, despite being
favored by 17 points, Fresno lost 38-35. That can be explained.
Nevada hadn't lost a conference game at home all season and
had ten wins in their last 12 games in Reno. Like I said, a
road loss to Nevada one week after coming off a sell out effort
against the nation's top team is explainable. The home loss
to Louisiana Tech the following week (last week) is not. Again,
with a share of the WAC regular season title and enormous
personal esteem on the line, Fresno State gave it up and gave
it up big. In its last nine road games against winning teams,
Louisiana Tech had no wins and no covers. The Louisiana
Bulldogs averaged 12 points per game over that stretch without
ever going over 27 and only once over 18 points scored.
They also allowed 45 points per game giving up 48 or more
five times without ever yielding less than 34. With those numbers
in hand and off a demoralizing home loss to Boise State,
Louisiana Tech rolled into Fresno and left with a 40-28 win.
IT LOOKED LIKE FRESNO STATE WAS IN THE TANK.
I know that's a strong statement but consider this: Fresno
was fourth in the nation in third down conversions. The Bulldogs
were a season-worst 3 of 12 against Tech. Fresno was
averaging 179 yards rushing per game. It gained 86 ground
yards, its fewest in 18 games. After losing ten turnovers in its
first nine games, Fresno State coughed up the pig five times
in the FIRST HALF in that loss. Add four personal foul penalties
and a complete defensive collapse and you have a reason
for your "college football isn't all that white and shiny" theory.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A CRIME WITHOUT A MOTIVE
Here's the motive: Fresno State had accepted a bid to the
Liberty Bowl immediately after the Southern Cal game. If the
Bulldogs won out, chances are the league would have gotten
only one other bowl bid (Boise State). In a conference struggling
for recognition, that is unacceptable. However, if Fresno
lost to Nevada, that would create a three-way tie for the regular
season title and Nevada would have gotten the league's
automatic bid. Boise State would have still gotten its bid to
play in its home bowl game and, of course, Fresno was in the
Liberty. That's another $750K in the league's coffers and another
team to shine the WAC light in the post season. With
that done, the conference got greedy. If they could convince
Fresno to tank the Louisiana Tech game, then Tech would
also be bowl eligible with a win over a supposedly marquis
team. Tech didn't get a bid but there was a chance to add
another $750K to the bank account. That's a motive.
YOU AIN'T HEARD THE LAST OF THIS
There was a lot of concern in Las Vegas when that game was
viewed by the people who look out for these things and when
those guys are taking second looks, there is usually a rat in
the woodpile. Fresno State deserves reproach. That was a
despicable, cowardly and shameful effort. No team should be
above suspicion when it plays a game that badly.
Comment