![]() ![]() On the passing front, I’d expect the game plan to be more of pass when you need to to keep the defense honest instead of relying on the passing game. And after scoring 4 rushing TDs against UCLA, look for Marcus McMaryion to get more involved in RPO play and misdirection on the ground. If I’m Jordan Mims, Dejonte O’Neal, and Josh Hokit, I’m looking forward to this matchup in the ground game. So far, the Dogs have been averaging 4yds/carry through 3 games, and rushed 52 times against UCLA. Nevada more than doubled their season rushing total against Toledo last week, going from 190 to 452. Against just FBS opponents, Toledo has been giving up 6yds/carry on the ground, and 265/game. If there’s one area that the Rocket defense is weakest in, it’s the run game. The Bulldogs were able to out-physical the Bruins for 420yds and 38 points, and I’d look for them to do the same against Toledo this week. The biggest emphasis against UCLA was getting a good push from the offensive line, and boy did they deliver. Coach Tedford didn’t say whether or not he’ll play against Toledo, but I’d expect him back in some capacity for conference play. Elsewhere, sophomore running back Ronnie Rivers appears to be on his way back, practicing in pads for the first time since Spring Ball when he suffered a foot fracture. The week off came at a good time for him. It looks like the back injury Marcus suffered in the UCLA game was just a tweak, and he seems to be perfectly fine now. Both guys know how to get outside and bring the ball down, so expect a lot of focus on that for the Fresno State secondary this week.įirst, some extra good news that I haven’t yet covered. Johnson has racked up 246yds and 4TDs as well on only 12 receptions, more than 20yds/catch. The senior has been good for 16.5yds/catch and 4TDs already, but is overshadowed by Diontae Johnson so far. Cody Thompson has been the star and name to watch coming into the season, especially after his incredible punt block TD against VMI in Week 1. These WRs will also be the best the Dogs have seen this season, and will probably be the best group they see for awhile. They’ve also forced 12 turnovers, good enough for 2nd in the country. The Bulldog defense has so far been giving up 294yds/game, and only 16 points, both of which are far under what Toledo has averaged this season. They did thud pretty hard against Miami, but even then, they racked up 340yds and 24 points. They blasted VMI, and Nevada’s defense is somewhere between theoretical and bad. Now, to be completely honest, they haven’t quite faced any defenses known for takeaways, so that may be skewed. Decent stats overall, and they’re definitely an offense not known for turning the ball over. He’s thrown for 9TDs to only 1INT, and 698yds in 39 completions. Their starting QB, junior Mitchell Guadagni, leads the team in both passing and rushing, and brings in a passer rating of 205. They’ve done it behind a strong and efficient offense and sometimes porous defense, and the 2018 squad appears to be more of the same. Toledo was also the last team from the MAC that Fresno State beat back in 2008, as meetings between the two conferences have been a bit thin on the ground outside of the Potato Bowl.Īs the Rockets enter Year 4 of Jason Candle at the helm, they’ve been a model of consistency in the G5, winning between 9 and 11 games every year since 2014. This Fresno State team has a lot of similarities to that 2005 squad, and they took Toledo down 44-14 in a season that saw the Dogs get as high as #16 in the BCS. Fresno State won the first two games between the teams in 20, with Toledo taking the 2016 game. This marks the second time that the Rockets will travel to Bulldog Stadium, and the 4th time overall that the two teams will matchup. But this is a vastly different team to that one, so I think we can all just pretend that game never happened. In the last season of the DeRuyter era, Logan Woodside and the Rockets blew them out 52-17 in a game that wasn’t even that close. Let’s get this out of the way first, the last time that Fresno State played Toledo, things went terribly for the Dogs. Toledo won a shootout over the Wolf Pack 66-43 in a game where neither defense decided to show up, which should bode well for the Bulldogs and their vaunted defense. The Bulldogs actually benefited from having the bye week when they did, because they were able to see both of their next opponents play when Toledo took on Nevada in Reno. ![]() Now they return home for the first time in almost a month to take on the Toledo Rockets of the Mid-America Conference to close out their OOC slate. 29, 7:30pm PT How to Watch: Game is broadcast live on ESPNUĪfter a great romp over UCLA, the Bulldogs went into the bye week with great momentum, and got some needed rest for some battered and bruised players. Who: Toledo Rockets (2-1) Fresno State Bulldogs (2-1) Where: Bulldog Stadium, Fresno, CA (Capacity, 40,727) When: Saturday, Sept. ![]()
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