Every college football game comes with a unique script, and Fresno State head coach Matt Entz said this week is no different.
The Bulldogs have relied on a rebuilt passing attack at times this year. In other games, they spread the defense out and let their talented running backs work in space. Entz said winning what is sure to be a physical battle in the trenches will be key this week when Fresno State hosts Wyoming on Saturday.
“We’ve got to try to find what is the one-on-one matchup we’re trying to win, especially with our backs,” Entz said on Monday. “Hopefully our kids understand that if you win the time of physicality, you win the time of possession and you have a great opportunity to win games.”
Fresno State racked up 189 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in a 30-7 win over Boise State two weeks ago. The running game will be paramount again this week for the Bulldogs and Cowboys, both of which are coming off bye weeks.
The Bulldogs are led by Arizona transfer Rayshon Luke, who is averaging 6.2 yards a carry and pacing the team with 495 yards and five touchdowns. Bryson Donelson has added 473 yards and four touchdowns on a team-high 103 carries, while Brandon Ramirez and Elijah Gilliam have been productive in complementary roles.
Wyoming has leaned on a trio of backs, led by Samuel Harris (85 carries for 450 yards and one TD) and Sam Scott (73 carries for 353 and two TDs). Terron Kellman (61 carries for 321 and four TDs) may have the most upside of the bunch, and Landon Sims was the Cowboys’ leading rusher in a 24-7 loss to San Diego State on Nov. 1.
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Fresno State is sticking with Sacramento State transfer Carson Conklin at quarterback. He replaced EJ Warner late in a lopsided loss to Colorado State and made his first career start in a 23-0 loss to San Diego State on Oct. 25.
Entz said the team kept things simple for Conklin against Boise State, and he finished the game completing just 10 of 21 passes for 35 yards. Entz said having a bye week after facing the Broncos was key for his young quarterback.
“Quarterback is a high-rep position,” Entz said. “It creates pressure, and pressure is either going to translate into diamonds or burst pipes.”
Wyoming vs. Fresno State Betting Odds
Fresno State is a 3.5-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM as of this writing, and the Over/Under is 40.5 points. The moneyline is at -175 for the Bulldogs and +145 for the Cowboys.
Fresno State leads the all-time series 9-6, but Wyoming won their most recent meeting in 2023, snapping a string of four straight wins in the series by the Bulldogs.
Fresno State is 17-3 overall and 10-10 against the spread in its past 20 regular season games as the favorite at home. Wyoming is 3-17 overall and 9-11 ATS in its past 20 regular season games as an underdog on the road.
Wyoming vs. Fresno State On TV
The Mountain West game featuring Fresno State and Wyoming at Valley Children’s Stadium in Fresno, California, will be televised on FS1.
Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Wyoming vs. Fresno State Prediction
I predict Fresno State wins 28-21.
I think this one is going to come down to which team runs the ball better and which defense is able to create a turnover or two. Both teams run the ball well, and neither passing attack is all that consistent. Both have stingy defenses. I believe the difference is Fresno State is a little better in all those areas.
I think the Bulldogs’ backfield is far more explosive than Wyoming’s, which relies on big, physical backs to wear defenses down. The more touches Luke gets for Fresno State, I believe, the better the Bulldogs’ chances are of winning.
The X factor here could be Wyoming quarterback Kaden Anderson, who has the ability to get hot and lead his team to a win. The problem is he’s facing an opportunistic defense that could coax him into a couple of costly mistakes.
