NCAA has gone to 'Dogs
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer
Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin have all fallen by the wayside, mounting testament to the juggernaut that Fresno State has become.
In three short weeks the Bulldogs have run through the biggest names on their 2001 football schedule and up the national rankings to No. 11.
No longer are the victories viewed as upsets. It has gotten to the point where not only can you put FSU and BCS (Bowl Championship Series) in the same sentence without having to stifle a laugh, but people are starting to talk about the Bulldogs running the regular-season table.
If the Buffaloes couldn't halt them at elevation or the Badgers derail them in the madhouse that is Camp Randall, who can?
Unless the Bulldogs take a collective three-hour nap some Saturday or are hit with an epidemic, there are few real hurdles in their path.
After being a betting underdog for the first three weeks, there is nobody among the 10 remaining opponents to keep Fresno State from being the favorite. Certainly there is nobody left on the schedule to match its talent, depth and experience.
Realistically, if the Bulldogs are to take a pratfall, there are three games worth keeping an eye on: Colorado State, Tulsa and Hawai'i.
Colorado State because it is the Rams, it is at altitude and few coaches get as much out of their material as Sonny Lubick. Colorado beat Colorado State this year but come the middle of next month, it would be a mistake to look past the Rams just on comparative scores.
Tulsa should be of concern because, like a snake in the weeds, it is the road game sandwiched between home dates with Utah State and Louisiana Tech.
Then, there is the Oct. 26 date at Aloha Stadium, a game UH had been reluctant to move to accommodate ESPN, but one that now looms in importance for all concerned. If Fresno State is to be denied a perfect regular season, this is probably the last chance to make it happen.
Given the short week of preparation and travel, it is no wonder that Fresno State has begun to regard the UH game with more concern as the date approaches.
For the Warriors, in good seasons and bad, have usually had Fresno State's number here. In five visits since joining the Western Athletic Conference, only once have the Bulldogs gotten out of Halawa with a victory (1994). Even in UH's 3-9 season of 1997, one of the victims was Fresno State.
All of which could make Aloha Stadium a dangerous place to be if a BCS bowl berth and $12 million-$15 million payday are riding on the outcome.
