The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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122 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Fresno State is no stranger to winning. The Bulldogs have notched nine-plus victories in three consecutive seasons and rank 49th among FBS programs with 645 all-time wins. Fresno State has been ranked in the As- sociated Press Top 25 for at least one week in five of the last seven years. Head coach Jeff Tedford is en- tering his sixth season in Fresno, Calif., the third year of his sec- ond stint after previously serv- ing as head coach from 2017-19 but stepping down due to health reasons. Tedford has kept the Bulldogs in a strong spot after two seasons under Kalen DeBoer, who moved on to lead Washing- ton and is now at Alabama. Despite Fresno State having a tough schedule with noncon- ference games against Michigan, UCLA and Washington State (the latter of which now has a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West following the breakup of the Pac-12), DraftKings Sportsbook projects the Bulldogs will win eight con- tests this fall. Fresno State is a tricky opponent, even for power conference teams, evidenced by its four wins in 15 tries against Big Ten programs. Just last season, the Bulldogs knocked off Purdue in West Lafayette (39-35), and they've also previously beaten Illinois (twice) and Wisconsin. Fresno State went 9-4 last season, failing to hit 20 points in each of its four losses. However, the offense still shined by averaging 30.5 points per game, rank- ing 45th in the nation. The Bulldogs air it out, checking in ninth with 39.8 pass attempts per game — and junior quarterback Mikey Keene completed 67.1 percent of his passes, the highest mark in the Mountain West. Two of his top four receivers are back, as are the team's leading rusher (senior Malik Sherrod, 966 yards and 9 TD) and four starting offensive linemen. While Fresno State is known for its aerial attack, the strength of the offense may be up front, led by senior right guard Mose Vavao, who earned sec- ond-team All-Mountain West honors in 2023. The offensive line ranked 18th in the Group of Five with a 71.4 PFF pass pro- tection grade, and Keene was pressured on only 22.4 percent of his drop-backs, allowing him to pass for 2,976 yards and 24 touchdowns with 10 intercep- tions. Junior kicker Dylan Lynch is a nice safety blanket for an offense that scored touchdowns on only 59.6 percent of its red-zone trips a year ago. Lynch cashed in on 24 of his 30 field goal attempts and even was good on 9 of his 13 tries from 40-plus yards. Only five starters are back on defense, but the secondary is set to remain a strong point. They ranked 34th nationally in pass defense a year ago, giving up just 204.7 yards per contest, and registered 2.3 sacks a game (49th). The Bulldogs were tied for fourth in the country with 17 interceptions and forced 23 overall turn- overs. The defensive backfield will be led by senior safety Dean Clark and junior cor- nerback Al'zillion Hamilton. Last sea- son, Clark was second on the team with 84 tackles and grabbed 3 interceptions. Hamilton, meanwhile, broke up 8 passes. The pass rush has a chance to remain at a high level, highlighted by senior end Devo Bridges, who slotted tied for 16th among Group of Five edge rushers with 42 pressures, adding 3.5 sacks, last season. USC transfer Korey Foreman, a redshirt junior who was once the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2021 class, should also provide help. ❑ Fresno State Is Bringing Its Aerial Attack To Ann Arbor Fresno State junior signal-caller Mikey Keene was named All-Mountain West honorable mention in 2023 after passing for 2,976 yards and 24 touchdowns. PHOTO BY CARY EDMONDSON/FRESNO STATE ATHLETICS 2024 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2023 Result Aug. 31 at Michigan — Sept. 7 Sacramento State — Sept. 14 New Mexico State W, 37-10 Sept. 21 at New Mexico L, 25-17 Sept. 28 at UNLV W, 31-24 Oct. 12 Washington State — Oct. 18 at Nevada W, 27-9 Oct. 26 San Jose State L, 42-18 Nov. 2 Hawai'i — Nov. 9 at Air Force — Nov. 23 Colorado State — Nov. 30 at UCLA — REASONS FOR OPTIMISM • Experience on offense • Efficient kicking game • Strong pass defense Junior quarterback Mikey Keene has the chance to lead the Mountain West's best of- fense, with a good kicking game, offensive line and skill position players that will all factor in to the Bulldogs' success. The defensive line and secondary should be stout. REASONS FOR CONCERN • No run game • Heavy losses on defense • Tough schedule Fresno State did a poor job running the ball and stopping the run last season, which may not bode well against challenging competition. GAME 1 • FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS • AUG. 31 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: 0-0 Head Coach: Jeff Tedford, 45-22 (sixth year) at Fresno State, 127-79 overall (17th year) 2023 In Review: 9-4, 4-4 Mountain West (6th Mountain West) Final 2023 Ranking: Unranked. Returning Starters: 14 (8 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist) Last Bowl Appearance: 2023 (New Mexico Bowl vs. New Mexico State, W 37-10) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: Mikey Keene (2,976 yards, 24 TD) Rushing: Malik Sherrod (966 yards, 9 TD) Receiving: Jalen Moss (706 yards, 6 TD) Tackles: Malachi Langley (84) Sacks: Jacob Holmes (5) Interceptions: Clark Dean (3)