Fresno State Football: Fresno State vs North Dakota Quick Recap

The Fresno State Bulldogs took on North Dakota at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday night, in their home opener.

In a game that most thought would be a walk in the park against an FCS school, the Bulldogs had to hold on for the 27-22 victory.

With back-to-back road losses to Cal and Nebraska, the Fighting Sioux should have been just what the doctor ordered.

After the completion of the first Quarter, it seemed as though the doctor might have mixed up the prescriptions, with the Bulldogs only leading 14-9.

The problem of giving up the big play followed the Bulldogs from Cal to Nebraska, and now it showed up again in Fresno.

With under six minutes to go in the first quarter, Fighting Sioux running back Jake Miller ripped off a 70-yard touchdown run making it 14-6 after the extra-point was blocked.  Miller, the player that pretty much carried North Dakota, finished his night with 21 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

After another big run by Fighting Sioux running back Mitch Sutton of 33 yards, they kicked a field goal making it 14-9.

There were no shortages of big plays for the Bulldogs as well.  The first play from scrimmage was an 86-yard bomb from Derek Carr to Jalen Saunders for the first touchdown of the game.

The Bulldogs next score came via the same duo as the first.  Carr hit Saunders on a 52 yard strike making it 14-0.  Saunders finished the game with three catches for 154 yards, and two touchdowns.

Punt returner Devon Wylie got in on the action for the Bulldogs as well, with a 48 yard punt return to the North Dakota 11-yard-line.  The Bulldogs were able to get the ball down to the two-yard-line, and Robbie Rouse took it from there to make it 21-9.   North Dakota was content to run out the clock after receiving the kick-off after the Rouse touchdown.

To start the third quarter, the Fighting Sioux came out firing, taking just four plays to score a touchdown to make 21-16.

After not being sacked, and barely even touched, against Nebraska last week, Carr was sacked three times against North Dakota.  “Last week we play against the “Black Shirts” of Nebraska and the quarterback doesn’t get touched,” said Coach Pat Hill.  “Every week is a challenge.  It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you better be ready to play,’”added Hill.

Despite the three sacks, Carr had a nice game.  No. 4 only threw the the ball 17 times, but he was efficient, completing 11 with two touchdowns.

Rouse continued to be the Bulldogs’ “Bell Cow Back,” with 27 carries, making it his third game in a row with 25 or more carries.

Rouse’s final line was 27 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

Rouse sealed the game on third and 12 with just over a minute to play,  picking up 18 yards for a first down.  “It was a big down. It was third and 12 and I just wanted to get in that victory formation,” said Rouse about his final run to ice the game.

Things started to get real anxious for Bulldogs fans late in the third quarter, as North Dakota scored a touchdown on a one-yard run by Miller to give them a 22-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Rouse scored on a one-yard touchdown with just over nine minutes left in the game to put his team up for good 27-22.