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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
Bulldogs' defenders gnarly, snarly in Hawaii
FRESNO -- Fresno State wasn't expecting to squash Hawaii on Saturday night, but that sure changed in a hurry thanks to a game-changing play on special teams.
Just three minutes into the game, Andrew Jackson and Kenny Wiggins crashed through the middle of the Hawaii line on a 43-yard field goal attempt and Jackson got his massive paws on the ball, giving Fresno State its first blocked field goal or PAT since Jackson blocked a kick against Boise State in November 2008.
Ben Jacobs scooped it up and returned it 48 yards to the Hawaii 8-yard line to set up a Lonyae Miller touchdown run.
Fresno State cruised to a 42-17 victory from there for its first victory at Aloha Stadium since 2005, and only the Bulldogs' third on the island since 1965.
"It set the tone for the whole game," Jacobs said of the block. "We were going to come at them full steam and shut down anything they got."
That's what the Bulldogs did, repeatedly halting the Warriors' offense, intercepting two passes and making two key plays in the kicking game to snap its three-game losing streak and keep hopes of a Western Athletic Conference crown alive heading into this week's home game against San Jose State.
"The last couple games, we'd given up a lot of yards," Jacobs said. "We felt like we're not doing our part. The offense had kept us in these games and we felt like we had to come to the show and step up, and we did."
Fresno State didn't allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter, after reserves began to trickle onto the field.
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