Statement in Fresno

Over the weekend there were many opportunities for some Big 10 teams to make statements not only about their program, but about the conference as a whole. And, I by no stretch would call it a successful statement weekend, but there was one statement sent loud and clear.

For all the hype surrounding USC-OSU there was a game that was just important and a whole lot better...that game was Fresno State-Wisconsin. I'm a big time Badger fan and I have to admit that heading into this game I was pretty nervous. We are known as a slow starting team and I knew that we couldn't have a start like that.

Fresno State was billing this game as the biggest home game in program history. All week leading up to the game I heard a lot about how this is Fresno State's chance to pretty much claim a spot in a BCS game. The entire week heading into the game whenever this game was talked about I kept wondering if people just entirely forgot about the Wisconsin end of this equation.

From the opening kickoff you could tell we were totally focused on the job at hand...and that we were the team that felt disrespected heading into it. I guess the way I would describe it is we were playing the exact same card that Fresno State normally plays. As I said before not only was this our chance to send a message to the rest of the Big 10...but to the rest of the country.

I first want to talk a little bit about our defense...wow! Except for one big play they did an excellent job of limiting Fresno State's offense. Jonathan Casillas' first game back from injury was pretty impressive. I thought that our defense did a nice job of flying around and making some nice plays...and the Bulldogs run game got absolutely nothing. I thought our corners did a pretty good job..and they passed most of the tests that Fresno State gave them. I was a little bit shocked that Fresno didn't try to go deep a little bit more than what they did. I thought our defensive line did a nice job of getting pressure on their quarterback. Just all in all a nice effort by our defense. Easily their best performance of the year. I thought that our defense was physical out there..and I thought that they sent a message.

While the offense didn't put up a great performance they did do a nice job. Fresno State talked a lot about being a physical football team, I would agree they are physical for a WAC team, but they weren't ready for the kind of physical that Wisconsin brings to the table. I remember at one point in the first half we ran the ball straight up the middle and our offensive line dominated Fresno State's defensive line so badly that play that a Fresno defender didn't touch PJ Hill until at least 4 yards into the play. Getting Travis Beckum back was huge for us...he made some nice catches for us..and Garrett Graham contributed his usual solid game. I thought we were pretty creative in getting the ball to our small quick receivers...a lot of nice quick passes and then just let them create in the field and make guys miss. After watching the game I walked away with the feeling that we may very well be one of the most physical teams in the country..when you hear an opposing coach say that you took his teams "manhood away" you should feel that way, that wasn't a quote from Pat Hill..but Marshall's head coach did say that after our game with them. The only real negative aspect of the game would be the cramping issue that Allen Evridge had.

Before I go I just want to take a bit of time to talk about the officiating. It was brutal for the most part. It was a WAC officiating crew and you could tell that there was a little bit of help for the Bulldogs. I don't mean to imply that anyone was cheating. But, there was one call that still confuses me. A Fresno State receiver catches the ball and Shane Carter knocks the ball away from him and I dont remember who on our defense recovered the ball, but anyways Fresno State decides to challenge the call..now it looked to everyone as though the call wouldn't be over turned because it was quite obviously a catch..and there's no way the refs could possibly over turn that. But, the refs saw something and called that an incomplete pass somehow. So all I have to say to the officiating crew..thank you for almost costing us a game. The officiating was a sham for the most part.

Well that's all I've got..let me know what you thought.