Texas State is coming in from the other direction. The Bobcats went to Corvallis and put 600 yards on Oregon State in a 42-21 win, 386 of them on the ground. Torrance Burgess Jr. ran for 196 and a score, and Davian Jackson went over 100 with 3 rushing touchdowns. So the team that just ran for almost 400 yards is hosting the team that just couldn't run at all.
The common opponents make this matchup interesting. Both teams lost to Boise State and San Diego State by a single score, and both beat Oregon State comfortably. The difference is Utah State. Texas State beat the Aggies 20-17 at home, and the Aggies are the ones who just held Fresno to 16 rushing yards. Texas State also took Boise to the wire in a 46-45 shootout on the blue turf. Fresno lost to the Broncos by 7 at home.
There's plenty on the line for a game between 2 unranked teams. Fresno State is 2-3 in the Pac-12 and needs 1 more win to get bowl-eligible. Texas State is 3-2 in the league and also sitting at 5 wins. The early forecast for Saturday, November 14 looks good: 69 degrees, clear, and a 12 mph breeze. Nothing there to slow down a Bobcats offense that has scored 42 or more 3 times in its last 5. Fresno's front 7 has to hold up against the run for 4 quarters, and the offense has to find any kind of ground game so Mandal isn't throwing on every down.
