Despite the absence of Head Coach Jeff Tedford, the Fresno State Bulldogs cruised to their fifth-straight bowl game victory at the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Saturday.
Driving the news: under: Under the guidance of interim head coach Tim Skipper the ‘Dogs picked up the 37-10 victory over the New Mexico State Aggies.
- Quarterback Mikey Keene was named the player of the game for his impressive performance, completing 31 out of 39 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns, although he did have one interception.
- The Fresno State offense operated smoothly throughout the game, with Keene showcasing his skills along with an effective run game led by junior running back Malik Sherrod, who finished the game with 20 carries for 90 rushing yards and eight catches for 81 yards.
- In total, Fresno State accumulated 491 offensive yards, more than double the production of New Mexico State. They also achieved 22 first downs compared to New Mexico State’s 13.
- Despite an overall successful season with 10 wins, New Mexico State struggled to make plays downfield, with their longest play from scrimmage being only 16 yards. Their quarterback, Diego Pavia, completed 11 passes on 25 attempts for just 58 yards.
- New Mexico State’s running game showed some success, but it was insufficient to catch up to Fresno State’s dominant offensive performance.
Skipper in for the Skip: Fresno State head coach Jeff Tedford, who bowed out of coaching the bowl game over a health issue, was replaced by Tim Skipper, who led the team to a strong performance.
What they’re saying: “I don’t think it really mattered who we were going against tonight,” Keene told ESPN after the game. “This one’s for Coach Tedford.”
