Here is what Fresno State has to say about the meeting in Lincoln, Memorial Stadium =
Fresno State head coach Pat Hill said Wednesday after practice that his team is excited about playing the 10th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in its 81,000-plus seat Memorial Stadium on Saturday (4 p.m. PT - Big Ten Network).
"We are going to get a huge, huge test this week," Hill said. "We are going to have to be at the best we've been in some time against Nebraska. With that, it is with great excitement that we go into this game."
After all, this is nothing new to him and his players.
Since Hill took over the program in 1997, Fresno State has faced 42 teams from BSC conferences. The `Dogs have played at the likes of LSU, Tennessee, Ohio State, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Illinois, Rutgers, Washington and Cal last weekend.
In fact, Fresno State has played the most BCS opponents of any non-BSC school since 2001. Its 15 victories over BCS schools are the second-most in the nation for any non-BCS school in that time.
So don't expect the Bulldogs to be intimidated heading into Lincoln this weekend.
Two years ago, Fresno State traveled to Camp Randall in week two to face Wisconsin in front of a crowd of 80,353. The Bulldogs went punch-for-punch with the Badgers and took them to double overtime before falling, 34-31. Wisconsin finished that season ranked No. 16 with a 10-3 record.
Fresno State has 19 players still on the roster who played in that 2009 game in Madison. Left tackle Bryce Harris, nose tackle Chase McEntee and linebacker Kyle Knox all started against the Badgers that day.
In 2007 it was the same story. Hill's Bulldogs went to Texas A&M's Kyle Field and lost a two-point, triple overtime battle in front of a crowd of 75,922.
However, that is all in the past and the Bulldogs face a new set of challenges this week, mainly Nebraska's potent option rushing attack that is headed by sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez. Martinez ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-7 win over Tennessee at Chattanooga last weekend. Fresno State's formula this weekend is to play disciplined football.
Last weekend, Cal ran for 151 yards in the game against Fresno State. However, if you take away two plays - a 39-yard Isi Sofele touchdown run and a 43-yard rush by quarterback Zach Maynard - then Cal only would have had 69 yards rushing on 33 carries (a meager 2.09 average).
Still, limiting the big plays will be vital this weekend.
"We get a great test this week. This is as tough a test as you want from an offensive and defensive standpoint," Hill said. "They are very, very physical up front. They are a very big team and we need to really be zeroed in on this game."
Offensively, the Bulldogs look to bring a balanced attack against one the best defenses in the country.
"On offense, it's going to be a matter of execution and we are going to have to establish our run game," Hill said.
Junior running back Robbie Rouse averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 17 rushes (86 net yards) against Cal, who led the Pac-10 in total defense a year ago. The Bears returned seven defensive starters from their 2010 team.
Sophomore quarterback Derek Carr completed 21-of-33 passes in his starting debut, and looks to build off that game.
"I think as the year goes on we are going to find out that Derek Carr is a very good quarterback," Hill said. "He's stepping into the box with his first two games against two very talented defenses, so his room and margin for error is very small. The people around him got to step up too, and that's what we need to do."
Obviously, with all the wins over some of the top programs in the nation, Hill has never had a problem getting his players ready for a big game.
After all, that's why players come to Fresno State, to play in games like they will this Saturday.
Thank you to http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090811aaa.html for the use of this article.
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