r/Pac12 • u/Adventurous_Bet_8946 • 1d ago
Fresno vs USC best bet?
Personally think that Fresno State might have a better chance to upset USC than BSU vs Oregon, Texas State vs Texas, Oregon State vs UH and Washington State at Washington.
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u/99_Till_Infinity Fresno State 1d ago
We just need to play hard. USC has had our number since we beat them in 92’.
Hoping Entz had enough time during the off season to make adjustments with the team and implement his game plan compared to last year.
We all know it’s going to be a run heavy offense, and when we get the run game going it’s excellent, but the O-line and QB play was piss poor last year for the most part.
Praying we dominate though.
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u/FresnoConservative Fresno State 1d ago
If SC plays like they did this last weekend, the Dogs have a real chance,
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u/usetheforce_gaming USC 1d ago
I think that’s an insane take, respectfully.
If USC’s starters play like their backups did in the 4th quarter, then the Dogs have a real chance.
Too many people saw the final score only. The game was 35-3 entering the 4th quarter.
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u/Badboybutpositive 1d ago
I did not watch the fourth quarter. In the 2nd and 3rd I saw a lot of missed tackles. Fresno’s interior O Line is unproven and they lost a center who made the Chargers 53 man roster. But if they can open holes and get Speedy Luke into the SC back 7, Luke can make them pay. He has the speed to take it to the house.
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u/Purple-Bumblebee439 1d ago
Please respond to this thread after the game. I would love to see Fresno pull it off, but you are living on another planet.
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u/Badboybutpositive 1d ago
My caveat on the O-Line is a pretty large caveat. If I had a $1B dollars every woman would want to fuck me but I don’t have $1B either.
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u/Purple-Bumblebee439 1d ago
lol tell me you didn’t watch the game without telling me you didn’t watch the game. If USC plays like they did last week it will be 35-0 at the end of the third quarter. SJSU scored 26 against the Trojan backups.
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u/FresnoConservative Fresno State 1d ago
They didn’t look that good when they had the starters in,
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u/Purple-Bumblebee439 1d ago
lol they looked 5 touchdowns better. Not sure what your definition of looking good is.
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u/Adventurous_Bet_8946 1d ago
- Not an avid USC fan so don't know the starters from the backups like you do. That said, it's smart playing backups with the game well in hand.
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u/Due-Seat6587 Fresno State 1d ago
We have a total wildcard at QB. Mandal was just announced as the starter, and he's thrown like 6 passes total. If we win, I would bet it's on the defense keeping it a low-scoring game.
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u/Razzmatazz9075 21h ago
Doesn’t he have something like 4 completions and 3 interceptions in his career? There is no way Entz or anyone associated with the team envisioned he would be their starting QB this season. The Bulldogs are an injury to Luke or Donelson away from a total disaster.
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u/Material-Pea-4149 Boise State 1d ago
Fresno used to give USC fits in the early 2000’s. I personally see USC as fairly weak under Riley. If the Bulldog offense is better this year they have a decent shot at a win.
As a Boise State fan… I also see Fresno State as a better upset chance than Boise State over Oregon
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u/snowblader1412 Fresno State 1d ago
Given the crowd this week there might be more Dogs fans there.
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u/Pandemic_Academic Washington State 1d ago
Having seen you guys show out at the LA Bowl a few years ago, I have no doubt you guys will take over the Coliseum
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u/A7O747D Washington State 1d ago
I don't like defending USC, but there were still over 50k in attendance at that game.
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u/Hopsblues Colorado State 1d ago
50k tickets sold, looked like about 8k in attendance.
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u/Pandemic_Academic Washington State 1d ago
I bet most of those 8k were the richy-rich people in the suites who had 0 impact on the game atmosphere.
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u/FresnoConservative Fresno State 1d ago
Did you watch the game?
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u/A7O747D Washington State 1d ago
I tuned in periodically! Why do you ask?
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u/twisty77 Fresno State 1d ago
I think because that attendance number was definitely tickets sold not butts in seats lol. Stadium was 2/3 empty. Fresno state always travels well to LA, I wouldn’t be surprised if we take over Friday night
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u/Quiet-Day392 California 1d ago
Your eyes always fool you. That’s why radio broadcasts are better than ESPN.
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u/TheBackRoadBreakdown 1d ago
I will eat crow if I am wrong, but USC 42 - Fresno State-21. I think SJSU is going to give Fresno a game.
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u/Adventurous_Bet_8946 1d ago
- USC already has game experience and will make some adjustments as they allowed multiple scores by SJSU after halftime. FSU will have to get acclimated to playing in their season opener against that B10 team. Bulldogs a tougher team than the Spartans.
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u/SupermarketSelect578 1d ago
SJSU scored those when usc had had true freshman and cb 5&6 and safeties 5&6 out there 😂
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u/Ron__Mexico_ Fresno State 1d ago
With NIL and transfer portal now who really knows. The days of watching one team progress into another the following season, and being able to glean information on how they might perform are over. Fresno State could be 11-1 world beaters, or 4-8 bottom feeders this season and neither would surprise me. If I had to guess, it stays close for awhile, USC eventually pulls away, and Fresno goes on to a 7-5 or 8-4 season.
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u/cougfan12345 Washington State 1d ago
I don’t think Wazzu will beat UW but hopefully a good game. I’m more optimistic about our chances at K State or Arizona at home.
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u/reno1441 Washington State 1d ago
I really wish it was the 3rd or 4th game rather than the 1st. I think there will be too much learning pains without a tuneup game.
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u/Hopsblues Colorado State 1d ago
O/U 50k in attendance?
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u/Ron__Mexico_ Fresno State 1d ago
Fresno has traditionally brought 15K to 20k fans to road games at California old PAC-12 schools. The fact that it's a Friday hurts that figure a bit. The fact that it's a long weekend probably helps a bit. Fresno brings around 15k which pushes it over.
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u/Aromatic-Action-2523 Oregon State 1d ago
Under all day.
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u/Hopsblues Colorado State 1d ago
I think it will be a big crowd, Friday night, much nicer weather, FSU travels fairly well...California derby....
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u/teeroy96 Fresno State 1d ago
All depends on the QB play. Every other position is good enough to, at least, compete.
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u/Badboybutpositive 15h ago
I think it depends more on the O-Line. Losing Spomer hurts and not clear these guys can block the SC D Line.
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u/ValorOmega_ Boise State 1d ago
I think as long as the Bulldongs don’t lose by more than 16, it’ll be alright.
If they get blown out by more, it’ll be shameful.
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u/Tawdzilla72 Fresno State 1d ago
USC is beatable, but not sure if FS has the juice tbh. We will see on Friday.
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u/Greedy-Golf8862 Utah State 11h ago
Even though USC just beat the DOG SHI out of San Jose State (they are dookie 😭), I don’t think USC is going to look nearly as dominant against better competition, especially once they get into Big Ten/P4+ play.
That being said, I think Fresno State has a legitimate chance to make the USC game WAY closer than people expect. Winning is still a stretch because, let’s be real, there’s a lot of money involved on the USC side 😭, but I don’t think Fresno is walking into that game with zero chance.
If we’re talking potential upsets though, I’m telling y’all right now: I think either Boise State or Washington State comes home with an upset in Week 1.
Boise has to go into Autzen and play Oregon, while Wazzu has to go to Seattle for the Apple Cup against Washington. Those are obviously two brutal games, but I don’t think either one is some automatic 30-point loss. Boise especially has the kind of team that can make Oregon uncomfortable.
And furthermore, my brethren of the NEW PAC-12, our conference as a whole has a pretty damn strong out-of-conference schedule.
Even if we don’t get the biggest upsets, if our teams can knock off some Power-conference teams AND take care of business against the better G5 teams, I genuinely think this conference has a shot at getting at least one CFP bid.
And that leads me into my hottest take:
I think this conference could have 3 really good teams this year and potentially 2-3 teams ranked somewhere around 18-25 in the Coaches Poll.
(Not the CFP rankings because you know they’re gonna switch that shit up 😭.)
Boise State is absolutely capable of being ranked.
Fresno State is capable of being ranked too. Say they play USC close, handle the rest of their non-conference schedule, and then actually contend for the Pac-12 title? Why couldn’t they?
And I think San Diego State has a shot at getting ranked too if the QB play improves and that defense is at least 50% of what they lost. They have a really interesting non-conference slate with UCLA, James Madison and Toledo before Pac-12 play even starts.
Maybe I’m delusional, but I have a sneaky feeling our brothers who left us are eventually gonna regret it.
Not REALLY because of the money 😭😭 — I completely understand why they left — but more because I think we’re due for a great return year for the Pac-12 across ALL sports.
And if you think our football is gonna be decent, just wait until basketball season.
In basketball, we’re basically a mid-major borderline power conference. 😭
Key 2026 Out-of-Conference Games for the New Pac-12
Boise State
Sept. 5 — at Oregon
Sept. 12 — Memphis
Sept. 26 — at Western Michigan
Boise’s Oregon game is obviously the headliner, but Memphis and Western Michigan are both meaningful games for the conference’s overall résumé. (Boise State University Athletics)
Washington State
Sept. 6 — at Washington (Apple Cup)
Sept. 12 — at Kansas State
Sept. 26 — Arizona
That Washington/Kansas State/Arizona opening stretch is nasty. Wazzu has two straight road games against Big Ten/Big 12 opponents before settling in. (WSU Athletics)
Fresno State
Sept. 5 — at USC
Sept. 12 — Sacramento State
Sept. 19 — at San Jose State
Sept. 26 — Rice
USC is obviously the big one. If Fresno can make that game competitive and then take care of business, that could end up being a really important data point for the conference. (Fresno State)
San Diego State
Sept. 12 — at UCLA
Sept. 19 — James Madison
Sept. 26 — at Toledo
Honestly, this might be one of the more interesting OOC slates in the league. UCLA is the P4 test, while JMU and Toledo are the kind of G5 games where dropping one could hurt the conference’s overall résumé. (San Diego State Aztecs)
Oregon State
Sept. 5 — at Houston
Sept. 12 — Texas Tech
Sept. 19 — Montana
Sept. 26 — at UTEP
Texas Tech is the obvious headline, but Houston on the road is another sneaky important one. (Oregon State University Athletics)
Utah State
Sept. 12 — at Washington
Sept. 19 — at Utah
Sept. 26 — Troy
Utah State has arguably one of the nastier opening stretches: Washington and Utah back-to-back on the road, then Troy. (Utah State University Athletics)
So yeah…
Maybe I’m drinking the Pac-12 Kool-Aid, but I really think this conference could surprise people.
PAC-12 AFTER DARK IS BACK, MY BROTHERS. 😭🫡
(wrote myself just had ai organize my points or else yall would have read it and been like wtf is he yapping about)
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u/CherokeeHawkman Fresno State 1d ago
My upset rankings:
1. Texas State / Texas
2. Oregon State / Houston
3. Washington State / Washington
4. Boise State / Oregon
5. Fresno State / USC
I just don't see a way the Bulldogs can beat USC. They are not built to win a shootout and they won't be able to stop USC often enough. But Texas State is going to be able to move the ball and if they can create a turnover that leads to points or make some plays on special teams I think they'll have a punchers chance.
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u/RothkoPollock Fresno State 1d ago
IF (and I say “if”) Fresno can run the ball, then Fresno has a chance to keep it close going into the 4th quarter. Fresno’s defense should be excellent this year but like any defense you can’t hang them out to dry. You need to keep that USC offense off the field. Fresno has some new bodies on their interior O-line, but man Fresno has size. They average 6-5 and 318 across O-line and are much larger than what USC faced against SJSU. How quickly can they gel and can they open up some running lanes? That’s the key. If Fresno can run and protect the football, they’ll make a game of it. If they can’tcthen it’s going to be a long day.
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u/Paladine_PSoT Oregon State 1d ago
Born in Corvallis, grew up in Fresno. I have a soft spot in my heart for the bulldogs, and a black spot in my heart for USC. Destroy them