I'm not optomisic, I know for sure that the DOGs will have a winning season this year and in fact they will end up being 9-3 with either a share of the WAC title or the whole thing. Depends on whether Hawaii goes undefeated or not. We lose to TAMU, Hawaii & most likely Oregon/Kansas St. Team has promise and only way to go for them after a bad season last year is up. I know for a fact they will not get less than 4 losses or just 4 losses. They will at least go .500. Oh yea with the stable of running backs they have, they will for sure make up plenty of ground behind that great line. All we need is Brandstater to click with his potent offense and the D to be in sync and BULLDOG football is back.

GO DOGS!!!!!!!

I'm ready for a victory! I'm ready to get back on track and get back to some great defensive pressure! Blitzing and blocking punts,blocking field goals and good field position. Also, our offense! I hope we get back our confindence and make some plays!I'm hoping for another BOWL GM.

I believe we will have a winning season. My main concern is: Will we have a great season? If we win all but 1 WAC game, and at least one OOC game (while playing the other 2 with style and guts) I will deem that a great season, considering what we all suffered through last season.

I believe this because the Team, Pat Hill, and Bulldog Fans all want reason to forget last year, and to forget it quickly! The team will come out firing on all cylinders-- just watch!!

Go Dogs!

Hoping the Dogs get their bark back this year. Nice to see that I will be able to see 4 games this year. Just remember Dogs, there are 4 quarters in the game and you need to play all of them.

Bill, Charlotte NC

The DOGS first game should be a confidence builder, but wow does it get tougher next game in Texas with 80,000 fans wearing the wrong color jersey. That game will be an indication on how much fight these DOGS have. They don't have to win, but they must compete! Our Quarterback and his learning curve progress will make or break this team, hopefully the Quarterback that impressed me last year against Oregon will be back! Defense needs to finally step up and put some fear into opposing quarterbacks. This year will be more fun, that much is for sure, how much more? WE SHALL SEE SOON! GO DOGS!!!

I am looking forward to this year for a variety of reasons but mostly I look forward to seeing Dog Fans in full force.
Let's Get the crowd out early and establish a hostile environment
It was hard to watch last year but it was obvious that the lack of fan support let the team down.

Lets keep it positive at least until the boys come back from Eugene.

Go Dogs!

This is the million dollar question, huh. Like many others I'm hopeful the dogs we know and love will be back, but I don't have any answers and I think it really could go either way. As a fan, I'll speculate that the dogs could pull together as a young talented team and accomplish an outstanding season with largely unproven talent which would probably surprise just about everyone. You know, Boise State last year and Fresno State this year . . . . wouldn't that be awesome and underline that the Dogs are for real. But for some reason I still have this pain in my gut from last season that tells me we are going to lose to Hawaii by a lot of points and if that's the case, then how can we beat TAMU, and Oregon away? Bottom line is that the answer to this million dollar question will be determined on the field - by how determined the coaching staff is to prove last year was a fluke and how much heart and desire these young kids have to win. Without those things the dogs have no chance what-so-ever IMO of a turn-around season let alone that BCS buster killer-year the team has been aspiring toward, but never achieved.

I'm from Boise ,looking at your site and comments. Just wanted to say , that you guy's need to trust Pat Hill . He is a really good coach and will get everything out of that team.All of the Boise fans cheered for you guys when you played Virginia at MPC bowl, what a show ! I don't think you guys will win the WAC this year but it should be a turn around season. Just take out Hawaii for us Pat ! just kidding ,My Broncos will be fine . Good luck Bulldogs ,have a good season and pull out some upsets like you always do.

All I'm hearing and reading is talk from players and coaches about getting back to a bowl game. Has winning the conference ever been a priority? Based on the team's shortcomings in that area the past decade, I guess not. We're not aiming to high with no talk of competing for a confernce title. Second place is the first loser. Set the goals a little higher guys, a share of the conrernce title and/or a bowl game appearance only tells me of the limits you guys are putting on yourselves.

Last year was tough! I'm up here now,in Wa., went to Hoover, and that loss to the "Huskies"last year,was not what I would call "Enjoyable"! As with any new QB, the first season was tough, but I believe "Brandstater" will be fine, and the "Fresno" attitude should be back in the defence. In short, We'll be hurtin'em on both sides of the ball!URAAAAA! Go Dogs!

Derek from Boise...save it!
Bulldog fans this is where it starts!

I like the comment from Derek but the gloves are off. It is time to get the swagger back, time to be hated, time to be feared, time for rivlas to talk trash because they are afraid to lose to us. No more Mr.Nice Guy!

Save the nice comments for the funeral...Boise fans, if you want to wish us well, this is how you do it...Tell us we stink! Tell us we are a bunch of trailor trash! Tell us we have no business on the field with you!

Don't wish us good luck! Don't hope we have a good season and don't wish that we pull out some upsets!

Dog Fans, would USC fans write UCLA fans and wish them a good season. Or CAL Fans write Stanford...

Save it Boise...Do me a favor and bet me your team will beat my team. Tell me that we don't belong on the same field with you. Then when we kick your a$$ you can buy me a beer!

Respect a Dog even if he is down

Has anyone noticed this or just me. Why is it that the Bulldogs Defense breaks their huddle slower than any other team in college football. CHECK IT OUT! The defense is alway's on their heels. When some teams notice it they even go into a hurry up offense. Did anyone notice it in the scrimage? Fresno's defense breaks their huddles after the opponants offense breaks theirs at least 70% of the time. Now with Lane out for the season we have to count on a red shirt freshman to call defensive the signals. Give THEM a FAIR SHOT. Call the play's faster COACH BROWN!!!

Can Fresno come out barking and stay barking this year? Can the coaching staff come up with a different offense play book? Tune in Sept. for the Dogs are Alive and Barking or The Dogs are still leashed.

Bill
Charlotte NC

WoW! I can't believe how FREAKIN' opptimistic we are. I know we win at least 3 games for sure. Sac St. will be close just because we're really young at some very key positions. Texas A&M will be a huge set back I think we'll lose by 40 possibly 50pts. Now the question remains, "How will Pat Hill motivate a group of young kids who were told all spring that they're 'All-In', bust or go home?" One major problem is we'll have 10 more games to play. Second problem is we still have a QB who doesn't know how to play QB. It's not his fault though really, he played in a Wing-T offense while in high school and now he's learning how to throw, read defenses & mangage a game. It's like asking a guy to be a DH in the majors with only a few AB's in college. This just Sucks to be a Bulldog Fan. I hope they 'll prove me wrong but at least my hopes of a great season won't be dashed when we barely beat Sac St. & everyone else is wondering, "What's going on?".

Aaron, the season has yet to begin and unlike some of my bulldog faithful fans I go into every season optimistic and hope for the best. Which is undefeated and a NC. If I went into every season like how you stated it would be no fun because I already "knew" what was going to happen. The Dogs are a whole lot better this year and can't do no worse than last year I guarantee you that. For sure they will finish with a winning record.They will prove you wrong this year I know they will.Offense and Defense will fire on all cylinders and this season if anything will be exciting.

GO DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People are tired of hearing about the bulldogs. It is going to be another losing season. Every time you turn around one of there players is getting suspended who wants that. There is more sports teams in Fresno then them. What about the Fresno Falcons. They are rebuliding and they are going to have a great team this year. We need to support hockey in this town. We have a great team in this town. They always Have a winning record. Please support the Fresno Falcons.

There best Fan

I am looking forward to the Fresno State game this year. By winning again this year, the Spartans will be back in the top 25 soon. There is a good chance that they can beat the dogs better than Michael Vick would ever dream to.

Spartans Rule

It amazes me every time I decide to lower my standards of reading and actually read the "talk back" section of the Bee online. I have been a FS fan my entire life. From growing up with Lorenzo Neal around the corner from us in the "country" living in Lemoore, to being a season ticket holder up to my last year living in SoCal in 2005. My support is never ending for the 'Dogs, and it amazes me how easily the so-called fans in Fresno can turn their backs on the biggest team in town when they have some speed bumps along the way. No one witnessed Nebraska fans walking away from their team after Tom Osbourne retired, and they fell from grace, so why should the "fans" of the 'Dogs do the same after a bad season and a half? I tell people out here in the south, where CFB means more than life itself, that the "F" in "FS" stands for Fickle. That is the truth, and I beg anyone to contradict that with fact.
This year's team should lead a lot of fans to be optimistic. The Bee has covered it well in their comparisons to the 2004 season, when there was a corps of new players and a lot of uncertainty brewing...At least until the 'Dogs started winning. Then, all of a sudden, Bulldogs Stadium became packed again. Funny how that works.
The players on the team this season know they need to step up, and get back to playing the over-used cliche of "Bulldogs Football." What they (coaches and players) are failing to say is that the fans need to step up and get back to supporting as Bulldogs Fans, not what they've been over the past few seasons. "Kick me when I'm down" is not the feeling that the players need when they're struggling; rather what they need is support. Undying and loyal support from the fans in the town they play football in. Until fans start packing the house every week, thus creating a need for stadium expansion, FS will continue to be a mid-tier team that has to travel to Timbuktu in order to play a decent opponent. Because it is a known fact in the CFB world that no major team is going to travel to a stadium where the payout is less than half of what they earn in their own stadium.
So, I ask this of all the so-called fans of my beloved 'Dogs: Why not get out there on those 6 Saturday nights this fall, and show those kids (because that's what they are) that you all support them. Through thick and thin, wins and losses, show your support. Then, and only then, will FS be considered a legit team in the pantheon of CFB, and I can assure you the teams will play better, be better, and the rest of the teams in CFB will actually agree to play their home-and-home series with 'Dogs, vice the 'Dogs always having to go to the Auburn's, LSU's, and Oklahoma's of the nation. If anyone was at the BSU game in 2005, you know what Bulldogs Stadium can feel like, even on a miserable night.
Now get out there and root on the 'Dogs.

Let me educate some of you. Pat Hill is a great coach. FSU has done things that no other program has done before. The out played a USC team that was considered at the time to be the best team in the history of college football. They have defeated more BCS teams than anyone else. They have been on ESPN more than any other team. The reason is Fresno State can beat anyone anytime anywhere. Its there in the back of your head. LSU is ranked 2nd in the nation. I don't know why. They lost to many starters and key players. Everyone expects them to be good every year. Fresno State is the same. They just reload not rebuild. Last year was not a talent issue. They will just reload. They can play with anyone year in and year out.

Yeah Eric, I agree. It's hard to beleive Fresno has half a million people and can't sell out a 43,000 seat stadium on a consistent basis. Yet S. Carolina managed to sell out 86,000 seats every game of a losing season prior to Spurrier's arrival. FSU has approx 20,000 students, so technically they should be half way there, but you are never going to get the entire student body to go. But like you said, it's just a different culture. I don't think anyone can tell me, that for 6 Saturday afternoon/evenings durning the fall, that there's anything THAT much better to do than going to a game. I know I am a biased beccause I am a huge college football fan not to mention a diehard bulldog fan. It's also probably hypocritical for me to criticize since I have not lived in Fresno for 6 years. But since I have been on the road, I have seen FSU games at Wash, Wis, LSU, Tulsa, OK, SMU and plan to go to the A&M game next month. I have been to games all over the counrty including at Kyle Field. It is a great place to watch a college football game and will be a great experience for the dogs. 40,000 students that never sit down the entire game, not to mention the other 45k aggie faithful. I feel bad for our boys when they get back from an atmosphere like that to see the poor support they get at home. I wish I knew a way to take the same energy and support week in and week out back home to Fresno. It would really go a long way on the field. More than people realize. By the way Eric, where do you live?

Terry - your points are valid. I currently reside in Charleston, SC. I was at the South Carolina spring game, and wrote an article for another sports site about the experience. "Different culture" is more than accurate, and it's something most of us "west coasters" will never understand. Ironically enough, there were as many people there for the Spring Game as FS normally sees at a regular season home game. I, too, was at the LSU game down in Red Stick last season, and it is a fact: "It Never Rains in Tigers Stadium." But, do not get that confused with "It Does Not Rain 50 inches in 2 Hours Right Before the Game!"
FS has played in rowdy houses before such as OU and seeing the spectacle that is Neyland Stadium, in Tennesse...But, none of those will compare with the vibe that goes on at Kyle Field. It will be a bit depressing for the boys to play to a 2/3 filled home opener, then to a madhouse at Kyle and up to the always enjoyable Autzen Stadium, only to come back home to a quiet Bulldogs Stadium. Let's hope that is not the case.

EJW
Chuck Town, SC
www.fvsports.com

HA, I could not have been more wet if I was standing in a swimming pool tailgating. I live in MD right now, but moving to Austin in October. We are talking about a road trip to the Florida/LSU game cause I feel like I got robbed on the full tailgate experience at tiger stadium.

I thought Nebraska was crazy when they had 60,000 plus at their spring game 2 years ago, then the tide fans blew them out of the water this year with 92K, TO A SPRING GAME!!

Well, I just booked my flight for the A&M game. Heres to a good game and drive through daqari's in College Station. Not even kidding, drive through, pick up a 12 pack and a daquari on the way to the tailgates. VERY NICE!! Well, it's been about 4 years since I was there, so we'll see.

4 days to what shold be an easy win for the DOGS. Again, I said should be. A large win will not really tell what is to be expected in the following weeks. Hopefully, this game will allow the DOGS to come together as a team and learn to trust each other. Now can we trust the coaching staff? Will we see the same offense plays game after game? Tune in and hope we don't have to tune out.

Bill Z Charlotte NC

Sac State is a horrible team, take it from me...I live in Sacramento. If Tim Lang had signed with Sac State...he'd be the starting quarterback this week. I'm not kidding.

So...Can anyone explain why the WAC lost its WAC.tv web-casting site? This is a major blow to those of us 'Dogs fans not living in the Valley without access to the local channels.

Now I have to pray the 'Dogs upset aTm in College Station, that way the UO games moves up from Gameplan to being nationally televised. I'm not holding my breath on that playing out, though!

EJW
Chuck Town, SC
www.fvsports.com

Sac State is a horrible team? Maybe. But we're on the way up and you don't want to be last year's Colorado, losing to a FCS school, do you? Don't take us seriously, and we'll make some noise. Play hard-nosed football and SAC won't be able to compete with your depth after the first quarter. This is a SAC team that played a ranked CAL team to a 7-3 halftime score in 2005.

Let's also keep in mind that this is a Sac State team that lost last year to Div I-AA UC Davis. They are a very bad team and there should be no excuses for the Bulldogs not winning by at least 3 TDs.

As a Sac State alum (1989), I am well aware of just how bad the football program has been over the years. But you can't criticize them for losing to a I-AA school when they themselves are a I-AA school. That is the level of competition they are supposed to be matched up against. And UC Davis was certainly not the only I-AA school that they lost to last year.

That being said, if Fresno State doesn't beat Sac State by at least 4 touchdowns, they should be embarrassed.

Go dogs .Cant wait for next week .I think if they can get 6 to 7 wins. That would be a great season

I can tell you that we will have an outstanding season this year. I have faith in the Pat Hill system. last night the team looked great. I was at a Dennys in the am and I met some folks from Sac who were here to root on their team. I knew they would leave disappointed :) Anyway Go Fresno State. Go Sam Williams, who has so far held on for the World Champion Oakland Raiders !!!!! This will be a Raider/ Dogs Championship year!