Fresno State football dominates a list of most-commented-on posts on Sports Buzz in 2007. An item about the NBA barely cracks the top 10.

1. 'Dogs and Broncos clash
2. 'Dogs Football 2007
3. 'Dogs are island bound
4. 'Dogs get Humanitarian Bowl
5. Game 2: Texas A&M
6. Bowlin' football style
7. On to Oregon for 'Dogs
8. Bring on the WAC
9. 'Dogs on WAC track
10. NBA Tournament

The Fresno State offense gained nearly 600 yards and the defense held strong after allowing a touchdown on the first possession of the game as the Bulldogs finished the season with a 9-4 record and a 40-28 Humanitarian Bowl victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference team in Georgia Tech.

Fresno State's Jake Jorde intercepted a Georgia Tech pass on its first play from scrimmage with less than 1:30 to go and Fresno State appears to be on its way to a Humanitarian Bowl victory.

Clifton Smith scored on a 32-yard run with 1:50 left in the game to seal the game for Fresno State. The score gives Fresno State a 40-28 lead. A 2-point try failed.

With a 6-point lead and the clock under 3 minutes, Clifton Smith is pounding the Georgia Tech defense for sizable gains and helping Fresno State hang on to its lead.

Fresno State's fumble deep in Georgia Tech territory didn't cost the Bulldogs any more than the lost points as they held the Yellow Jackets after one first down and forced a punt.

Marlon Moore, lined up in the backfield, took a handoff at the Georgia Tech 6-yard line and had the ball stripped. The Yellow Jackets recovered at the 1 to douse Fresno State's scoring drive.

Georgia Tech quarterback Calvin Booker, under pressure from Tyler Clutts, threw the ball up for grabs into the end zone on 3rd-and-19 from the Fresno State 20, and 6-foot-4 receiver D.J. Donley came up with the catch between two Fresno State defenders to pull the Yellow Jackets within 34-28 with 13:06 left in the game.

Georgia Tech, after holding Fresno State without a first down, forced a punt and blocked Kyle Zimmerman's effort, recovering the ball at Fresno State's 35-yard line.

Jonathan Dwyre scored from the 3-yard line with 2:11 left in the third quarter to pull Georgia Tech within 34-21. Dwyre's score followed a pass-interference penalty on Fresno State's Sharrod Davis in the end zone.

Up to the penalty, Fresno State's defense had held the Yellow Jackets deep in Bulldog terriroty. On 1st-and-goal from the 2, Marcus Riley stuffed the running play for a 3-yard loss. On 2nd-and-goal from the 5, Sharrod Davis drilled scrambling quarterback Calvin Booker. Then came the pass-interference penalty to set up Dwyre's TD.

Fresno State senior cornerback Damon Jenkins, while providing solid coverage, has dropped two catchable interceptions so far today.

Fresno State quaterback Tom Brandstater scrambled 24 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 34-14 lead over Georgia Tech with 6:29 left in the third quarter.

The Fresno State offensive line has not allowed a sack today against one of the best sacking defenses in the nation. And Brandstater's mobility has gotten him out of trouble.

Jonathan Dwyer scored on a 36-yard run to pull Georgia Tech within 27-14 with 9:59 left in the third quarter. It was the Yellow Jackets' first score since the opening drive.

Fresno State senior running back Clifton Smith went untouched on a 43-yard touchdown sprint off left tackle. The touchdown gave Fresno State a 27-7 lead with 13:29 left in the third quarter.

Tom Brandstater's scramble on 3rd-and-4 kept the drive alive.

Avery Roberson, a Georgia Tech defensive back, was knocked out of the game after a helmet-to-helmet hit with Fresno State running back Anthony Harding.

Fresno State received the kickoff to open the second half, leading 20-7 over Georgia Tech.

The Bulldogs outgained the Yellow Jackets in the first half, 286 total yards to 183.

Fresno State kicker Clint Stitser connected on a 39-yard field as time expired in the first half. The field goal gave Fresno State a 20-7 lead.

The Bulldogs forced Georgia Tech to turn the ball over on downs and used a quick three-play drive to get within field-goal distance.

Georgia Tech is trying to run its 2-minute drill and score before the end of the half. Fresno State's secondary has played well, not allowing a long connection since the first drive.

With 15 seconds to go, Georgia Tech is forced to turn over the ball on downs when Fresno State's Tyler Clutts sacks the quarterback on fourth down.

Tom Brandstater hit Drew Lubinsky on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 1:54 left in the first half to take a 17-7 lead.

Brandstater connected with Lubinsky, a junior tight end, on 3rd-and-goal.

A long, zig-zagging run by Fresno State senior tailback Clifton Smith has the Bulldogs at Georgia Tech's 39 and threatening to score.

A pass along the left side from Tom Brandstater to Seyi Ajiritutu put Fresno State at the Yellow Jackets' 4.

The Bulldogs forced a punt and have the ball deep in their own territory, after an illegal formation penalty negated a big Georgia Tech gain on a fake punt.

But the Bulldogs were pushed deep because of a personal foul penalty on the punt.

Fresno State receiver Marlon Moore, lined up in the backfield, scored on a pitchout to the left side from 6 yards out to give the Fresno State football team a 10-7 lead over Georgia Tech with 10:55 left in the first half of the Humanitarian Bowl.

Clint Stitser kicked a 21-yard field goal with 4:02 left in the first quarter to pull Fresno State to within 7-3 against Georgia Tech.

The Bulldogs had three tries to score a touchdown from the Georgia Tech 5-yard line but couldn't get in.

On its opening drive of the Humanitarian Bowl, Georgia Tech takes a 7-0 lead on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Bennett to Demaryius Thomas.

STANFORD -- Brook Lopez scored 19 points and Anthony Goods added 16 to lead Stanford to a 55-48 nonconference win Saturday afternoon against Fresno State.

Their efforts curtailed a 16-point performance by Bulldogs point guard Kevin Bell. Eddie Miller added 10 points. They were Fresno State's only double-digit scorers.

The Bulldogs shot nearly 39% from the field and 20% on 3-pointers. They also had 18 turnovers, including 12 in the first half.

The Bulldogs led early in the first half Saturday afternoon before Brook Lopez and Stanford took control.

Fresno State endured nearly a nine-minute scoring lapse. Tyson Parker's steal and layup with 12:15 left before halftime gave Fresno State a 13-6 lead. The Bulldogs did not score again until Kevin Bell's layup with 3:31 left. By then, Lopez led a Stanford run. He scored in the post three times and converted four free throws to give Stanford a formible lead.

Bell scored eight points on 4 of 9 shooting, taking advantage of his fast first step. Stanford's backup guards struggled to keep up with Bell.

Shawn Taylor ended Fresno State's attempt at a big lineup -- Hector Hernandez, Alex Blair and Taylor in the game at the same time. Taylor collected two quick fouls.

He returned late in the first half to pick up a third foul defending Lopez, who scored 14 points in the first half.

If you're a Fresno State fan, you hope Stanford isn't as good as its 10-1 record indicates. And you might be right. Below are Stanford's games this season:

Northwestern State W, 97-58
UC Santa Barbara W, 67-48
at Northwestern W, 71-60
at Siena L, 79-67
Yale W, 72-61
Colorado State W, 73-53
Sacramento State W, 84-58
at Colorado W, 67-43
Santa Clara W, 74-48

Texas Tech is Stanford's only quality nonconference win. It's also its last win. Stanford will have to play well in the Pac-10 to impress the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. Beating Yale isn't going to do it. It's another example of the bigger schools playing the easier schedules. Fresno State has played a much tougher road schedule, facing UNLV, nationally-ranked Arizona and Pacific.

But wins are wins. In the end, they still make teams better, allowing them to recover from mistakes while continuing to win. Fresno State used this strategy to start the 2006-07 season.

ALSO...

***Bryan Harvey returned to the Bulldogs yesterday, practicing with the team for the first time this week. He spent more time than expected away from the Bulldogs; he was stranded in Louisville, Ky., another holiday victim of cancelled flights.

***Could this be the game that Brandon Webster asserts himself? He has not made much of an impact this season, but the Bulldogs will need his wide body against the Lopez twins. Brook and Robin, Stanford's 7-footers, can't be allowed to sit and rest in the paint. That would be a disaster for the Bulldogs. They must find someone to push them off the block. Shawn Taylor isn't the strongest when it comes to lower-body strength.

With the WAC season approaching -- Fresno State opens Jan. 3 against Louisiana Tech at home -- I'm going to predict the eventual player of the year.
Sorry Bulldogs fans, it won't be senior guard Tierre Wilson. Although she could wind up averaging 20 points per game and carrying her team, she's destined for first-team honors because Fresno State won't win the WAC, and that's the barometer that decides the top player honor. It's not fair, but that's the history of the award and I don't see it changing anytime soon.
So who's going to be player of the year? If Boise State wins again -- the Broncos were co-champs with La. Tech last seaon -- then guard Tasha Harris should be a shoe-in. She's the team's motor, its inspirational leader and along with Wilson they are in a category by themselves at guard in this conference.
If La. Tech wins, it's 6-2 senior Jo Sneed, perhaps the best inside player in WAC next to New Mexico State's 6-0 senior Sherell Neal. The Aggies have an outside chance winning the WAC title and, if so, Neal would walk away with player of the year.
Hawaii 6-3 forward Tanya Smith of Australia joins Wilson as one of those players who is worthy of playler of the year but won't get it. Smith might end up the only WAC player who averages double figures in both scoring and rebounding.
We'd like your thoughts on WAC player of the year. E-mail or comment on the blog.

Fresno State fans will get an early glimpse of the softball team for a change.
The Bulldogs open the season at home Feb. 9 against Pacific in a doubleheader. The next home game, squeezed in between trips to tournaments in San Diego and Palm Springs, is Feb. 25 against Eastern Michigan.
It should be an interesting year for the Bulldogs witih No. 1 pitcher Robin Mackin taking time off to work out with the Canadian National Team in preparation for the Summer Olympics.
Replacing Mackin is freshman left-hander Morgan Melloh, who led Hamilton Southeastern High to a 31-0 record and an Indiana state championship. She went 27-0 with a 0.19 ERA and struck out 426 in 187 innings. Coach Margie Wright says Melloh is the real deal.
Let's not forget junior Merryann Barr, who pitched well at the end of the season and was a big part of the offense with a .332 average and 42 RBIs.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they'll face few ranked teams in nonconference. The big game Feb. 22 against Texas at the Palm Springs Tournament.
Wrigh returns her starting infield of Kristen Sylvester at first, Jenna Cervantez at second, Haley Perkins at short and Ashley White at third. Freshman Caitlin Stiglich, a good hitter, takes over catcher with the departure of four-year starter Nichole Willis. The outfield also is experienced with Aja Scheuber, Michelle Palazuelos and Lisamaria Coronado.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 2007 in which they won the WAC Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the 26th straight year.
I'd like fans to weigh in on the Bulldogs' chances this year, so feel free to e-mail or make comments on the blog.

Kevin Bell scored 10 points in the first half of Saturday night's nonconference game against Pacific, giving the Bulldogs a 42-35 advantage at the Save Mart Center. Eddie Miller has nine points and Alex Blair seven. Fresno State is shooting 60% from the field.

Michael Nunnally leads Pacific with eight points.

Tierre Wilson scored 17 of her game-high 20 points in the first half and the Fresno State women's basketball team crushed Sacramento State 81-58 Friday at Save Mart Center.
Wilson made 8 of 11 shots, including 3 of 4 3-pointers and also had four steals.
Jaleesa Ross added 15 points, Bailey Amundsen 12 and Haley Munro 13 with seven rebounds.
The Bulldogs shot 52% and made 10 of 20 3-point attempts.
Fresno State improved to 3-8 and the Hornets fell to 2-9.

Thought i'd give former Fresno State guard Chantella Perera a quick call to see how she's doing in her first pro season in the Australian Women's National Basketball League.
I got her message machine and left one, and figured she'd get back to me the next day. About 20 minutes later, lo and behold, that familar Aussie voice was talking back at me.
Perera made splash her first pro game with 16 points. She's got some time off now and will celebrate Christmas with her parents for the first time in four years. They might even go to the beach (it's summer in Australia). We had a nice chat and I got the lowdown on the WNBL and some more goodies that I'll pass along in a story next week. So stay tuned.

A few readers took exception to the list of former outstanding Bulldogs point guards that ran in The Bee on Dec. 20. They appeared in a graphic box next to the story "Guarding a legacy" on the main sports page.
The readers chastised me for excluding Michelle Bento, who played from 1988-91. She's now Michelle Bento-Jackson and in her sixth season as coach of the Santa Clara women's basketball team.
Bento was fine point guard, make no mistake about that. She was an intelligent player who shared the ball and set up teammates. She still ranks No. 3 on the school's career assist list. But she wasn't a scorer and never made an all-conference team and all the players on my list did.
If I had listed six players, she would have been on the list.
The readers who called or e-mailed me were furious and I kind of like that. I like their passion for the women's program and that they could remember players from 20 years ago. That means some people out there recognize Fresno State has a tradition of women's basketball, even if the Bulldogs have never made the NCAA Tournament.
Anyway, thanks for voicing your opinions. Next time maybe we'll have a poll so you all can vote on the best players by position in Fresno State history.

Eddie Miller scored 12 of his game-high 17 points in the first half to lead Fresno State to a 65-39 win Thursday night over Presbyterian at the Save Mart Center.

Kevin Bell scored 13 points and Hector Hernandez added 12. Reserve guard Tyson Parker played 26 minutes, scoring 11 points with six rebounds. Pierre Wilson was Presbyterian's lone double-digit scorer with 11 points.

Up next for Fresno State is Saturday night's home game against Pacific.

Eddie Miller leads all scorers wit 12 points (four 3-pointers) and Fresno State shot 47% from the field. Hector Hernandez added eight points, and Kevin Bell six.

Presbyterian, playing its first season of a four-year Division I transition, is shooting 36% from the field.

Arizona freshman Jerryd Bayless scored a game-high 21 points to lead a 69-50 rout over Fresno State. Chase Budinger added 16, and Jordan Hill had 15.

Eddie Miller led Fresno State with 12 points. Hector Hernandez had 11. They were the Bulldogs' only double-digit scorers.

Freshman Jerryd Bayless went on a scoring run midway through the first half, enough to give Arizona a 35-19 halftime lead, countering a fast start by Fresno State.

The Bulldogs led for the game's first 10 minutes. But that was before Bayless lit up the Bulldogs for 13 points, including three 3-pointers. Eddie Miller leads Fresno State with six points.

Coach Steve Cleveland promised energy from his Bulldogs today as they face No. 21 Arizona. This game, he said, would not be determined by the final score.

So far, Fresno State is hanging... Jerryd Bayless' alley-op just now didn't help. Bulldogs trailing 26-19.

Freshman Jaleesa Ross scored 19 point and hot-shooting Fresno State crushed CS Bakersfield 93-50 Saturday at Save Mart Center.
Ross made 5 3-pointers, including three during a 20-0 scoring run that ignited the Bulldogs to a 17-point halftime lead.
This was the first meeting of the in-state schools.
The Bulldogs shot a season-high 52.2% from the field, making 12 of 26 3-pointers.
LaShaunte Stephens chipped in 15 points in 16 minutes, Haley Munro had 14 points and eight rebounds, and guard Tierre Wilson added 10 points, four assists and three steals.
Fresno State (2-7), after winning its first home game this season, travels to Arizona State to face the 18th-ranked Sun Devils at 10 a.m. on Monday.

I'm waiting by Gate 15 at the Fresno airport... Got a 5 a.m. flight to Los Angeles, then a two-hour layover before leaving for Tucson. Figured I should update blog. Been a long couple of days in Fresno State basketball...

Rekalin Sims gone, dismissed for the season for ________. Well, not quite sure. We know that he was suspended earlier this season for getting behind in academic coursework. We know that on Nov. 11, when he was arrested in connection to a robbery, police said he was driving with a suspended license. We also know that his felony charges were dropped last week, but athletic director Thomas Boeh said just because he was found innocent (for the moment' Fresno County district attorney has not decided if it will refile charges) doesn't mean he is innocent of athletic department policies for student-athletes.

So... from what we know, was this enough to kick Sims off the team?

I talked to coach Steve Cleveland last night about Sims. I'll have an update in Sunday's paper. Daniel Lyght is working on a feature story about Arizona and its unique coaching situation. HOF Olson out for the season because of personal reasons and his assistant, stepping up in his place.

I'll give you an update this evening. Anybody know any good places to eat at in Tucson?

At the Save Mart Center, the Bulldogs continued to work on a new motion offense. The goal, coach Steve Cleveland has said, is to have it ready in time for WAC games early next year. As much as Fresno State is working on it this week, it might be a vital part of Sunday's game at No. 21 Arizona...

Brandon Webster missed practice again... Alex Blair was late, taking a test. Nedeljko Golubovic (knee) missed practice. Short on bodies, assistant coach Lee Moon practiced for most of the two-hour practice...

Fresno State forward Rekalin Sims met with a student-athlete code of conduct committee after a Fresno County Superior Court Judge dismissed his felony robbery charges, athletic director Thomas Boeh said Tuesday afternoon.

Boeh would not say when the committee met or give details on the meeting.

"[The dismissed felony charges] has an impact... but it's not everything," Boeh said. "It just goes into the formula.

"There's still some more things that have to be dealt with before we make a decision,"

Starting next season, the WAC will send one team per year to the Great Alaska Shootout. Wonder if the Bulldogs will get an invite?

The 2008 Shootout will be played Nov. 26-29 at the University of Alaska-Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena.

Last week, the WAC announced a five-year scheduling agreement with Alaska's athletic department.

Tyson Parker keeps getting stuck in the air, under the rim. Same thing happened Saturday night against UNLV. The jump-stop-then-jump-straight-up-layup isn’t working.

But at least he reaches the rim, something a lot of his teammates haven’t done this season. Sure, he’s neither the fastest nor the strongest, but he’s capable of finishing…

I’d like to see him develop a running floater. Borrow watch some film on former NBA guard Mark Jackson. He wasn’t the most athletic player, but he stretched his years of pro basketball service by finding crafty ways to score.

It’s a great shot when 1) You have the foot speed to get into the lane, but not enough to blow by your defender or 2) There’s not enough space to stop and pop a short jumper.

Fresno State’s offense calls for Parker and other players to penetrate, pivot and look to teammates moving with the play along the perimeter. Get Parker a floater and he’ll open up more of those passing lanes.

On the same night and in the same city Floyd Mayweather Jr. knocked out Ricky Hatton, UNLV smothered Fresno State early, backed the Bulldogs into the corner and worked their ribs for a 84-71 Fresno State loss.

The Runnin' Rebels defense was far too much for the Bulldogs, who only have one player (Kevin Bell) who can effectively penetrate on a regular basis. Bryan Harvey and Eddie Miller are best when shooting off the dribble or coming off screens. Injured guard Dwight O'Neill was a main cog the Bulldogs really missed tonight.

At halftime, Fresno State is losing 52-25 to UNLV at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
The difference from the beginning has been the Rebels' defense.
The Bulldogs turned it over on their second and third posessions, leading to a 7-2 UNLV lead. They've done it plenty of times since, wilting under the tight defense.
UNLV's defense pressures point guard Kevin Bell in the backcourt and blankets every pass and cut the Bulldogs make in the frontcourt. The defense is pushing the perimeter players to the NBA 3-point line, rather than the collegiate line.
Without guard Dwight O'Neill, the Bulldogs lack a ball handler besides Bell who can handle the pressure at the arc and penetrate effectively.
UNLV is shooting 54.1% to the Bulldogs' 30%.

Here's a story from Las Vegas Review Journal reporter Matt Youmans... The nonconference game might be the third-biggest sporting event of the night, thanks to the WBC welterweight championship fight between
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ricky Hatton at MGM Grand and the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center.

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/12276361.html

Former Fresno State basketball player Eddie Adams, who played under legendary coach Boyd Grant, passed away on Sunday morning.

Adams led the 1977-78 Bulldogs in scoring (14.8 ppg), field goal percentage (.47.6%), free throw percentage (.753%) and rebounds per game (6.1). He later worked as assistant director of human resources at Fresno State.

His service will be held this weekend at the Jesse Cooley Funeral Home in Fresno, located on 1830 S. Fruit. I'll update you with more information as it comes my way...

Freshman Brandon Webster will miss Wednesday's Fresno State game vs. Cal-State Monterey Bay to attend a family funeral in Texas. He will return to the Bulldogs on Friday.

It's bad timing for Webster, who had a shot at earning his best playing time of the season against CS-MB, the Division II team heading to the Save Mart Center.

Fresno State should have little problems with the Otters. They dropped to 1-6 with Saturday's 77-66 loss at Cal Poly Pomona. That should allow coach Steve Cleveland to tinker with several lineups...

It's all set ... Fresno State will play Georgia Tech on Dec. 31 in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. Is this a good matchup for the Bulldogs? What is your prediction?