Critical game for football team

November 20, 1992
Originally published by The Daily Collegian (Fresno State)

Fresno State at San Diego State. Saturday, Nov. 21, 1992, 12:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Jack Murphy Stadium.

Bulldog devotees, mark that in your scrapbook. This is the first big time football game--for big stakes and a bowl berth. The Bulldogs have arrived, ready or not.

The Bulldogs (6-4 and 4-2 in the WAC), are only a half game out of first going into Saturday's tilt with the Aztecs. Most "experts" picked the Bulldogs to finish a distant fourth, and snorted. Who's laughing now? With their backs to the wall, they put on a three-game winning streak to jump back into contention.

To gain a Holiday Bowl berth, the 'Dogs have to win the last two games and have BYU and Hawaii lose Saturday. But FSU is on the panel for a Freedom Bowl, and maybe a Cotton Bowl.

San Diego State will be out to wrap up their second WAC championship and berth in the Holiday Bowl. A win would mean their fourth straight winning season under head coach Al Luginbill.

In four years he has taken a sickly program that had had only one winning season in the previous six into a prominent national team featuring Heisman candidate superback Marshall Faulk.

He said recruiting has helped him build the program.

Head coach Jim Sweeney said he hated to call it the biggest game in the history of FSU.

"It's probably the biggest game," Sweeney said. "It has historical meaning. This is a landmark trip."

Sweeney said the week off has helped his team enormously, healthwise and in preparation for the game.

"All of our guys have been battling the flu. I'm glad we didn't play last week," he said. "Two weeks to prepare for San Diego State (was) awesome. Our game plan was done last week."

It will be Marshall Faulk against the FSU high-powered defense.

Faulk, everybody's choice for the Heisman (or should be), is the ultimate weapon. He has 1,609 yards rushing on the season. Faulk comes up big when it counts. He rushed for 300 yards last week in a win against Hawaii.

In two seasons, Faulk has already rushed for over 3,000 yards--3,038 to be exact. Opponents don't stop him, they can only hope to slow him down.

Luginbill was asked how he would slow his back down and he wasn't forthcoming with any answers.

"Why should I tell you guys?", he said.

Sweeney hopes Faulk sees the ball a lot as opposed to spreading his defense and letting David Lowery loose.

"I don't think you single tackle him, you gang tackle him," Sweeney said.

Nose guard Zack Rix, who may see time at middle linebacker, praised Faulk.

"He's a good player. On film he's fast and explosive. Every word describes that guy," Rix said.

Lowery, the Aztecs signalcaller, ranks sixth on their all-time list and threw three TD passes last week to help put the silencer on Hawaii, 52-28.

The Aztecs also have the big-play gamebreakers in their receivers. Darnay Scott, DeAndre Maxwell, and Keith Williams lead this group.

Scott, a sophomore, is the most notable of the bunch. The local San Diegan had seven catches for 132 yards and a TD last week. He now has five 100-yard receiving games in '92, and 55 catches and seven TD's on the season. Scott is also a lethal kick returner (8th in the nation.)

The Bulldogs, however, will have a much easier time with the ball in their hands. They are scoring 39.8 points a game. Trent Dilfer is arguably the best quarterback in the WAC with the livest arm.

"He's the best quarterback in the West, in my opinion, Luginbill said. "He's got tremendous confidence and poise."

Malcolm Seabron has caught a TD pass in eight of FSU's last nine games. He ranks second in the nation in average yards a catch with 23.6.

Lorenzo Neal, to no one's surprise, has a shot to win the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. He is spearheading the Bulldogs' rushing attack with 784 yards in '92. Neal is fourth on the FSU rushing list with 2,201 yards, has nine TD's this year, and can catch passes--in 22 straight games.

Ron Rivers and Anthony Daigle aren't far behind. Rivers is second with 651 yards and five TD's; Daigle leads the Bulldogs with 13 six-pointers and has 534 yards on the year.

The Bulldogs are 43 of 46 inside the "red zone"--the opponents' 20-yard line. The Dogs have cleared 40 points six times this year.

Luginbill is worried about the Bulldog offense.

"They are the best offensive team we'll play. We've played UCLA, BYU and they're a cut above," Luginbill said. "They remind me of the 1981 Arizona State team. This will be a tremendous challenge trying to stay with these people, let alone winning the game."

So, expect this to be a high-scoring, thrill-a-minute contest.

ESPN named its' All-Name Team Thursday afternoon. Tight end Odieus Pines was on it.