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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 2005)
University Health Center It's easy. Just go to the UO Health Center at 13th & Agate. But don't miss the deadline. Sign up runs now through October 21. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON Review the details of the plan on our web page: http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu Any questions? Call 346.2832. I Oregon Daily Emerald Justin Kase Conder | Courtesy Fresno State's Bryson Sumlin is coming off a season-ending knee injury he sustained one year ago. Sumlin, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 2003, gained 68 yards on 12 carries against Weber State last week. Ducks focused on containing Bulldog backs Fresno State is seeking its 11 th victory in five years over a BCS-caliber school BY SHAWN MILLER SPORTS EDITOR Their resume is long and distin guished. They command more re spect than any other non-BCS school. And they have 29 wins since 2001, sixth-best in the nation. But don’t tell them that. The Fresno State Bulldogs, the odds on favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference, have a chip on their col lective shoulder and if Oregon isn’t prepared, the Ducks will become the next in a long list of Bulldog victories over major conference opponents. Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti, who has guided the Ducks to three consecutive wins over the Bulldogs, knows the challenge that a Fresno State team brings. “The type of young men they bring in there are tough, physical and feel as if they have something to prove,” Bellotti said. That attitude has enabled the Bull dogs to 10 wins over BCS schools since 2001, the most of any non-BCS school. “This is a physical football team that plays well, that knows how to win, that prides itself on going into other people’s houses and winning games,” Bellotti said. “We have to make sure that we are not a very good host.” The Ducks, who are in the middle of a three-game home stand, are fo cused on shutting down the run. While Fresno State works through a “traditional” offense, the Bulldogs aren’t afraid to run the ball. Running backs Bryson Sumlin and Dwayne Wright have each rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season each, while Wendell Mathis was only five Oregon's Haloti Ngata (96) and Darius Sanders force Montana quarterback Jason Washington to throw the ball away in the end zone. Ngata was credited with the sack and the Ducks scored two points after intentional grounding was called in the endzone. Jonah Schrogin | Designer yards short of 1,000 on the ground. “They are content to run the ball eight or 10 or 11 times in a row,” Bel lotti said. “It has been very efficient, very effective and they are putting up a lot of points.” Sumlin rushed for 1,104 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, while Wright racked up 1,038 in 2003 before a season-ending knee injury sidelined him last year. Mathis, a transfer from UCLA, scored 12 touchdowns and led the WAC with a 6.9 yards per rush av erage last season. “I think we have one of the best groups of running backs in Fresno State history,” head coach Pat Hill said. “As a group, we have a lot of speed and power and I think we have some toughness. Running the foot ball will be important for our success and we have some guys who can really carry the load. ” Thrown into the backfield at times is Clifton Smith, who returned two punts for touchdowns during a 55-17 victory over Weber State last week. Mathis rushed for three touch downs, while quarterback Paul Pine gar was 14 of 18 for 189 yards and two touchdowns. PREVIEW, page 11 Oregon Daily Emerald Newsroom (541 Display Advertising 1541 Classified Advertising (541 346-5511 346-3712 346-4343 Now in its 14th year, Game Day is published every Friday throughout football season and is distributed on campus, at distribution sites around Eugene and at Autzen Stadium the day of home games. Game Day is published by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. The Emerald operates independently of the UO with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. 0230201 Oregon Daily Emerald P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 j www.dailyemerald.corn
