WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS NOTES:
COUGARS SET TO FACE FRESNO STATE IN JIMMY KIMMEL LA BOWL
Washington State heads to Los Angeles to face Fresno State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m., December 17 at SoFi Stadium on ABC.
BOWL HISTORY
Washington State is set to make its seventh straight bowl appearance (not counting 2020) and first in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. The Cougars are 8-9 all-time in bowl games after dropping a 24-21 decision to Central Michigan in the Sun Bowl last season. WSU is 3-1 all-time against Fresno State and are meeting the Bulldogs for the first time since 1994.
ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE
Washington State enters the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl with a 7-5 overall record including a 4-5 mark in Pac-12 Conference play. The Cougars enter bowl game third in the Pac-12 with 74 tackles-for-loss, 29 sacks and 22.3 points allowed per game while the offense leads the Pac-12 in red zone scoring (91%, 43-47). Running back Nakia Watson is fifth in the Pac-12 with 12 total touchdowns, linebacker Daiyan Henley is second in the league with 106 tackles and EDGE Brennan Jackson is fifth with 11 tackles-for-loss. Jake Dickert served as WSU’s interim head coach the final five games of last season, is in his first full season the Cougars’ head coach (10-8 career record).
COUGAR QUICK GAME
TEAM
• WSU is headed to a bowl for the 7th straight season (non COVID), seeking first 8-win season since 2018 (11-2)
• WSU’s roster features 20 players from southern California • WSU is set to make its first appearance on ABC since 2007 • WSU is third in the Pac-12 with 74 tackles-for-loss and fourth with 29 sacks, both marks are most since 2018 • WSU’s 52-14 win at Stanford was its 6th straight win over the Cardinal and the most points scored in series history • WSU’s Sept. 24 game against No. 15 Oregon was WSU’s first sellout of Gesa Field since 2019 (Stanford) • WSU had 10 players earn All-Pac-12 honors
INDIVIDUAL (Player Notes Pages 10-21)
• LB Daiyan Henley is 2nd in the Pac-12 in tackles (106) and 3rd in tackles-for-loss (12)… Henley was named to College Football News All-American 2nd Team, AP Midseason All-American, Lott IMPACT Trophy Quarterfinalist, Butkus Award Finalist and All-Pac-12 First Team…accepted invite to Reece’s Senior Bowl • EDGE Brennan Jackson is tied for 5th in the Pac-12 in tackles-for-loss (11) and tied for 7th in sacks (5) • QB Cameron Ward enters the week 2nd in the Pac-12 in completions (298), has 5 games with a rush TD and pass TD • S Jaden Hicks was named to the Freshman All-America Third Team by College Football News, 3 double-digit tackle games, leads all Pac-12 freshmen in tackles (69) • RB Nakia Watson rushed for 166 yards at Stanford, most since Dwight Tardy in 2007 (214, UCLA), and 116 yards against ASU…1st Coug with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Jerome Harrison in 2005 • WR Renard Bell caught a 37-yard TD against Cal, No. 18 TD reception of his career, 10th-most rec TD in WSU history
HENLEY NAMED FIRST TEAM, 10 EARN ALL-PAC-12 ACCOLADES
Ten Washington State football players earned 2022 All-Pac-12 Conference honors, including linebacker Daiyan Henley who earned first-team honors. Henley was named to the first team and also to the second team as an all-purpose/special teams player while edge’s Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson joined Henley on the second team. Seven players earned honorable mention; punt returner Robert Ferrel, punter Nick Haberer, left tackle Jarrett Kingston, defensive back Armani Marsh, cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, quarterback Cameron Ward and running back Nakia Watson.
DAIYAN HENLEY NAMED BUTKUS AWARD FINALIST
Linebacker Daiyan Henley was one of five players named a finalist for the 2022 Butkus Award. The Butkus Award is presented annually to the best linebacker in college football. Henley is the only finalist from the Pac-12 Conference and is the first Cougar linebacker named a Butkus Award finalist in program history. In his first season at WSU, Henley is the first Cougar linebacker to earn All-Pac-12 first-team honors since Will Derting in 2003 and was named to the College Football News All-American Second Team. Henley, a graduate transfer from Nevada, enters the LA Bowl second in the Pac-12 with 106 tackles, third with 12 tackles-for-loss, tied for the league lead with three forced fumbles, recovered two fumbles and picked off one pass. The Los Angeles native owns five double-digit tackle games this season including game-highs of 11 at No. 6 USC, 13 at Oregon State, 12 against No. 14 Utah and 10 against Arizona State. According to Pro Football Focus College, Henley owns the Pac-12’s second-best overall defensive grade by a Pac-12 LB and second-best LB tackling grade in the country.
HICKS NAMED FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
Redshirt-freshman safety Jaden Hicks was named to the Freshman All-America Third Team by College Football News. Hicks is WSU’s second Freshman All-American in as many seasons after punter Nick Haberer earned the honor last season and is the first Cougar defensive player to earn freshman All-America accolades since safety Jalen Thompson in 2016. Hicks enters the LA Bowl second on the team with 69 tackles, the most among Pac-12 freshmen defenders, along with two tacklesfor-loss, one sack, four pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown. The Las Vegas native recorded a sack in the season-opening win over Idaho, made three stops in the win at No. 19 Wisconsin and recorded 10 tackles along with an interception in his first career start in the win over Colorado State. Hicks followed with 11 tackles against No. 15 Oregon, 11 more in the win over California, eight against No. 14 Utah and was named Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Week after making six tackles and returning a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown in the win at Stanford.
COLLEGE GAMEDAY RECORD
Dating back to the middle of the 2003 season, ESPN College GameDay has had the WSU flag appear throughout the show. The streak reached 287 after appearing at the Big 12 Championship Game. The first appearance came in Austin, Texas (10/4/03) and the streak began two weeks later in Madison, Wisc. (10/18/03). Two flags – Ol’ Crimson and Gray – have been flown in the background of the GameDay set by dozens of friends and alumni. The Gray flag was added in 2014 after Whitey was retired in honor of Steve Gleason’s “No White Flags.” Appearance No. 217 was its first in Pullman (10/20/18), a 34-20 win over Oregon.
COUGAR DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY
- WSU enters the week third in the Pac-12 with 74 tackles-for-loss, 29 sacks and scoring (22.3)
- WSU enters the week tied for third in the Pac-12 with 21 takeaways and 12 interceptions
- Daiyan Henley is 2nd in the Pac-12 in tackles (106), third in tackles-for-loss (12)
- Brennan Jackson is tied for fifth in the Pac-12 in tackles-for-loss (11), tied for 8th in sacks (5)
- Jaden Hicks leads Pac-12 freshmen in tackles (69), named to Freshman All-America Third Team
- WSU recorded 12 tackles-for-loss in the win over Idaho, the most since 2015 (14, Wyoming)
- WSU made seven sacks in the win over Colorado State, tied for the seventh-most in WSU singlegame history and most since 2017 (8, at Utah)
- WSU shutout Colorado State in the first half, WSU’s first 1st-half shutout since 2018 (Oregon, 27-0)
- Francisco Mauigoa’s 95-yard INT return against No. 15 Oregon was 2nd-longest INT return in WSU history (Will Derting, 98 yds, Nevada, 2002)
- WSU held Cal running back Jaydn Ott to 69 rush yards, entered game 115.8 rushing yard/g
- WSU held USC quarterback Caleb Williams to 15-of-29 passing and 188 yds
- WSU’s four fumble recoveries at Stanford were the most takeways since tallying five in last year’s Apple Cup, the most fumble recoveries since recovering four against Northern Colorado in 2019
- WSU recorded four sacks against ASU for the fourth time in 2022
- WSU picked off Arizona four times, the most INT since 2021 Apple Cup (4)
RETURN OF THE AIR RAID, COUG RAID
The Coug Raid offense features a couple familiar faces who are back in Pullman after coaching with Mike Leach’s Air Raid. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Eric Morris returns after coaching the inside receivers for WSU in 2012, Leach’s first season in Pullman while Clay McGuire returns for his second stint as the Cougars’ offensive line coach (2012-17) and Joel Filani returns to coach the wide receivers after working the 2015 season at WSU in an offensive quality control position.
- WSU leads the Pac-12 in red zone scoring (43-47, 91%), No.10 in the country
- In the win at No. 19 Wisconsin, 7 players caught a pass, Nakia Watson had a rush TD and rec TD
- Against No. 15 Oregon, Cameron Ward threw for 375 yards and completed passes to 10 different players
- TE Andre Dollar started against Oregon, first WSU TE to start since Andre Lintz in 2011 Apple Cup
- TE Billy Riviere III caught his 1st career TD against Cal, WSU’s first TD by a TE since Andre Lintz (2011, UNLV)
- at No. 6 USC, RB Jaylen Jenkins set season-high in rush yards (130), WSU’s 1st 100-yard rushing game by a TRUE freshman since 2005 (105, DeMaundray Woolridge, vs. Grambling State in Seattle)
- WSU’s 52 points at Stanford were the most scored in a conference game since 54 against Oregon State in 2019, most in a road conference game since scoring 56 at Oregon State in 2018
- WSU’s 306 rushing yards at Stanford were the most since rushing for 344 against Idaho in 2006
- WSU’s 514 yards of total offense at Stanford was a season-high and most since 2019 against Oregon State (641)
- WSU’s 52 points at Stanford were the most scored against Stanford in series history
- RB Nakia Watson rushed for 116 yards against ASU, the first Coug with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Jerome Harrison in 2005
- In win at Arizona, Ward rushed for a season-high 59 yards including a 17-yard touchdown, the most rushing yards by a Coug QB since Jeff Tuel rushed for 79 yards in the win at Oregon State in 2010
SPECIAL TEAMS MAKING THEIR MARK
- Nick Haberer leads Pac-12 with 27 punts fair caught, hang time (4.14), 2nd with 19 punts inside 20
- Renard Bell had a 73-yard kick return at Wisconsin, Robert Ferrel had 34-yard punt return vs. Cal
- Robert Ferrel has 3 punt returns of 20+yards; 34 – CAL, 27 – OSU, 21 – STAN, tied for 2nd in Pac-12 in punt return (10.7)
WELCOME BACK RENARD
The 2022 Cougar wide receiver core is led by a familiar face, graduate senior Renard Bell, 24, who returned for his seventh season in Pullman after missing last year with a knee injury. The Los Angeles native, who redshirted the 2016 season, owns an impressive resume.
- had 3-yard TD catch against Idaho, had 73-yard kickoff return in win at No. 19 Wisconsin week 2
- had 6 rec for 84 yards against No. 15 Oregon, 8 catches for 115 rec yards, 37-yard TD in win over Cal
- 174 career receptions, 3 away from breaking into WSU Top-10
- 18 career TD receptions, tied for 10th in WSU history for career TD rec
- 6 career 100-yard games
- 50 career games played including 37 career starts, 32 career wins
- has caught a pass from 9 different Cougar QB’s (Luke Falk, Tyler Hilinski, Gardner Minshew II, Anthony Gordon, Gage Gubrud, Jayden de Laura, Gunner Cruz, Cammon Cooper, Cameron Ward)
CAMERON WARD PUTTING UP THE NUMBERS
Quarterback Cameron Ward transferred to Washington State this past January after two recordsetting seasons at Incarnate Word in Texas. The sophomore from West Columbia, Texas won the Jerry Rice Award following the 2020 season, the award given to the most outstanding freshman player in FCS football after setting UIW single-season records with 2,260 yards and 24 touchdowns in just six games. Last season at UIW, Ward was named an FCS second-team All-American, the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Award Finalist (give to the
most outstanding offensive player in FCS) after leading UIW to a 10-3 record with school records of 4,648 passing yards, 47 touchdown passes and 357.5 passing yards-per-game. Ward was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, given to the most outstanding player in college football and The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, given to the top offensive player in Division I football either born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School.
- Ward threw for 299 yards and 4 TD passes vs. Colorado State, 12th career game with 4+ passing TD
- Ward was the fourth Cougar quarterback to win his first three WSU starts since 1976; Chad Davis (1994), Steve Birnbaum (1998), Anthony Gordon (2019)
- Against No. 15 Oregon, Ward set season-highs with 37 completions and 375 passing yards, rush TD
- In win over Cal, threw for 343 yards and three TD (17, 37, 1) in win over Cal
- Against No. 14 Utah, completed 27-of-32 passes, 87.0 comp. pct tied for 2nd-best in WSU history
- In the Apple Cup, Ward had 322 pass yards, 4th 300-yard game in 2022, had 2 pass TD, 1 rush TD
- 5 games this season with rush TD and pass TD
NEW COUGS MAKE THEIR DEBUTS
- 27 players have made their WSU Debuts including 17 who made their collegiate debuts
- 7 true freshmen have played; TE Andre Dollar, RB Jaylen Jenkins, CB Javan Robinson, WR Leyton Smithson, QB John Mateer, OL Zack Miller, RB Djouvensky Schlenbaker
JAKE DICKERT JOINS ELITE GROUP WITH WIN AT NO. 19 WISCONSIN
With the win at No. 19 Wisconsin:
- Jake Dickert became 1 of 4 WSU head coaches to beat a ranked team in his 1st full season
- WSU recorded its 1st win over a ranked team and 1st nonconference road win over a ranked team since beating No. 25 Iowa State in the 2018 Alamo Bowl
- WSU recorded its 1st TRUE road win over a ranked team since at No. 24 Stanford in 2018
- WSU recorded its 1st nonconference TRUE road win over a ranked team since beating No. 17 Colorado in 2003
- WSU recorded its 1st win over a Big Ten Conference team since beating Rutgers 37-34 in 2015
- Jake Dickert became the ninth WSU head coach to start his 1st full season 3-0, first since Mike Price 1989
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS NOTES:
NEW COUGS MAKE THEIR DEBUTS
- 27 players have made their WSU Debuts including 17 who made their collegiate debuts
- 7 true freshmen have played; TE Andre Dollar, RB Jaylen Jenkins, CB Javan Robinson, WR Leyton
Smithson, QB John Mateer, OL Zack Miller, RB Djouvensky Schlenbaker
JAKE DICKERT JOINS ELITE GROUP WITH WIN AT NO. 19 WISCONSIN
With the win at No. 19 Wisconsin:
- Jake Dickert became 1 of 4 WSU head coaches to beat a ranked team in his 1st full season
- WSU recorded its 1st win over a ranked team and 1st nonconference road win over a ranked team since beating No. 25 Iowa State in the 2018 Alamo Bowl
- WSU recorded its 1st TRUE road win over a ranked team since at No. 24 Stanford in 2018
- WSU recorded its 1st nonconference TRUE road win over a ranked team since beating No. 17 Colorado in 2003
- WSU recorded its 1st win over a Big Ten Conference team since beating Rutgers 37-34 in 2015
- Jake Dickert became the ninth WSU head coach to start his 1st full season 3-0, first since Mike Price 1989
THE BONES
• The 2022 Fresno State football team will go down in the history books as the team responsible for the best single-season turnaround in program history. The Bulldogs opened the season going 1-4, winning their season opener and losing the next four-in-a-row. Oct. 8 at Boise State was Fresno State’s last loss of the season. Since then, the Bulldogs have won eight-straight games – including a Mountain West
Championship title.
• Around the FBS, no team has ever had a 1-4 record through the first five games and flipped the script to have a 10-win season that year. With a chance at a 10-win season still ahead of it in 2022, Fresno State and Jeff Tedford have yet another chance to make FBS history.
• In the 101-year history of the program, Fresno State has had 12 double-digit winning seasons, with its last one (10-3) being just a year ago in 2021.
• With a 10-win season in 2022, Tedford would have the second-most 10-win seasons as head coach at Fresno State. Jim Sweeney (1976-96) has the most among all Bulldog head coaches with five 10-win seasons in his tenure.
• In six games since his return from injury, quarterback Jake Haener has played arguably the best and most-accurate football of his career.
• In his last six games, Haener has completed 153-of-209 pass attempts, throwing just two interceptions to 14 touchdowns. The senior QB has totaled 1,762 yards in that span, tossing a 300-yard game in the first four performances since his return. He is passing at a 75 percent clip since Oct. 29.
• Fresno State senior quarterback Jake Haener accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl following the conclusion of the Mountain West Championship Game on Dec. 3.
• For the first time since 2014, Fresno State has had a rusher and a receiver have 1,000 yards in their respective categories. Jordan Mims (RB) and Jalen Moreno-Cropper (WR) became the first duo since Marteze Waller (RB) and Josh Harper (WR) to do it together in a Bulldog uniform.
• Lockridge was named the MW Championship Game Defensive MVP after two key interceptions, that turned to points for the Bulldogs. Lockridge, a first-year Bulldog and a transfer from Hawai’i, is the leading tackler among all Bulldog cornerbacks. He has 36 tackles (24 solo) and 2.0 tackles for loss. Most impressively, Lockridge leads the team with five interceptions, returned for 100 yards with one returned for a touchdown. He adds nine broken up passes on the year.
• With five interceptions this season, Lockridge has the most picks in a single season by a Bulldog since Derron Smith had seven in 2013. Lockridge returned an interception for a touchdown against his former team Hawai’i (Nov. 5). It was the first time Fresno State had an INT returned for a TD since 2019.
• Fresno State’s special teams unit has improved from the 48th best special teams unit in 2021 to the 10th best in 2022 (according to FootballOutsiders.com).
• Fresno State leads the FBS in punt returns. In addition to punt returns, Fresno State is Top 20 in the FBS in blocked kicks (No. 19) and blocked punts (No. 13). The Bulldogs are No. 22 in the FBS in kickoff returns.
IF THE ‘DOGS WIN
• Fresno State would win its 10th game of the season, marking the program’s 12th 10-win season in program history.
• Fresno State would extend its winning streak to nine-straight games.
• Fresno State would become the first team in the FBS to start the season 1-4, and earn 10 wins in the same season.
• Fresno State would pick up its 31st bowl game victory all-time.
• Fresno State would win its fourth-straight bowl game.
• Fresno State would earn its first victory over a Pac-12 opponent this season.
THE COUGARS
SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE
Washington State finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall record, and a 4-5 record in Pac-12 play. The Cougars opened the season with three-straight wins, defeating Idaho, then-No. 19 Wisconsin, and Colorado State to kickoff 2022. Washington State’s first loss of the season was a narrow 44-41 high-scoring affair at then-No. 15 Oregon on Sept. 24. Ten Washington State football players earned 2022 All-Pac-12 Conference honors, including linebacker Daiyan Henley, a transfer from MW foe Nevada, who earned first-team honors. Henley was named to the first team and also to the second team as an all-purpose/special teams player while edge’s Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson joined Henley on the second team. Seven players earned honorable mention; punt returner Robert Ferrel, punter Nick Haberer, left tackle Jarrett Kingston, defensive back Armani Marsh, cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, quarterback Cameron Ward and running back Nakia Watson. Washington State is coached by first-year head coach Jake Dickert. He was named head coach of the program on Nov. 27, 2021. Dickert spent the final five games of the regular season in 2021 serving as the Cougar’s acting head coach, leading WSU to a 3-2 record with wins over Arizona State, Arizona and a dominating 40-13 Apple Cup victory in Seattle before WSU earned a trip to the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl. The Apple Cup win snapped a seven-game skid to Washington and was WSU’s largest margin of victory in series history. Entering the 2021 season, Dickert was in his second year as WSU’s defensive coordinator and lineback- ers coach.
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE COUGARS
Fresno State and Washington State have met four times prior to Saturday’s matchup, but the last meeting was in 1994. Washington State leads the series, 3-1. The lone Fresno State victory was a 34-30 win on Sept. 14, 1991. The first meeting between the teams was in 1987.
The teams have never met in a neutral setting.
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPS!
Fresno State won its fourth Mountain West Championship with a 28-16 win over Boise State on the road on Dec. 3, 2022. With the win over Boise State, the Bulldogs claimed their second MW title in five years and their second under head coach Jeff Tedford (2018 & 2022). Fresno State has won just three contests against Boise State on their home turf. Two of those wins were the 2018 and 2022 championship games, the third being in 1984. Fresno State has won the Mountain West Championship title now in 2012, 2013, 2018, and 2022.
GOT THAT REDEMPTION
Fresno State went into the championship game week with a chip on its shoulder, game-planning for an opponent in Boise State that it lost 40-20 to on the road on Oct. 8. That game in October saw a Fresno State team that was plagued with injuries, playing without starters Jake Haener (QB), Evan Williams (DB) and Cam Lockridge (DB). The Bulldogs were a different team heading into the Dec. 3 matchup for the title as all three starters were active, and turned into key players for the championship win.
FRESNO STATE VS THE PAC-12
Fresno State is 28-48 all-time against current members of the Pac-12. The Bulldogs faced Pac-12 opponents in back-to-back weeks earlier this year, first hosting Oregon State on Sept. 10 before traveling to then-No. 7 USC for a Sept. 17 matchup. It was the first time since 2014 that the ‘Dogs have had two Pac-12 opponents lined up in a row. That season, the ‘Dogs opened the year at then-No. 15 USC and traveled to Utah for Week 2. With Fresno State playing Washington State this weekend, it will be the first time that Fresno State has faced three Pac-12 teams in one season.
• Six players on the current roster had previous stops at a Pac-12 school – three on both sides of the ball.
TALK ABOUT A TURNAROUND
The 2022 Fresno State football team will go down in the history books as the team responsible for the best single-season turnaround in program history. The Bulldogs opened the season going 1-4, winning their season opener and losing the next four-in-a-row. Oct. 8 at Boise State was Fresno State’s last loss of the season. Since then, the Bulldogs have won eight-straight games – including a Mountain West Championship title.
Around the FBS, no team has ever had a 1-4 record through the first five games and flipped the script to have a 10-win season that year. With a chance at a 10-win season still ahead of it in 2022, Fresno State and Jeff Tedford have yet another chance to make FBS history.
10 WIN SEASONS
In the 101-year history of the program, Fresno State has had 12 double-digit winning seasons, with its last one (10-3) being just a year ago in 2021. Fresno State has had double-digit win seasons in back-to-back years on two occasions – 1988 and 1989, and 2017 and 2018. Head coach Jeff Tedford is responsible for both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, with the chance at coaching the Bulldogs to their third 10-win season under him in four years as the head coach. With a 10-win season in 2022, Tedford would have the second-most 10-win seasons as head coach at Fresno State. Jim Sweeney (1976-96) has the most among all Bulldog head coaches with five 10-win seasons in his tenure. Tedford is responsible for coaching the winningest season in program history as he led Fresno State to a 12-2 record in 2018 (MW Champions and Las Vegas Bowl Champions).
WEST DIVISION CHAMPS!
With its 41-14 win at Nevada on Nov. 19, Fresno State clinched its West Division title and a berth to the Mountain West Championship Game. With its West Division title now secure, Fresno State has officially won the most West Division titles among all schools in the division. The Bulldogs have won their division in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and now in 2022. Fresno State was picked to win the west division by the media, receiving 20 first place votes in the 2022 predicted order of finish from July.
WE’RE BOWLING
Fresno State’s win against Hawai’i (Nov. 5) meant that the team earned bowl eligibility. Fresno State is eligible for a postseason bowl game for the second time in as many seasons, marking the first time since 2017 and 2018 that Fresno State has made a bowl game in back to back seasons. With a bowl game appearance this year, Fresno State would play in its 31st bowl game. Last season, the Bulldogs played in the PUBG Mobile New Mexico Bowl, and defeated UTEP 31-24. The Bulldogs were led offensively by running back Jordan Mims who finished with 165 yards rushing and two touchdowns, with an additional 71 yards and one touchdown receiving. Mims was named the bowl game’s offensive most valuable
player. Defensively, Elijah Gates was named the game’s defensive most valuable player with seven tackles and an interception.
BACKGROUND ON THE JIMMY KIMMEL LA BOWL
In June 2021, SoFi Stadium and Jimmy Kimmel entered into an unprecedented multi-year partnership to appoint the late-night host the official naming rights partner of LA Bowl, renaming the inaugural collegiate bowl game the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. Held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will feature Mountain West’s No. 1 selection versus Pac-12’s No. 5 selection. “Stan Kroenke designed Hollywood Park to be a sports and entertainment destination for Angelenos and visitors from across the world to enjoy. We cannot think of a better way to bring sports and entertainment together than by collaborating with celebrated late-night host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel on our collegiate bowl game,” said Jason Gannon, executive director, Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. “Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will not only bring an incredible game day experience to fans, but it will also focus on supporting our community 365 days a year.” “Never before has a bowl game been named after a human being (as far as I know, I didn’t check). On December 18 [2021], my dream of being forever enshrined alongside orange, rose, cotton and peach comes true,” said Jimmy Kimmel. The bowl game is committed to working with Inglewood’s One For All to support youth through social programs that emphasize the importance of personal growth and community involvement. Similarly, Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will continue to work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of LA Harbor and LA Metro by helping to end food insecurity in those communities. The 2021 version of the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl was the first collegiate football game at SoFi Stadium. Celebrating the legacy of college football in Los Angeles through extraordinary game-day experiences that focus on premium hospitality, Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will bring the diverse community of Los Angeles together, and with its partners, will create a number of immersive events and activities leading up to and on game day.
BIT BY THE INJURY BUG
It has been a tough go for the Bulldogs this season as it seems like everything is going against the program in every way possible. At USC on Sept. 17, the Bulldogs lost significant production to injury of key players. Since that week, Fresno State has not caught a break with the caliber of players that are suffering injuries this season, seeing players out for games on a weekto-week basis, or other players suiting up for limited action in games.
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