With the 2023 college football season entering its final weeks, Saturday's matchup between Fresno State and Boise State carried weight for both teams. The Milk Can trophy was on the line, as well as significantly improved odds to make the Mountain West football championship.
8-1 Fresno State's win on Saturday gave them both, now second place in the league with three games remaining and tiebreaker wins over both Boise State and UNLV for the Bulldogs.
The story of how this one unfolded came down to a few key factors.
One word. Three letters. HIM.@MalikSherrod | CBSSN pic.twitter.com/CeMX1tju4P
— Fresno State Football (@FresnoStateFB) November 5, 2023
Running back Malik Sherrod made a substantial impact all over this game.
Sherrod ended his night with a career high 132 rushing yards alongside a rushing touchdown. Sherrod also returned a kickoff for a touchdown at the very end of the first half. He also had four receptions for 28 yards.
The Bulldogs have not lost a home game since September 10 of 2022. They'll have one more home game this regular season, along with two road games within the state of California. In a game that was incredibly close in terms of points, yardage, and time of possession, the Bulldogs needed every small advantage that they could get.
Mikey Keene has worked through several injuries this season to help Fresno State get to this point. His right leg was heavily taped, and he was visibly limping at points in the game as well as clutching his shoulder in pain towards the end of the game. Nevertheless, Keene completed 24 passes on 38 attempts for 290 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Credit is due to Keene's offensive line as well, who allowed him to be sacked just once in this game. With 63% completion tonight, Keene has completed at least 59% of his passes in every game this year.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!