Athlon Sports revealed its preseason All-Mountain West football roster on Thursday, highlighting 14 Bulldogs among the elite selections for the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs’ first team selections were junior Mikey Keene (QB), senior Malik Sherrod (RB), senior Mose Vavao (OL), and senior Devo Bridges (DL). Sherrod also received recognition as an all-purpose player on the first team.

Fresno State had the most selections on the second team, with offense picks sophomore Jalen Moss (WR), senior Jacob Spomer (OL), and senior Braylen Nelson (OL). Senior Malachi Langley (LB) and senior Cam Lockridge (CB) were chosen for the defense, while junior Dylan Lynch (K) was a special teams pick.

USC transfer redshirt junior Korey Foreman (DL) and junior Al’zillion Hamilton (CB) were third team defense picks. Sherrod was again recognized, this time as a third team kickoff returner.

Seniors Mac Dalena (WR) and Dean Clark (S) rounded out the Bulldog picks on the fourth team.

Related Story: Fresno State Football Welcomes Six Transfers to the Roster

Fresno State’s Performance in the 2023 Season

Fresno State concluded the 2023 season with a 9-4 overall record and a victory over New Mexico State in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl.

The Bulldogs will kick off the 2024 season at Michigan on Aug. 31. The 2024 opener will mark the first time in the CFP era that the Bulldogs will face a defending national champion. The last time the Bulldogs faced the defending national champion was a 2005 matchup with USC.

Fresno State last faced the defending national champion in the season opener in 1927, playing at Stanford on Sept. 17, 1927. Stanford was the 1926 co-national champion, along with Alabama.

Looking Ahead to the 2024 Season

The Bulldogs will return 14 total starters for 2024: Eight on offense, five on defense, and one specialist. They were ranked in the AP Top 25 three times in 2023, marking the third consecutive season with at least one appearance in the poll. They have a solid foundation leading into the 2024 campaign.

They’ve been active during the offseason. During spring ball, the offense has been focusing on becoming more explosive, while the defense continues to build on a stout unit, with the help of USC transfer Korey Foreman. They also added six transfer players to the roster this past May.

Tickets for the game at Michigan are now on sale and can be purchased here.