The inexplicable loss at home to Hawai’i last Saturday ended the Fresno State football team’s Mountain West championship hopes. Now a big question hangs over the program and its fan base:  What are the Bulldogs playing for as they head to Colorado to take on Air Force?

Coach Tim Skipper’s answer?

“The season is a full body of work. We still have four games left. The season isn’t over, we still have a chance to win nine games, and we’re going to keep on working and get a win this Saturday,” said Skipper at Monday’s press conference.

Players such as linebacker Phoenix Jackson, quarterback Joshua Wood, and defensive end Korey Foreman offer another motivation — it’s all about pride.

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Defense Shines Amid Offensive Struggles

The defense can hold its head high as it’s is one of the best in the conference and are ranks No. 9 in the FBS in turnover gained. Cornerbacks Cam Lockridge and Al’zillion Hamilton along with Foreman are ranked in the top 10 in the country in different defensive categories.

Last week’s crushing defeat was illuminative of the Bulldogs’ 5-4 season. Jackson got the only offensive points in the second half by returning an interception for a touchdown. And then he forced a fumble to set up the Bulldogs to seal a victory only to see Hawai’i fly out of town with the victory.

That’s been the storyline. The defense puts the team in a position to win and the offense doesn’t deliver. Frustration must arise when one side of the ball is putting it together while the other side stumbles.

“We’re just disappointed as a team that we lost. Our job is to make those stops and get the ball back. We did some good things and things we wish we would’ve done better. We got to get those things fixed before we move on to the next game,” said defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle.

Offensive Woes and Coaching Accountability

Disappointment is putting it mildly. The Red Wave has been pointing the finger at quarterback Mikey Keene for the team’s offensive woes. On paper with his 10 interceptions, it’s understandable why he’d receive the brunt of the blame. But it shouldn’t fall just on him.

Even with offensive lineman Jacob Spomer suiting up after dealing with an injury that has sidelined him for most of the season, he did little to help kickstart a struggling running game. The Bulldogs’ offensive line has seen six different starting lineup rotations in nine games. That’s tied with three other teams for the most among FBS programs.

Offensive coordinator Pat McCann must shoulder some of the blame for the Bulldogs’ inability to move the football. In fact, the Bulldogs are ranked No. 122 in fourth quarter scoring.

“The formula for us is if we can hit 50 rush attempts and completions combined, we’ll win the game. That’s why we continue to emphasize running the ball,” said McCann. “We’re at our best when we are playing with good pace and up tempo. To play complementary football, we’ve got to make sure we are efficient in the run game and completing passes.”

Why isn’t it translating on the field? At times in the year McCann was calling deep ball plays, taking chances, and the running game was showing signs of life for a two-week period. All that was absent against Hawai’i.

Wood believes it comes down to execution. That’s true, but when the coordinator is calling plays to not lose, no matter how the execution plays out, that doesn’t equate to championship caliber football.

Crucial Game Against Air Force

They need this win against the Falcons to salvage their season. It’s their final conference road test. Air Force is riding a three-game winning streak against Fresno State, but with a 1-7 record, most pundits believe the Bulldogs will win. Inconsistent play from the offense leaves The Red Wave doubting if they can pull it off as they’ve lost to teams they should’ve beaten.

With a win on Saturday, Fresno State would become bowl eligible for the fourth straight season.

“We’re about proving ourselves. After the shade has shined down on us are we going to seek sun light or continue to stay in the shade? That’ll be a really big teller by the end of the season,” said Foreman.

Key Players to Watch for Fresno State

Offense: Sophomore quarterback Joshua Wood, No. 3

Even though he’s a backup to Mikey Keene, whenever Wood steps onto the field for specialty plays, he often scores touchdowns with his feet or gains positive yards to keep the chains moving. He has four rushing touchdowns on the year.

“We’re going to be explosive and put up as many points as we can against Air Force every time we step on the field. We’re going to go out there and make plays,” said Wood.

Defense: Junior linebacker Phoenix Jackson, No. 7

Jackson probably had the highlight of the season with his first career pick-6, returning an interception 89 yards for the touchdown against Hawai’i. He also forced a fumble and his performance earned him Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

“We’re going to have a dominant performance this Saturday. One that leaves no doubt and we’re going show the country once again why we’re the best defense in the country,” said Jackson.

Key Players to Watch for Air Force

Offense: Senior wide receiver Cade Harris, No. 21

Harris leads the team in rushing with 224 yards and receiving with 221 yards.

Defense: Senior defensive back Camby Goff, No. 11

Goff has 47 tackles on the year and in 2022 was a conference honorable mention.

Mountain West Football Matchups

All games will be played on Saturday, Nov. 9, (except New Mexico vs. San Diego State) and broadcast times are Pacific.

Nevada (3-7) at Boise State (7-1)

Game Starts: 6 p.m.; Broadcast: Fox. Analysts predict the No. 12 ranked Broncos will beat the Wolf Pack. Boise State is riding a six-game winning streak with Heisman Trophy hopeful running back Ashton Jeanty. They lead the series 31-14 and have won 17 of the past 19 meetings.

UNLV (6-2) at Hawai‘i (4-5)

Game Starts: 6 p.m.; Broadcast: CBSSN. Analysts predict the Rebels will beat the Rainbow Warriors. Their rivalry is called the Ninth Island Showdown and Hawai’i leads the overall series 19-14.

New Mexico (3-6) at San Diego State (3-5)

The game is on Friday. Game Starts: 7:30 p.m.; Broadcast: FS1. Analysts predict the Aztecs will beat the Lobos. This will be the 45th meeting between both teams, with San Diego State leading the series 29-15, winning the last nine games.

San José State (5-3) at Oregon State (4-4)

Game Starts: 12:30 p.m.; Broadcast: The CW Network. Analysts predict the Beavers will beat the Spartans. The teams are meeting for the second consecutive season and eighth time overall with OSU leading the series 5-2.

Utah State (2-6) at Washington State (7-1)

Game Starts: 7:30 p.m.; Broadcast: The CW Network. Analysts predict the No. 20 Cougars will beat the Aggies. The programs are meeting for the fifth time with the series tied 2-2 with USU winning the last two games.

(Analysts predictions are from Fox Sports and ESPN.)