Optimism surrounding the Fresno State football team is waning.

Too much inconsistencies from game to game, including last week’s 17-10 loss at Utah State.

Slow quarterback development, in particular with Jayden Mandal’s struggles to convert third-and-long situations.

And now, a long shot chance of reaching the Pac-12 championship game — though mathematically speaking, Fresno State could finish second in the Pac-12 regular-season standings and land in the conference’s title game with a lot of luck.

How do the Bulldogs get back on track, with season-long struggles continuing and grand goals almost gone?

“Everyone has to be better, coaches included, myself included,” Bulldogs second-year coach Matt Entz said. “We all signed up for the profession, we all knew what was coming. We need to be prepared for the tough times.”

Self-Reflection

Fresno State (5-4, 2-3), which plays Saturday at Texas State (5-4, 3-2), did a bit of self-reflecting over the weekend in hopes that individual assessment will lead to a collective team improvement.

Team captains and a select few other players held a meeting for about 1½ hours with Entz present, voicing their frustrations and possible solutions.

Entz, too, self-reflected on his role in helping the Bulldogs bounce back from what has seemed like such an emotional letdown after falling to Utah State.

“Sometimes, the head coach has got to be a jerk,” Entz said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to pat people on the back. I think there’s a balance.

“Can’t always be the bad cop. Can’t always the good cop. But (I) need to be demanding, still. … The two greatest characteristics of a football team is probably discipline and love.

“But before you can love them, they’ve got to be disciplined.”

Scouting Texas State

While Fresno State still has its own issues to correct — mainly reestablishing its running game and improving in all areas with its passing game — the Bulldogs also have much to worry about with the Bobcats.

Texas State is coming off a 42-21 win at Oregon State.

And the week before, the Bobcats barely lost at Boise State 46-45. In fact, Texas State’s only other loss in the Pac-12 was a close one, too, after falling 31-29 at San Diego State.

Texas State statistically is the top offensive team in the Pac-12, ranking fourth in the nation (among Football Bowl Subdivision schools) with an average of 517 total yards per game.

Texas State also owns the most explosive rushing attack in the Pac-12, averaging 265.8 rushing yards per game, which also ranks fifth in the NCAA.

Bobcats running back Torrance Burgess Jr., a 5-foot-8, 176-pound junior, is sixth in the nation with an average of 124.2 rushing yards per game, as well as 7.12 yards per carry.

Texas State quarterback Brad Jackson is a threat to run, too, having carried the ball 97 times for 523 yards (58.11 per game) with seven touchdowns.

The Bulldogs have had difficulties stopping mobile quarterbacks this season. Last week, Utah State quarterback McCae Hillstead rushed 12 times for 56 yards and one touchdown.

“They’re going to try to score every way physically possible,” Entz said. “They do a tremendous job in the run game. They have a quarterback that makes really good decisions. He’s a dual-threat quarterback.

“We’re gonna have to prepare for some quarterback run. They’d use just enough to keep you on your toes and to keep your on your heels a little bit as well. And the passing game is just vertical.”