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Bulldogs and Badgers Ready for the Rubber Match

By KSEE Sports
July 30, 2010 Updated Sep 9, 2008 at 8:01 PM PDT

Dogs Welcome No. 10 Wisconsin
After a week off, No. 21 Fresno State will host No. 10 Wisconsin Saturday night at Bulldog Stadium. It's the home opening game for the Bulldogs and the first road game for the Badgers. Wisconsin is the highest-ranked team to ever visit Bulldog Stadium, matching No. 10 Oregon State, which played in Fresno in 2001.

Home Openers
The Dogs are 10-1 in home openers under Pat Hill, winning each of the last nine years. Fresno State is 24-3 in home opening games since Bulldog Stadium opened.

About the Badgers
Wisconsin enters the week ranked No. 10 in the nation and make their first road trip. The Badgers are coming off dominating wins over Akron (38-17) and Marshall (51-14). Wisconsin has one of the nation's premier running backs, P.J. Hill, who ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns in the season opening game. Hill leads the Big Ten in rushing at 133.5 yards per game and has scored four touchdowns this season. Head coach Bret Bielema is 23-5 in his third season as head coach at Wisconsin. The Badgers are one of five Big Ten teams averaging more than 40 points per game (44.5) and rank second in their league in rushing with 281 yards per game and 10 touchdowns. Badger quarterback Allen Evridge is completing 67 percent of his passes and has thrown two touchdowns in the first two games. The Wisconsin defense has allowed just 72.5 rushing yards per game thus far and just 2.8 yards per carry.

Against the Big Ten
Fresno State will take on a Big Ten opponent for the sixth time on Saturday. The Bulldogs are 1-4 all-time against teams from the Big Ten. Four of those five meetings have come this decade and none have been at Bulldog Stadium. Fresno State is 0-2 vs. Ohio State, 0-1 vs. Michigan State and 1-1 vs. Wisconsin.

Ranked Opponents at Home
The Bulldogs are hosting a ranked opponent for the first time since Sept. 9, 2006 when No. 20 Oregon came to Bulldog Stadium. The Ducks beat the Dogs 31-24. Prior to that, Fresno State previously hosted a ranked team on Nov. 21, 2003, when No. 20 Boise State came to Fresno. The highest ranked team Fresno State has ever defeated was No. 10 Oregon State, 44-24, Sept. 2, 2001. Wisconsin is ranked No. 10 in both major polls.

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