No. 25 Fresno State Bulldogs

Editor’s Note: Beginning with No. 25 Fresno State and counting toward the release of the 2008 College Football Annuals, Athlon will release one spot in its Top 25 every weekday for five weeks. The No. 1 team will be revealed June 4. Check AthlonSports.com every day to see who’s next in the countdown as Athlon Sports celebrates its 41st season of publishing. The 2008 versions of Athlon’s College Football Annuals hit newsstands June 3rd.

If there is a BCS buster to look for in 2008 (and if BYU isn’t it), it’s probably going to be Fresno State. The Bulldogs are coming off a 9-4 season with a 40-28 Humanitarian Bowl win over Georgia Tech to propel them into 2008. Reigning Humanitarian Bowl MVP Tom Brandstater returns for his senior year at quarterback. He completed 63 percent of his passes last year for 2,654 yards and 15 touchdowns, ran for three more scores and managed coach Pat Hill’s offense flawlessly.

Brandstater’s favorite targets also return in wide receiver Marlon Moore and tight end Bear Pascoe. They caught 93 passes, nine for touchdowns, between them in 2007. Ryan Matthews turned in a huge freshman season with a team-high 866 rushing yards, averaging six yards per carry and scoring 14 touchdowns. Lonyae Miller, the starter, ran for 609 yards and seven scores. And with four starters back up front, 2008 should bring more of the same.

On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs must replace WAC Defensive MVP Marcus Riley at linebacker, and team sack leader Tyler Clutts. The unit will be rebuilt around linebacker Ben Jacobs and three returning starters in the secondary. Tackle Jon Monga also returns after breaking through for 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last fall. Junior A.J. Jefferson is dangerous in the return game.

The 2008 Bulldogs will tackle a brutal slate — but what’s new? Fresno plays at Rutgers, hosts Wisconsin and travels to UCLA all in the month of September. The WAC title could be settled on Nov. 28 when the Bulldogs visit Boise State.

Smart decisions Tom Brandstater threw just five interceptions all year, fewest by a Fresno State quarterback since Billy Volek’s three in 1999.

Young upstart Ryan Matthews averaged 6.0 yards per carry as a freshman. He led the Bulldogs with 866 yards on the ground.

Going the distance A.J. Jefferson led the nation last year with a 35.8-yard average on 26 kickoff returns.

Fresno State superlatives:

KR A.J. Jefferson is named First-Team All-America and First-Team All-WAC.

QB Tom Brandstater, OL Bobby Lepori, OL Cole Popovich and TE Bear Pascoe are named First-Team All-WAC.

RB Ryan Mathews, DL Jon Monga, CB Damion Owens and S Moses Harris are named Second-Team All-WAC.

RB Lonyae Miller, OL Andrew Jackson, DL Wilson Ramos, LB Ben Jacobs are named Third-Team All-WAC.

You can read the entire Fresno State preview in the 2008 Athlon Sports College Football magazine, available for purchase now at the Athlon Sports store.

Also coming to AthlonSports.com this summer:
— Top 25 Heisman Hopefuls
— Live chats with Athlon editors
— Conference-preview videocasts
— Launch of the 2009 Athlon Consensus 100
— Athlon's college fantasy football draft kit

Other in-season offerings:
— Previews for every college football game
— Fantasy games
— Sideline Spirit voting
— Scenes From Saturday
— Updated Athlon 119
— Much more

Be sure to return to AthlonSports.com after June 15 when complete team previews for all 119 teams will be available.

You can also get mobile text alerts on the Athlon Sports Preseason Top 25 by texting “Top25“ to “4INFO“.