ShareThisBy BRYANT-JON ANTEOLA
Pat Hill didn't write the mantra "Anybody, anywhere, anytime."
The Fresno State coach just says it more than most football coaches, and his teams try to back him up with strong performances.
Usually it's used as a challenge to teams from Bowl Championship Series conferences that appear to be avoiding the Bulldogs.
But other mid-major programs _ particularly in the Western Athletic Conference _ are latching on to the challenge. They are willing to play some of the nation's biggest names on the road and risk letdowns in conference play for a chance at national exposure, like Fresno State in 2001, 2004 and 2005.
"Every non-conference game is an opportunity to bring recognition and notoriety," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said. "It's also a time when teams have an opportunity to thrust themselves into the national rankings. Without a WAC team being ranked in either preseason poll, it's especially important that we have teams who make a mark in the first couple weeks in a season."
Hawaii, which began last season with a loss against then-No. 1 USC, begins this year at Alabama, No. 24 in the USA Today poll. Idaho travels to Michigan State. Louisiana Tech is at No. 22 Nebraska.
Fresno State, meanwhile, is avoiding that non-conference action ... for its first week. The Bulldogs host Nevada in the WAC's only opening-week matchup.
Fresno State has drawn bigger programs for previous season openers (see Ohio State in 2000, Colorado in 2001 and Tennessee in 2003). But Friday might arguably be the Bulldogs' most important opener in Hill's 10 seasons.
Immediately at stake is Fresno State's chances for a WAC title along with a run to a BCS bowl game.
"It's Game 7 for us every week," Hill said. "It's like no other sport, especially for those mid-major teams. Win and you stay alive in the BCS race. Lose and you're out. It hasn't changed."
Fresno State's schedule, which includes No. 20 Oregon next week at Bulldog Stadium and road games at Washington and No. 9 LSU, has been geared to help the Bulldogs soar up the rankings if they win and also offset a typically soft WAC schedule.Nevada has joined the mid-major cause for national exposure. The Wolf Pack plays at Arizona State next week and also has Northwestern on Sept. 22.
Defending Mountain West champion Texas Christian has Baylor and Texas Tech, both of the Big 12, on its schedule. Rice, a Conference USA member, plays at UCLA a week before playing No.2 Texas. Then a game against No. 10 Florida State follows.
"I don't think it's anything new," Hawaii coach June Jones said. "We've beaten these types of teams at home. But until you beat these types of BCS teams on the road ... I don't think the kids will ever get full credit."
Fresno State can put pressure on its WAC rivals if it can beat Nevada, a co-WAC champion with Boise State last year. Nevada, which returns 15 starters, beat Fresno State during the Bulldogs' late-season, four-game slide.
"We've just got to win," Bulldogs linebacker Alan Goodwin said. "I don't care who the opponent is."
