GAME 4: VS. COLORADO STATE

Here's one where I was as wrong as everyone else, except for the overblown confidence of a win. I thought Fresno State could handle these guys at home. The local talkies had it in the bag. A walkover.

What actually happened was a beatdown put on the Dogs by the Rams. Fresno State had a 17-14 lead at the half and got manhandled in the second half to fall 35-23. What went wrong?

CSU quaterback Caleb Hanie threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns (hi, secondary).

FSU's Dwayne Wright rushed only 16 times for 77 yards. (He did catch five passes for 96 yards, but that's not what his role is supposed to be).

FSU QB Tommy Bradstater went 19-42 with three INT's.

FSU's special teams unit continued its new tradition: a missed field goal, an extra point blocked by CSU and a 58-yard punt return for a td by the Rams' Damon Morton.

That season-opening victory against Nevada has gone from "cutie-pie" to "supermodel." The WAC championship is far from an afterthought anymore. It's a SuperLotto jackpot. Those non-conference games against BCS opponents? National recognition? Crashing the BCS party? Who wanted any of that? It's all about winning the WAC, baby.

Next Up: @ Utah St.