Fresno State football gets ranked in final AP Top 25 poll

Stephen Hicks Image
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
(AP Photo)
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FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno State football team (10-4) comes in ranked #24 in the final AP Top 25 poll of the season. It's the first time since 2018 that the Bulldogs ended the year ranked when FS finished #18 in the AP/College Football Playoff rankings.

It's also the first time this season the '22 team was ranked. Despite receiving votes for a handful of weeks, the team could never crack into the Top 25. Injuries at the Coliseum v. USC to the team's permanent captains Jake Haener & Evan Williams looked to derail the 'Dogs season.

RELATED: FS wins Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, ends season on 9 game win streak

But after a 1-4 start, the 'Dogs rallied to win its next 9 games for the single biggest in season turnaround in FBS history. The 'Dogs finished the season with a 29-6 win over Washington State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and a 2nd Mountain West Championship won on the blue over Boise State.

It's just the fourth time in FS history that the team was ranked in the final AP poll of the season. The previous years were 2018 (ranked #18 after a 12-2 season capped with a win in the Las Vegas Bowl), 2004 (ranked #22 after a 9-3 season capped by a win over #18 Virginia) and 1992 (ranked #24 after a 9-4 season capped with a win over USC in the Freedom Bowl).

Fresno State has the third longest active winning streak, behind Gerogia (17) and Troy (11).

In 1985, the Bulldogs finished the season 11-0-1 and were ranked #23 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll and #16 in the UPI Coaches Poll.

The Bulldogs kickoff the 2023 season on the road at Purdue on September 2nd before a home opener on September 9th v. Eastern Washington.