Marquee Mascot Matchup - September 4, 2004

MARQUEE MASCOT MATCHUP - SEPTEMBER 4, 2004

Fresno State Buldogs
(0-0) AT Washington Huskies
(0-0)

Tale of the Tape:

Bulldog		Husky
Canis (Lupus) Familiaris	*Scientific Name*	Canis (Lupus) Familiaris
50 lb	*Weight*	85 lb
6 in (est.)	*Reach*	16 in (est.)
Urban Jungle	*Native Habitat*	Arctic Tundra
Dog food, occasional infant	*Diet*	Dog food, occasional fish/rabbit
...Brutus	*Most likely to be named...*	...Igloo
Professional wrestlers	*Often owned by:*	Eskimos
...lost in South Central	*Best friend if...*	...lost on a glacier
Your balls	*Prefers to play fetch with:*	Snowballs
Prison tatoos	*Image popularized by:*	"Snow Dogs"

Preview:

2004's season kicks off with a classic "Battle of the Dogs". Washington's Huskies (actually Alaskan Malamutes) are decendants of the wild arctic wolf, Canis Lupus Arctos. This millenia old breed was originally raised by the Mahemuit Eskimos of Alaska to pull sleds. Fresno's Bulldogs, in contrast, were bred by English barons to fight bulls in arena combat (prior to its illegalization in the 19th century). Each of the teams would be wise to pay heed to their ancestral history in approaching this game.

The key for Washington is to maintain poise and control, and use superior size, speed, and intelligence to their advantage. A balanced attack will utilize the Husky height to open up the passing game, while capitalizing on their sled pulling prowess to run the ball. The Huskies will also be wise to employ play action, reverses, and corner blitzes to exploit the Bulldogs' poor vision. While the weather forecast calls for temperate, cloudy 70° conditions, the arctic canines must take caution and remain well hydrated to avoid heat exhaustion.

The Bulldogs' principle goal is disruption. A scrappy, physical, dirty game plays into their favor. Special teams will be big, as will the Bulldogs' ability to control the football, despite much smaller mouths and a tendency to slobber. The Bulldogs must put pressure on the Husky backfield and play physically in the secondary, using quickness and as much holding as they can get away with to counteract their deficit in speed.

Outlook:

Expect Fresno to disrupt things early on, using jeers like "pretty boy", "girly dog", and "where's Cuba Gooding Jr.?" in an attempt to rattle the Huskies. Despite the embarassment of their Hollywood affiliation, the Huskies should maintain their composure and overpower the Bulldogs in front of a home crowd

Huskies, 24-14