Fresno State was a three-point underdog entering the Hawai'i Bowl against Houston, but it looked like anything but one on Christmas Eve. The Bulldogs actually dominated the Cougars throughout the game, and while their 33-27 win was solid, it should have been even more impressive had Fresno State not been victims of circumstance on a couple occasions.
Fresno State outgained Houston 476-341 on the evening, a total that appears much closer due to the Bulldogs hardly contesting a late 16-play, 76-yard scoring drive by the Cougars to make the final tally respectable.
Not only did Houston halt a potential scoring drive with a terrific strip of Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion to open the second half, it followed a couple series later with one of the top plays so far this bowl season. After the Cougars fumbled a kickoff to allow the Bulldogs to take over inside the 5-yard line looking to go up 10 points late in the third quarter, Houston's defense held and forced Fresno State to a field goal try.
That's when Jeremy Winchester stepped up and blocked Jimmy Camacho's 24-yard attempt. Camacho barely had a chance to react to the development as the ball floated right into the hands off Alexander Myres, who returned it 94 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 20.
Fresno State responded with a field goal drive to retake the lead. It found itself down on Houston's end of the field with yet another scoring opportunity soon after only to meet more controversy. Bulldogs coach Jeff Tedford ventured out onto the field to beg for a timeout in hopes the referees would review a potential rushing touchdown for his team. Before the officials could do so, they flagged him with a personal foul; the decision on the potential touchdown (which was ruled out before the pylon) was confirmed, the penalty was added on, and Fresno State had to settle for a 26-20 lead.
Houston had an opportunity to atone for all its sins on the ensuing possession, looking for a touchdown with six minutes to play and an entire field to traverse. Instead, the Bulldogs finally saw a measure of luck swing their way in the fourth quarter as Jaron Bryant made a miraculous interception of D'Eriq King and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown to go up 13 with 3:49 to play.
Tedford has done a tremendous job with this Fresno State team. The former Cal coach (2002-12) returned to the college game as an assistant at Washington in 2016 only to be named the Bulldogs' coach ahead of the 2017 campaign. He has immediately turned a 1-11 team into a squad that finished 10-4, only its third double-digit win season since 1991 (first since 2013). Fresno State finished second to Boise State in the Mountain West and has now won its first bowl game since the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl.
Houston, meanwhile, finished 7-5 and has continued its downward trend since Tom Herman departed for Texas. The Cougars are now 16-9 under Major Applewhite with two bowl losses in as many seasons.