FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -Jason Crawley scored the go-ahead touchdown and Fresno State controlled the second half to defeat Louisiana Tech 17-6 on Saturday night.
Clifton Smith added a fourth-quarter touchdown run for Fresno State (2-2 overall, 1-0 Western Athletic Conference). The Bulldogs improved to 10-1 in WAC openers under coach Pat Hill.
Lonyae Miller, Ryan Mathews and Smith combined for 139 rushing yards as Fresno State got its ground game going in the second half after trailing 6-0 at halftime.
Louisiana Tech, making its second West Coast trip in two weeks after visiting Cal on Sept. 15, dropped to 1-3, 0-2.
Fresno State trailed throughout the game until Crawley caught a short pass from Tom Brandstater and spun away from Shalamar Walker at the 15. The resulting 27-yard touchdown put the Bulldogs ahead 10-6 with 7:43 left in the third quarter.
Smith's 6-yard scamper on third-and-goal with 9:51 remaining sealed Fresno State's first victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.
Louisiana Tech lost its third straight game under first-year coach Derek Dooley despite a 21-14 edge in first downs and committing just one penalty and zero turnovers.
Both teams relied on the running game as neither quarterback was particularly accurate. Louisiana Tech's Zac Champion completed 22 of 48 passes for 179 yards, while Brandstater was 8 of 22 for 92 yards and an interception for Fresno State.
Louisiana Tech led 6-0 at halftime on two Danny Horwedel field goals but managed only 92 yards in the second half.
Patrick Jackson had 58 of his game-high 75 rushing yards in the first half for Louisiana Tech.
Fresno State's deepest penetration of the first half came on its final drive but resulted in a punt at the Louisiana Tech 40.
Clint Stitser's 45-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half put Fresno State on the scoreboard after A.J. Jefferson returned the kickoff 56 yards to the Louisiana Tech 33.
Smith helped set up his own touchdown run with a 34-yard punt return to the Louisiana Tech 37 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
