CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1977 Fresno State

9–⁠2 (4–⁠0 Pacific Coast Athletic Association), coached by Jim Sweeney.

Schedule and results

Fresno State in 1977, game by game: lost vs. Louisiana 13–34; won vs. Boise State 42–7; lost at Montana State 14–24; won at Cal Poly 52–3; won vs. San Diego State 34–14; won at Pacific 24–10; won vs. San José State 45–24; won vs. Idaho State 28–7; won at Long Beach State 23–14; won at Cal State Fullerton 44–19; won vs. Santa Clara 35–7+49−21Lost 13–34 vs. Louisiana-21LouisianaWon 42–7 vs. Boise State+35Boise StateLost 14–24 at Montana State-10Montana StateWon 52–3 at Cal Poly+49Cal PolyWon 34–14 vs. San Diego State+20San Diego StateWon 24–10 at Pacific+14PacificWon 45–24 vs. San José State+21San José StateWon 28–7 vs. Idaho State+21Idaho StateWon 23–14 at Long Beach State+9Long Beach StateWon 44–19 at Cal State Fullerton+25Cal State Fulle…Won 35–7 vs. Santa Clara+28Santa Clara
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 10vsLouisianaL 13–⁠3444%
Sep 17vsBoise StateW 42–⁠771%
Sep 24atMontana StateL 14–⁠2473%
Oct 1atCal PolyW 52–⁠370%
Oct 8vsSan Diego StateW 34–⁠1427%
Oct 15atPacificW 24–⁠1055%
Oct 22vsSan José StateW 45–⁠2452%
Oct 29vsIdaho StateW 28–⁠791%
Nov 5atLong Beach StateW 23–⁠1455%
Nov 12atCal State FullertonW 44–⁠1971%
Nov 19vsSanta ClaraW 35–⁠792%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Santa Clara 35–⁠7; unranked in the final AP poll; Pacific Coast Athletic Association champions.

In program history: The 24th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 97 on file).

Pacific Coast Athletic Association champions4–⁠0 in the conference

Record
9–⁠2
Conference
4–⁠0 first in Pacific Coast Athletic Association
AP final
Unranked
Points
354–⁠163
Coach
Jim Sweeney
Elo
1560 +126 this season
SP+ rating
18.6 No. 18 of 140; offense No. 9, defense No. 56
SRS
9.2 No. 36 of 145 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Dennis Erickson

All-Pac-8

1 first team, 2 second team

First team

  • Chuck ShrnOGUPI-1

Second team

  • Simon PetersonDLUPI-2
  • Vince PetrucciKUPI-2

From Wikipedia’s 1977 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1977 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Fresno State4–⁠09–⁠2
Pacific3–⁠16–⁠5
San José State2–⁠24–⁠7
Long Beach State1–⁠34–⁠6
Cal State Fullerton0–⁠44–⁠7

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.