Defending Valley Conference football champion Reedley College emerged from a four-way tie for first Saturday on top of the standings after beating Sierra 25-22 in Rocklin.

Curtis O'Neill, who kicked three field goals, connected on a school-record tying 53-yarder as time ran out to put the Tigers in position to wrap up the title if they can beat rival Fresno City at home next Saturday.

Reedley is 3-1 in conference after the dust cleared Saturday. Fresno City knocked San Joaquin Delta out of a first-place tie with a 28-14 upset; and West Hills did the same to College of the Sequoias in a 10-7 shocker in Visalia.

That leaves Fresno City, Sierra, Delta and Sequoias at 2-2 in conference.

Unless Fresno State has a tremendous collapse, this game is over.

The Bulldogs got out to a quick 24-0 lead at the half.

Ryan Mathews has a 77-yard touchdown run and a one-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Ryan Colburn is a perfect 8 for 8 passing with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Seyi Ajirotutu and Kevin Goessling knocked in a 52-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a commanding lead.

Bad news is, starting right guard Andrew Jackson appears to have a knee injury. He's been sitting out the first half with his left knee wrapped. Jackson has started 31 straight games for the Bulldogs, including Saturday's game.

The Bulldogs continue to drive successfully, and now lead 17-0.

Ryan Colburn hit Seyi Ajirotutu on an 18-yard corner route to go up 14-0 and Kevin Goessling's stellar saeson has continued as he hit a 52-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 17-0 lead.

This is the Vandal's biggest deficit at home this season.

Fresno State is running away with this thing early.

Ryan Mathews literally ran away from the Idaho defense fo a 77-yard score on the first play from scrimmage.

Idaho freshman DB Aaron Grymes was successfully picked on in the Bulldogs' second drive. Fresno State wideout Marlon Moore sped down the left sideline and beat Grymes deep for a 41-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Colburn to the Idaho 20. Three plays later, Colburn hit receiver Seyi Ajirotutu on an 18-yard corner route on third down for the Bulldogs' second touchdown of the game to make it 14-0 with 8:32 to play in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs have started FAST. Just the way they wanted to. 14-0, 8:32 left in the first.

The Kibbie Dome was rumbling tonight during pregame introductions as the Vandals took the field moments ago.

They're starting to call this place the Thunder Dome up here and it appears the nickname's not too far off. I have no decibel levels to share. Wish I had some to compare to Wisconsin.

Captains for Fresno State tonight are AJ Jefferson, Damion Owens, RIchard Pacheco and Seyi Ajirotutu.
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In other news, one of Fresno State's charter buses had a little trouble getting up the steep hill from Lewiston, Idaho (where the team stayed and practiced Friday) to Moscow.

The defense was on the bus that had mechanical issues, so they de-bused and boarded one of the good buses. Staff and cheerleaders that were on another bus had to get off and board the bus with the issues.The bus with the issues was only delayed by about 35 minutes.

New Mexico Bowl rep Jeff Siembieda greeted Fresno State athletic director Thomas Boeh with a hug near the 35-yard line during pre-game warm-ups tonight and shared a long conversation ... is that a sign?

The Bulldogs went to Albuquerque for the NM Bowl last year and lost to Colorado State 40-35. Fresno State is 5-3, 4-1 in the WAC this season, and most likely won't be headed to the Humanitarian Bowl.

The H-Bowl, which is located in Boise, Idaho, would seem most likely to take the Vandals, who're 7-2, 4-1 headed into tonight's matchup.

This season has a long way to go, though, so we'll see.

Idaho QB Brian Reader is taking pre-game snaps with the first-team center tonight as the Vandals prepare to take on Fresno State at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

The Vandals' starting QB Nathan Enderle was hurt last week in the Vandals' win over Louisiana Tech, but did all the passing from under center.

His bruised rotator cuff has made him a game-time decision, but by the scene here, Reader may get his first start of his career at the DI level.

Reader redshirted a season at Arkansas before moving to JUCO ball and then back up to DI here in Moscow.

He's played in 3 games this season, including the San Jose State game in which he led Idaho on its game-winning drive.

Fresno State women's basketball coach Adrian Wiggins figured he'd have a deep bench to work with this season. But is reserve pool of players shrank by two.

Senior guard Ashley Walker was indefinitely suspended for violation of team rules. No word when she might return. And freshman guard Taylor Thompson, a 3-point specialist, broke her left foot in practice last week and could be out two to four months, Wiggins said.

Both Walker and Thompson can shoot the 3, something the Bulldogs had trouble with against Fresno Pacific in this week's exhibitionwon 57-30 by Fresno State. Wiggins' team made just 6 of 29 shots from beyond the arc. Last season they led the nation in 3-point shooting and Wiggins is about to another quality long-range shooter during the early-

Idaho QB Nathan Enderle is a game-time decision tonight because of a bruised rotator cuff, according to several media reports in the northwest.

Enderle is the WAC's leading passer in yards per game with 267 per game through 9 contests. He has 15 Tds and 9 INTs.

The Spokesman Review and an Idaho television station have reported Enderle's injury.

His backup on the depth chart is Brian Reader, a bounceback from Arkansas who redshirted a season with the Razorbacks before leaving for Monterey Peninsula JC. He transfered from there to Idaho after throwing for 2,500 yards and 20 TDs and leading the Lobos to a 10-0 regular-season record and Coast Conference title.

** Most striking of Week 9 results is the obvious -- D-II strength similar to D-I. Friday, we had D-II Frontier lose 17-15 to D-I Stockdale, ranked No. 3 in the Central Section; and D-II Edison lose 17-14 in double OT to D-I Bullard, which is No. 2. And, oh, not to forget, four weeks ago, D-II Memorial's 28-21 loss to D-I and No. 1 Buchanan in a game that closed with Memorial on the Bears' 1-yard line.

** Bullard has played down the recent loss of WR Jajuan Hammond (shoulder) while emphasizing its depth at the position. But it was Hammond who caught TD passes of 79 and 45 yards last year in the Knights' 17-14 win over Edison. And it was Hammond who was clearly missed Friday in the identical score as Bullard had no one at wide out who could beat the Tigers' secondary.