The Fresno State football Bulldogs are 3-0 and that gives first-year university President Joseph I. Castro the same record in his “challenges” to his colleagues from opposing schools.
The latest presidential rival to pay up is Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong, who decided to match President Castro’s zest for enhancing collegial relations by submitting proof of his “payment” with a two-minute video showing him wearing Fresno State colors on the SLO campus after the ‘Dogs beat the Mustangs Sept. 7.
The video is evidence that the chief executives are putting their own brand of fun back into this intercollegiate competition.
For the win against Rutgers, Castro received four jars of student-produced honey from President Robert L. Barchi. Boise did not respond to the challenge request last week, so President Castro said that by default he accepts the Milk Can the Dogs won back with their exciting 41-40 nationally televised win.
The next home action for the Red Wave is Homecoming Week Oct. 14-19 and the Homecoming Game v. UNLV Oct. 19. A community pep rally is set for Oct. 18 at Bulldog Stadium.
Bulldogs’ social media explosion
Last week’s win over Boise, nationally televised on ESPN, sent Fresno State’s social media numbers through the roof.
The Athletics Department reports that its Facebook and Twitter numbers reached a record high after the Sept.20 game with Friday and Saturday being the most active social media day in school history.
A “Bulldogs Win! #WeBeatBoise” graphic on Facebook received a record 5,634 fans likes, 1,303 shares and 246 comments, said Stephen Trembley, Fresno State Athletics new media coordinator. The image was created by Shenee Sanchez, Fresno State Athletics graphics designer. Photo credit goes to Keith Kountz, Athletics staff photographer.
The Fresno State Football Score Graphic (41-40) “Where were you when THIS HAPPENED?,” also created by Sanchez, reached 90,880 fans, the second-highest single image graphic in school history with 4,492 likes, 438 shares and a record 447 comments on Facebook.
According to Trembley, #FresnoState also trended on Twitter on Sept. 20.
Since the start of the 2013 football season, the Fresno State Athletics Facebook page has increased by 25 percent (from 20,000 to over 25,000 fans), he added. The hashtags #FSAthletics, #FresnoState, #FresnoStateFB, #DerekCarr have trended on Twitter on Aug. 29.
From Sept. 16-22, Athletics reached 511,330 Facebook fans, with 488,648 reached virally (through shares, comments and likes).
And starting on Sunday, Sept. 22, the Siri feature on Apple iPhones and iPads got in on Bulldog fever, Trembley noted. Ask Siri “Who is your favorite college football team?” and she says “I always like to root for the underdog. I guess that makes me a fan of Fresno State right now.”
The university’s main Facebook page also experienced strong engagement with fans as Facebook posts reached more than 180,000. The post after the Bulldogs’ win alone reached more than 40,000 people, receiving more than 2,100 likes and 320 shares, reports Dr. Tamyra Pierce, director of Social Media and Integrated Marketing. In addition to Facebook, the university’s Twitter also experienced a surge in activity.
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Presidential challenge – student products on the line tonight!
