LAS VEGAS - The Mountain West Conference announced its 2023 preseason all-conference team on Wednesday morning ahead of Mountain West Media Days. The announcement saw Fresno State earn a pair of preseason All-Mountain West selections in senior defensive lineman Devo Bridges and senior offensive lineman Mose Vavao. Both selections earn the honor for the first time in their careers.
Fresno State has had an offensive lineman present on the preseason All-MW team for the second year in a row as Vavao follows former teammate and the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 CFL Draft Dontae Bull.
Bridges is the first Bulldog defensive lineman to be picked to the MW preseason team since Tyeler Davison in 2014.
The conference also unveiled its preseason predicted order of finish, as voted upon by the league's media. In the conference's first season without divisions, Fresno State was predicted to finish third. The Bulldogs had five first place votes. More on the preseason predicted order of finish can be found at TheMW.com.
Notes on Fresno State's Preseason All-Conference selections:
Mose Vavao, offensive line
All-Mountain West honorable mention offensive lineman in 2022
Started all 14 games at right guard in 2022, one of only two spots on the Bulldogs' offensive line that did not have a different starter at any point in the season
Returns to the Fresno State offensive line with 29 career starts, starting in each game the last two seasons
Vavao is second on the Bulldogs' current roster in career starts.
Helped block for the top offense in the Mountain West for the last two seasons
Fresno State's offensive line blocked for players among the top of the conference in passing, receiving and rushing, including 2022 first team All-MW selections in QB Jake Haener, WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper and RB Jordan Mims
Fresno State's offensive line unit blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher -- the first time since 2014 that the Bulldogs had a 1,000 yard rusher – and a 1,000 yard receiver. It was the first time *Fresno State's offense had both in one season since 2014
Is a versatile athlete, playing both left guard and right guard in his Bulldog career
Helped lead Fresno State to a Mountain West Championship title and Bowl Game victory in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl in 2022
2023 preseason honors include first team All-Mountain West by Phil Steele and third team All-Mountain West by Athlon Sports
Devo Bridges, defensive line
Bridges was one of Fresno State's most versatile athletes on the defensive side of the ball in 2022, starting all 14 games at each position on the defensive line
He finished second on the defensive line with 43 tackles. He had 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and four quarterback hurries
Was named the Defensive MVP of the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, recording a career-high eight tackles along with career-highs in TFLs (2.0) and sacks (2.0) against Washington State
Fresno State's defense rated in the Top 5 in the Mountain West in total defense (338.93 yards per game), scoring defense (19.43 points per game), rushing defense (149.57 yards per game), pass defense (189.36 yards per game), and sacks (2.14 per game)
Helped lead Fresno State to a Mountain West Championship title and Bowl Game victory in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl in 2022