Fresno St. picks Entz as football coach

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Fresno State has hired former FCS championship coach Matt Entz to take over its football program.

The school announced Wednesday that Entz will replace interim coach Tim Skipper, who took over after Jeff Tedford stepped down in July because of health concerns.

Entz will help guide Fresno State in its transition from the Mountain West to the Pac-12. The Bulldogs are set to begin play in the Pac-12 in the 2026 season.

Both Entz and Brent Vigen, MSU’s fourth-year head coach, were touted as front-runners for the job.

Entz spent this past season as assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach for Southern California following a successful run as head coach at North Dakota State at the FCS level.

“Matt Entz is a proven winner with a championship pedigree, consistently leading his teams to success on the field,” athletic director Garrett Klassy said in a statement. “He is a leader of people who values growth both on and off the field.”

Entz posted a 60-11 overall record in his five years as the head coach at North Dakota State, leading the Bison to championships in 2019 and 2021. Entz was named the FCS coach of the year in both of those seasons by the American Football Coaches Association.

Entz accepted the USC job while guiding NDSU through another deep FCS playoff run. His final game with the Bison was s 31-29 overtime loss to Montana in the semifinals.

Fresno State went 6-6 under Skipper and became bowl eligible for a fourth straight season. The Bulldogs are waiting for a bowl bid.

The Daily Inter Lake contributed to this story.