The walk from the visiting locker room to the field at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno is as intimidating a place as there is in the WAC.

A thin rope - and an occasional security guard - separates rabid Bulldogs fans from the visiting team, which walks down a slight hill to field level.

"That's a little rougher environment than usual. They have some little bit crazy fans out there," Boise State receiver Austin Pettis said. "You got that long walk from the locker room down to the field with just this little rope between you and the fans, yelling and screaming at you."

The verbal barrage doesn't end with the trip to field level. Fresno State, which is expecting a big crowd and a "white-out" for Friday's game with the rival Broncos, and its fans have a reputation.

"I expect kids to be yelling at me in the stands," linebacker Derrell Acrey said. "My mom went to the game and she was pretty mad after even though we won. I guess the fans weren't so nice."

The walk back to the locker room hasn't been so bad for the Broncos, who earned their first signature WAC victory with a 2001 upset of then-No. 8 Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium.

Boise State is 7-1 against Fresno State since joining the WAC, including 3-1 at Bulldog Stadium. In the three meetings since Fresno State's 2005 victory, the Broncos have pounded the Bulldogs by an average of more than 29 points.

We call it a rivalry because it is supposed to be one. The WAC's old guard (Fresno State) and its new guard (Boise State).

The players and coaches consider it a rivalry. They even play for the Milk Can.

But is this a rivalry?

Really?

"Both teams have played very well out of conference. That's where the respect comes from. But when we face each other in conference, it hasn't been very close," Fresno State coach Pat Hill said. "We've only had one win. The one-on-one competition has not been very good."

Though there is a lot of mutual respect between the programs - on display tonight for a tribute to Dan Brown, a Boise State player and coach who was a longtime Fresno State defensive coordinator -the Broncos' success must burn Hill and the Bulldogs fans.

Fresno State has not won an outright WAC title since HIll became head coach in 1997. The Bulldogs did share a crown in 1999.

Since then the Broncos, the newcomers, have won five outright titles and shared another. The Broncos are the national darlings and the BCS busters.

That was supposed to be Fresno State's place in the WAC. Boise State still treats the Bulldogs as if it is.

"It starts with Pat Hill. He's a no-nonsense guy who calls things as he see them," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "Fresno does a great job. If you want to do something in the WAC, you've got to take care of Fresno."

That hasn't been a problem for the Broncos. At least, once the pre-game walk is done.