FRESNO, Calif. - Penalties and lack of execution made for a long afternoon for the Idaho Vandals as they lost 34-0 at Fresno State in a Western Athletic Conference game. The Vandals drop to 4-7 overall and 3-4 in the WAC. Fresno State is 3-7, 3-3.

Idaho coach Dennis Erickson is at a loss for what has plagued the Vandals for the last month.

"We were terrible on offense," he said. "We couldn't get any productivity whatsoever."

Any gains the Vandals had in the first half were negated by a flurry of penalties. True, they covered 185 yards in those first two quarters but they were whistled six times for 53 yards. Their offensive output in the second half was just 14 total yards.

"It's probably as bad an offensive performance as I've been around for a long time," Erickson said.

Defensively, the Vandals earned some credit but, again, penalties and missed assignments on key downs made for one big play after another by the Bulldogs.

"Defensively," Erickson said. "We were out there a long time. We played OK but, again, we couldn't stop people."

"We have not played good since the Boise State game. We've gotten worse.  "I've said all along, Fresno State is better than their record shows."

The Vandals foiled themselves on their first drive with a personal foul facemask penalty and a delay of game to negate the forward progress they made with Steve Wichman passes to Wendall Octave.

After stopping the Bulldogs in three downs on FSU's first possession, the Vandals turned it back to Fresno State with an interception that gave it the ball at the Idaho 19 and left Idaho with the short field to protect. FSU used the opportunity for a 7-0 lead on a Tom Brandstater to Isaac Kinter pass with 6:31 to go in the first. Clint Stitser's PAT kick capped the four-play, 19-yard scoring possession.

A series of traded possessions ensued with Idaho coming up short on a fourth-down try, FSU punting and then the Vandals punting before the Bulldogs went up 10-0 on Stitser's 37-yard field goal with 10:28 left in the first half.

The Vandals stymied themselves again on their next possession, one that started with a personal foul that pushed them back to their own 12. They advanced to the 35 before punting to the Bulldogs, who made the most of the opportunity with a five-play, 67-yard drive for a 17-0 lead on Wright's 18-yard reception with 5:08 to go in the second quarter.

That score held up until halftime as the Vandals continued to struggle offensively and defensively.

Fresno State stuck first in the second half. The Bulldogs punted on their first possession then held the Vandals to a three-and-out series. Stitser's second successful field goal was a 36-yarder with 7:32 to play in the third quarter for a 20-0 FSU lead.

Anthony Harding pushed the Bulldogs out to a 27-0 lead when he wiggled through the line and ran for a 39-yard score with 4:10 to go in the third.

Fresno State put the finishing touches on the rout with a 20-yard run by Lonyae Miller with 6:19 left in the game.

• Junior cornerback Stanley Franks intercepted his ninth pass to tie the single-season record.