Bulldogs get big guarantees to play at Michigan, USC — and set up future moves
Fresno State has landed two highly-lucrative guarantee football games in a second move that could aid it in its pursuit of home-and-home series with teams from the Pac-12 and other Power Five conference programs.
Fresno State will play at Michigan on Aug. 31, 2024, for a $1.85 million guarantee, according to sources familiar with terms of the contract.
Fresno State will receive $1.75 million to play at USC on Sept. 9, 2028.
Fresno State on Thursday also announced a home-and-home series with Georgia Southern from the Sun Belt Conference: The Bulldogs will play the Eagles at Bulldog Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025, and at Statesboro, Ga., on Sept. 23, 2028.
The Fresno State athletics department in November moved the dates of future games at Oregon State and at USC, creating flexibility in finding home-and-home matches with Power Five programs.
The significant paydays at Michigan and at USC also could help.
Fresno State in 2024 now has two road games against Power Five opponents – it also will play UCLA on Sept. 14 at the Rose Bowl, a game worth $1.2 million. But with more than $3 million in guarantee revenue, it can buy a Group of Five game without needing to make a return trip as part of a home-and-home series, creating future flexibility.
And in receiving $1.75 million to play at USC in 2028, the Bulldogs can add a second Power Five opponent that year through a home-and-home series without taking a significant hit in guarantee revenues.
The games at Michigan and at USC are worth close to what the Bulldogs have received in past years when playing two games. Most recently Fresno State played at Alabama and at Washington in 2017, taking home a total of $2.4 million.
The $1.85 million and $1.75 million guarantees could be two of the largest in college football in 2024 and ‘28. Tulane last season received $1.94 million to play at Auburn, the largest guarantee for a nonconference game not played at a neutral site.
With those moves the Bulldogs can add home-and-home series or a 2-for-1 with Power Five opponents in 2025, ‘26, ‘27 and ‘28 and beyond, though finding a match has been difficult due to a number of factors including geography. Most Power Five programs are east of the Rocky Mountains, and can find games much closer to home.
There also is a scheduling crunch with the Pac-12, which plays nine conference games and only three non-conference games.
Future Bulldogs schedules
2020
Sept. 5 - Idaho State
Sept. 12 - at Colorado
Oct. 10 - at Texas A&M
Oct. 17 - New Mexico State
2021
Aug. 28 - UConn
Sept. 4 - at Oregon
Sept. 11 - Cal Poly
Sept. 18 - at UCLA
2022
Sept. 3 - Sacramento State
Sept. 10 - Oregon State
Sept. 17 - at USC
Oct. 1 - at UConn
2023
Sept. 2 - at Purdue
Sept. 16 - at Arizona State
2024
Aug. 31 - at Michigan
Sept. 14 - at UCLA
2025
Aug. 30 - Georgia Southern
Sept. 6 - at Oregon State
2026
Sept. 5 - at USC
2027
Open
2028
Sept. 9 - at USC
Sept. 23 - at Georgia Southern
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 11:09 AM.