Fresno State, San Jose State won’t be splitting up after Bulldogs head to Pac-12, after all
Fresno State solved a football scheduling issue by working out a deal with a familiar foe that was in a similar predicament due to conference realignment, signing a six-game contract with long-time rival San Jose State.
The series with the Valley Trophy on the line will start in 2026 with a game at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, followed by a game in 2027 at Valley Children’s Stadium. The Bulldogs and Spartans will also play games in Fresno in 2029 and 2033 and in San Jose in 2032 and 2034.
Fresno State had a home-and-home series against Washington State set with games on the road in 2026 and at Valley Children’s Stadium in 2027. But with the Bulldogs joining the Cougars in a rebuild of the Pac-12 Conference in 2026, both teams were short one non-conference game in both of those seasons.
San Jose State had a home-and-home series against Texas-El Paso scheduled to start in 2026, when the Miners will be joining the Spartans in the Mountain West.
The home and road dates fit for Fresno State and San Jose State, and they will continue a series that dates to 1921 in non-conference play. They have squared off as conference opponents in the Mountain West and before that the Western Athletic Conference, the Big West and the Pacific Coast Athletic Association
They are scheduled to play a final game as Mountain West rivals this year in San Jose.
Fresno State from 1991 to 2010 won 16 of 17 games against the Spartans, but the teams have split the past 12 meetings with the Bulldogs winning last season 33-10 at Valley Children’s Stadium to reclaim the Valley Trophy.
They have played 87 times, with Fresno State leading the series 45-39-3.
The 2024 game was a sellout, another plus for the Bulldogs. San Jose State is proving a popular opponent for a fan base that has led the Group of Five conference programs in football attendance the past two seasons. Fresno State has sold out its past two home dates against the Spartans, with 41,343 last season when Ron Cox entered the program’s Ring of Honor and 41,031 for a Bulldogs’ victory in 2022.
The Bulldogs’ other trophy games will continue in the Pac-12 in 2026 with Boise State (Milk Can) and San Diego State (Old Oil Can) also joining the conference.
Fresno State also lost a home game in 2029 after Texas Tech bought its way out of a matchup in the San Joaquin Valley that was part of a 2-for-1 series. The games at Texas Tech, scheduled for 2030 and 2032, remain on the schedule. Under terms of the contract, Fresno State will receive a $1 million cancellation fee.
The Red Raiders last season started to play a seventh home game, and filled the 2029 date at Fresno State with a game against Missouri State.
Fresno State future schedules
2026
Sept. 5: at USC
Sept. 12: Sacramento State
Sept. 19: at San Jose State
Sept. 26: Rice
2027
Aug. 28: Utah Tech
Sept. 4: at Washington
Sept. 11: at Rice
Sept. 25: San Jose State
2028
Sept. 2: Stanford
Sept. 9: at USC
Sept. 16: Cal Poly
Sept. 23: at Georgia Southern
2029
Sept. 1: at Stanford
Sept. 29: San Jose State
2030
Sept. 7: at Texas Tech
Sept. 14: Kansas
2031
Sept. 13: at Kansas
2032
Sept. 4: UCLA
Sept. 11: at Texas Tech
Oct 2: at San Jose State
2033
Sept. 24: San Jose State
2034
Sept. 9: at San Jose State
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 8:39 AM.