Fresno State will open its first football season in the rebuilt Pac-12 with a marquee trip to Southern California before settling into a schedule that includes six guaranteed home games and a new flex-week matchup to close the regular season.

The Bulldogs open Sept. 4 at USC in Los Angeles, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Pacific on FOX. Fresno State then returns to Valley Children’s Stadium for its home opener against Sacramento State on Sept. 12.

Fresno State’s four-game nonconference slate continues with a Sept. 19 road game against San Jose State and a Sept. 26 home matchup with Rice.

Conference play begins Oct. 3 at Washington State, sending the Bulldogs to Pullman for their first game there since 1994. Fresno State then faces back-to-back rivalry games, hosting Boise State on Oct. 10 in the battle for the Milk Can before traveling to San Diego State on Oct. 17 for the Old Oil Can rivalry.

After an Oct. 24 bye, Fresno State hosts Oregon State on Oct. 31. The Bulldogs then play consecutive road games at Utah State on Nov. 7 and Texas State on Nov. 14 before returning home to face Colorado State on Nov. 21.

The regular season concludes Nov. 28 with one of the new Pac-12’s most distinctive scheduling features: a flex game at Valley Children’s Stadium. Fresno State’s opponent will be determined late in the season, with the conference saying flex-week matchups will be confirmed at least six days before the game. The contest will count as a nonconference game even though the opponent will come from the Pac-12.

The flex format guarantees Fresno State six games at Valley Children’s Stadium. The Bulldogs could play a seventh home game if they finish atop the Pac-12 standings and earn the right to host the conference championship game Dec. 4.

Fresno State’s schedule also gives the program significant national television exposure. The Bulldogs’ games are slated across FOX, FS1, CBS Sports Network, The CW and USA Sports, with the television assignment for the Nov. 28 flex game still to be determined.

Fresno State 2026 Schedule

Sept. 4 — at USC, 6 p.m. PT, FOX
Sept. 12 — Sacramento State, 7:30 p.m. PT, CBS Sports Network
Sept. 19 — at San Jose State, 8 p.m. PT, FS1
Sept. 26 — Rice, 7 p.m. PT, The CW
Oct. 3 — at Washington State, 6:30 p.m. PT, USA Sports
Oct. 10 — Boise State, 7:30 p.m. PT, The CW
Oct. 17 — at San Diego State, 7:30 p.m. PT, CBS Sports Network
Oct. 24 — Bye
Oct. 31 — Oregon State, 8 p.m. PT, USA Sports
Nov. 7 — at Utah State, 6:30 p.m. PT, USA Sports
Nov. 14 — at Texas State, 1 p.m. PT, The CW
Nov. 21 — Colorado State, 4:30 p.m. PT, The CW
Nov. 28 — Pac-12 flex game, opponent and time TBD

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