Fresno State Athletics
Friday, September 4
Los Angeles, CA
6 p.m. PT
Fresno State
at
No. 14 USC
Photo by: Dennis Silvas
Bulldogs open 2026 season at No. 14 USC
8/31/2026 2:25:00 PM | Football
 AT  
Fresno State (0-0, 0-0 Pac-12) at No. 14 USC (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Friday, September 4 | 6 p.m. PT | FOX | LA Memorial Coliseum | Los Angeles, Calif.
Fresno State Game Notes (PDF)Â | USC Game Notes (PDF)Â
Fresno State Weekly Press Conference | Ultimate Broadcast Guide
MEDIA COVERAGE
TV - FOX
Play-by-Play - Connor Onion
Analyst - Robert Griffin III
Sideline -Â Alexa Landestoy
Radio - Bulldog Sports Network
Play-by-Play - Paul Loeffler
Analyst - Pat Hill
Sideline - Kenny Wiggins
Radio - Bulldog Sports Network (Spanish)Â
Play-by-Play - Jose Gonzalez
Social Media: Twitter: @FresnoStateFB | Instagram:@fresno_state_football | Facebook: FresnoStateFootball | YouTube: FresnoStateAthletics
Live Stats: Live Stats
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A LOOK INSIDE
Series: USC leads 5-1-0
Head Coaches:
Matt Entz
Fresno State Record (Years):Â 9-4 (2nd season)
Career DI Record (Years): 69-15 (5 seasons)
Lincoln Riley
Record at USC (Years): 36-18 (5th season)
Career Record (Years): 91-28
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QUICK LOOK
- Fresno State opens the 2026 season at No. 14 USC on Friday.Â
- It is the first time since the 2024 season that the Bulldogs open the year against a ranked opponent. In 2024, the Bulldogs traveled to face the then-defending National Champions in Michigan. The Wolverines went into that game ranked No. 9. Fresno State fell 30-10.
- The last time USC and Fresno State clashed in Week 1 of a season was in 2014. Then No. 15 USC hosted Fresno State and came out with a 52-13 win. Â
- Fresno State's last win over a ranked opponent was in 2021.Â
- Fresno State has had four wins over ranked opponents since 2017.
- Fresno State's last win over a Big Ten team came in the 2023 season opener at Purdue. The Bulldogs' 39-35 win was their first over a Big Ten team on the road since 2009 (Illinois) and first win against a Big Ten opponent since 2013 (Rutgers).
- Fresno State will open its season on the road for the fourth consecutive season, and is looking for its first season-opening win since 2023.
- The Bulldogs went 4-2 in true road games last season, their best record on the road since 2021 (also 4-2)Â
- The Bulldogs are playing a ranked opponent for the first time under head coach Matt Entz.
- Entz, who enters his second year at the helm of the Bulldogs' program, is no stranger to USC. He spent the 2024 season as the assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach under head coach Lincoln Riley.
- Fresno State special teams coordinator John Baxter also spent some time coaching at USC (2010-13, 2016-18). Bulldogs' Assistant AD for Football Ben Hynds also worked on staff at USC prior to arriving at Fresno State.Â
- Baxter and Bulldog defensive back coach J.D. Williams were both on staff when Fresno State and USC last faced off in 2022.
- Friday's contest is Fresno State football's first official game as a member of the Pac-12. It is also the first Pac-12 football game of the 2026 season.Â
- Friday's contest is a matchup between the old and new Pac-12 as USC was a long-time member of the conference before making the move to the Big Ten.Â
- Fresno State has 118 players on its roster for the 2026 season.Â
- Fresno State named six team captains for the season, based off a team vote: Josiah Freeman, Rolan Fullwood, Rayshon Luke, Simeon Harris, Jahzon Jacks and K'vion Thunderbird.
- Fresno State returns a majority of its defensive production from 2025 in a defense that was Top 10 in the FBS in several categories.Â
- The Bulldogs look towards a new starting quarterback for the 2026 season. Of all the QBs on the roster, Fresno State returns just one career start at the FBS level. It is tied for the fewest career starts on a team in the FBS.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
- Fresno State and USC will meet for the first time since 2022 this weekend
- The Bulldogs have just one win in the series with USC
- Fresno State won the first meeting with USC at the 1992 Freedom BowlÂ
- Fresno State fell in the last meeting, 45-17
- In the six games between the schools, USC has outscored Fresno State 230-139.
- Fresno State held USC to just seven points in the win in 1992, the fewest points by any team in the series history.Â
- Two of Fresno State's losses were one-possession games (2005, 2019).Â
- The Bulldogs have just one player on the 2026 roster who played in the 2022 game - Rolan Fullwood. He saw action on special teams.Â
- Fullwood, Josiah Freeman, Jomarion Briggs, Ryan Wilson, Sione Noa, Merhauti Xepera and Jahzon Jacks were all on the Bulldogs' roster the last time these teams met.Â
- Current Bulldog offensive lineman Gino Quinones was on the USC roster the last time these teams met.Â
- Bulldog defensive back Simeon Harris has faced USC twice already in his career - once while at Colorado (2022) and again at Utah State (2023)
- Wide receiver Ezekiel Avit also faced USC when he was on the roster at Maryland (2024)
- Defensive lineman Jairus Satele faced USC when he was on the roster at San Jose State (2023)
- Running back Rayshon Luke was active against USC for Arizona (2023)
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