Fresno State Athletics
2008 Bulldog Football Schedule Finalized
2/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 28, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State fans already eager for the 2008 campaign can begin making their fall plans. The school, in conjunction with the Western Athletic Conference, announced the today. For Fresno State, at least four games are scheduled for national television in 2008.
As a reminder, season ticket holders will be able to renew their season tickets online beginning next week. Season ticket holders will also be receiving a renewal application in the mail.
Fresno State officials agreed to play five home games in 2008 in order to open the season at the Rose Bowl against UCLA, a rare opportunity to play a Pac-10 school at an historic venue. No game time or television has been decided for that game.
Last year UCLA went to a bowl game for the 10th time in 11 seasons and had wins over No. 9 Cal 30-21 and No. 9 Oregon 16-0. The Bruins just hired Rick Neuheisel as their head coach. Neuheisel has a 66-30 record in eight seasons as a college head coach at Colorado and Washington. The Dogs beat the Bruins 17-9 in the 2002 Silicon Valley Football Classic in the last meeting between the two schools.
A week later, the Bulldogs play at Kansas State. The Kansas State Wildcats finished the 2007 season with a 5-7 overall record and a 3-5 record in the Big 12. Head Coach Ron Prince, the second K-State head coach to win seven games in his first season, completed his second season with the Wildcats with a 12-13 record overall. K-State ended its 2007 season with a trip to Bulldog Stadium, where Fresno State bested the Wildcats, 45-29. Fresno State is 2-0 all-time against the Wildcats, including a 45-28 over No. 13 Kansas State in 2004.
The Dogs open the home season on Sept. 13 against Big 10 powerhouse Wisconsin. The Badgers are a preseason Top 15 program heading into the 2008 season and will be the first team from the Big 10 to play in Bulldog Stadium. Fresno State is 1-1 all-time against the Badgers, winning in Madison in 2001 and losing a close game the following season. Wisconsin has been ranked in the Top 5 in the nation in each of the last two seasons.
The Dogs' final non-conference game is at Toledo, members of the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets, one of the premier programs from that league this decade, last played the Dogs in 2005, a 44-14 Fresno State win in Bulldog Stadium.
After taking a week off, the Dogs will jump into the WAC schedule with a pair of home games on Oct. 4th and 11th. The Dogs host defending WAC champion Hawaii followed by Idaho. The Warriors were 12-1 last season and played Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
The Dogs will then head on the road for games at Utah State on Oct. 25 and Louisiana Tech Nov. 1
The final four games of the season should be exciting, with two at home and two on the road. Fresno State will host WAC rival Nevada for a Friday Night ESPN2 game beginning at 6 p.m. followed by the home finale against New Mexico State on Nov. 15.
The Dogs close the season on the road in back-to-back nationally televised Friday games on ESPN2 at arch-rival San Jose State on Nov. 21 and then at Boise State on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 28, at 3 p.m..
Coming off a 9-4 season and strong finish that included a dominating win over Georgia Tech in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, the Bulldogs will again have a strong presence on the national television scene. ESPN/ABC has announced it will televise four Fresno State games as part of the WAC partnership. Heading into this season, the Dogs have had 54 national TV games this decade. Other games to be determined for television are the UCLA, Kansas State and Toledo.
"We are very excited about the 2008 season and this schedule," said head coach Pat Hill. "We have been looking forward to the Wisconsin game for some time and I know our fans will be really excited about getting a Big 10 team in Bulldog Stadium. Anytime we can play UCLA, it's exciting. That's a great game for college football on the West Coast. Having Boise State in the last game can really set things up for the WAC and to have that game on prime time national television is good for the Valley. The exposure we will get this year with at least four nationally televised games, plus those we will have on regionally on the Bulldog Sports Network, is also great for the University and the Valley."
2008 Fresno State Football Schedule
8/30 at UCLA, TBA
9/6 at Kansas State, TBA (BSN)
9/13 Wisconsin, TBA (ESPN/ABC)
9/20 at Toledo, TBA (BSN)
10/4 *Hawaii, 7 p.m.
10/11 *Idaho, 7 p.m. (BSN)
10/25 *at Utah State, TBA
11/1 *at Louisiana Tech, TBA (BSN)
11/7 *Nevada, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
11/15 *New Mexico State, 2 p.m.
11/21 at *San Jose State, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
11/28 at *Boise State, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)
* - Western Athletic Conference Game
BSN - Bulldog Sports Network
Home Games in Bold
Schedules, Times and Television are Tentative and Subject to Change
Join the State - Fresno State! Red Wave, Bulldog football new season tickets and a special 3-game mini plan package are on sale now! The season will feature 5 home games, highlighted by Big 10 power Wisconsin and WAC Champion Hawaii. Secure your tickets to the game versus Wisconsin by purchasing a season ticket or mini plan today.
