Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
2-1 , 0-0
San Jose State
2-2 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno St. | 0 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 26 |
| San Jose St. | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
The Valley Trophy stays in Fresno with 26-10 win
9/19/2026 11:59:00 PM | Football
SAN JOSE – Fresno State forced four turnovers and scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat San Jose State 26-10 on Saturday night at CEFCU Stadium.
The Bulldogs (2-1) intercepted four passes and recorded five sacks while holding the Spartans to 10 points. Manaki Watanabe connected on four field goals, including kicks from 52 and 51 yards, and Bryson Donelson sealed the victory with a late 36-yard touchdown run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
San Jose State opened the scoring with a 45-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. Fresno State answered early in the second when Watanabe drilled a 52-yard field goal to tie the game at three.
The sophomore gave the Bulldogs their first lead with 50 seconds remaining in the half, connecting from 51 yards to put Fresno State ahead 6-3.
San Jose State moved into scoring position before halftime, but Ethan Tierney intercepted Luke Weaver in the end zone with 16 seconds remaining to preserve the Bulldogs' lead.
Fresno State's special teams created an immediate opportunity in the third quarter. Jordan Malau'ulu returned a punt 68 yards to the San Jose State 14-yard line. Two plays later, Jayden Mandal connected with Josiah Freeman for an 18-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 13-3.
Tierney came up with his second interception later in the quarter, picking off Weaver at the Fresno State 14-yard line and returning it 38 yards into San Jose State territory.
The Spartans cut the Bulldogs' advantage to 13-10 on a one-yard touchdown pass with 12:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. Fresno State responded with an 11-play, 60-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock. Watanabe capped the possession with a 44-yard field goal to make it a six-point game.
Kiontre Harris intercepted Weaver on San Jose State's next possession, giving Fresno State its third takeaway of the night. The Bulldogs' defense struck again with 3:28 remaining when Simeon Harris recorded an interception at the Spartans' 26-yard line. Watanabe turned the takeaway into three more points with a 40-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 19-10.
After Fresno State forced a turnover on downs, Donelson broke free for a 36-yard touchdown with 1:09 remaining to put the game away.
Up Next
Fresno State returns home to host Rice on Saturday, Sept. 26 to close out the nonconference slate. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
FS 0, SJS 3
SJS - Sinatra,Trajan 45 yd field goal 8 plays, 42 yards, TOP 03:33
FS 3, SJS 3
FS - Watanabe,Manaki 52 yd field goal 5 plays, 17 yards, TOP 01:20
FS 6, SJS 3
FS - Watanabe,Manaki 51 yd field goal 5 plays, 32 yards, TOP 00:46
FS 13, SJS 3
FS - Freeman,Josiah 18 yd pass from Mandal,Jayden (Watanabe,Manaki kick) 2 plays, 14 yards, TOP 01:03
FS 13, SJS 10
SJS - Clark,Carson 1 yd pass from Weaver,Luke (Sinatra,Trajan kick) 15 plays, 92 yards, TOP 06:11
FS 16, SJS 10
FS - Watanabe,Manaki 44 yd field goal 11 plays, 60 yards, TOP 05:52
FS 19, SJS 10
FS - Watanabe,Manaki 40 yd field goal 4 plays, 4 yards, TOP 01:34
FS 26, SJS 10
FS - Donelson,Bryson 36 yd run (Watanabe,Manaki kick), 2 plays, 39 yards, TOP 00:13