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The Milk Can game

Boise State vs. Fresno State

Boise State and Fresno State first met in 1977 and have played 28 times; Boise State leads the series 18–⁠10. Over the last 10 meetings it’s even at 5–⁠5. The winner takes home the Milk Can. Boise State holds it.

Boise State wins
18
Fresno State wins
10
Ties
0
First meeting
1977
Longest streak
7 Boise State
Current streak
1 Boise State
Last 10 meetings
even at 5–⁠5
Most recent
2026

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1970s0–⁠1
1980s0–⁠1
1990s0–⁠1
2000s8–⁠1
2010s7–⁠3
2020s3–⁠3
Both ranked
1 meeting: Boise State 0, Fresno State 1
Average margin
19.5 points; 7 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Boise State
11–⁠4 Boise State’s record at home
At Fresno State
6–⁠7 Fresno State’s record at home
Overtime
1 game went to overtime
Shutouts
1

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in. Overtime games from the games’ Wikipedia articles.

Milk Can

Played for since
—

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting (bowl rematches aren’t played for it); a tie leaves it with the holder (the usual rule; the article doesn’t say). From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the Milk Can.

Games that tell the story

  1. Boise State’s biggest win2010: Boise State 51, Fresno State 0by 51 points
  2. Fresno State’s biggest win1977: Fresno State 42, Boise State 7by 35 points
  3. Upset2025: Fresno State 30, Boise State 7Fresno State had a 19% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset2001: Boise State 35, Fresno State 30Boise State had a 28% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Ranked showdown2018: Fresno State 19, Boise State 16No. 25 Fresno State at No. 19 Boise State

Coach against coach

YearsBoise StateSeriesFresno State
2001–⁠2005Dan Hawkins4–⁠1Pat Hill
2006–⁠2011Chris Petersen6–⁠0Pat Hill
2017–⁠2018Bryan Harsin2–⁠2Jeff Tedford
2022–⁠2023Andy Avalos1–⁠2Jeff Tedford

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Boise State’s side (Hawkins 4–⁠1 against Hill). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Boise State and Fresno State, 1977 on13001500170019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Derek Carr Fresno State39 of 60, 460 yards, 4 TD2013 Passing
Ryan Mathews Fresno State19 carries, 234 yards, 3 TD2009 Rushing
Titus Young Boise State8 catches, 164 yards, 2 TD2010 Receiving
Tyson Maeva Boise State11 tackles, 1 sack, 2 for loss2018 Defense

Named most valuable

Jake Haener Fresno State2022
Cam Lockridge Fresno State2022
Alexander Mattison Boise State2018
Mykal Walker Fresno State2018
Brett Rypien Boise State2017
Grant Hedrick Boise State2014
Tanner Vallejo Boise State2014

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on). Most valuable: as the games’ Wikipedia articles name them (CC BY-SA).

On television

2025FS10.4 million viewers

Viewers: Nielsen, as compiled by nschultz7’s ratings tracker.

Every game

Oct 10, 202623Boise State 38, Fresno State 31at Fresno State
Nov 1, 2025Fresno State 30, Boise State 7at Boise State
Nov 4, 2023Fresno State 37, Boise State 30at Fresno State
Dec 3, 2022Fresno State 28, Boise State 16at Boise StateMountain West Championship Game
Oct 8, 2022Boise State 40, Fresno State 20at Boise State
Nov 6, 2021Boise State 40, 25Fresno State 14at Fresno State
Dec 1, 201825Fresno State 19, 19Boise State 16overtimeat Boise StateMountain West Championship Game
Nov 9, 2018Boise State 24, 16Fresno State 17at Boise State
Dec 2, 2017Boise State 17, 25Fresno State 14at Boise StateMountain West Championship Game
Nov 25, 2017Fresno State 28, 25Boise State 17at Fresno State
Dec 6, 201422Boise State 28, Fresno State 14at Boise StateMountain West Championship Game
Oct 17, 2014Boise State 37, Fresno State 27at Boise State
Sep 20, 2013Fresno State 41, Boise State 40at Fresno State
Oct 13, 201224Boise State 20, Fresno State 10at Boise State
Oct 7, 20115Boise State 57, Fresno State 7at Fresno State
Nov 19, 20103Boise State 51, Fresno State 0at Boise State
Sep 18, 200910Boise State 51, Fresno State 34at Fresno State
Nov 28, 20089Boise State 61, Fresno State 10at Boise State
Oct 26, 2007Boise State 34, Fresno State 21at Fresno State
Nov 1, 200614Boise State 45, Fresno State 21at Boise State
Nov 10, 200520Fresno State 27, Boise State 7at Fresno State
Oct 23, 200419Boise State 33, Fresno State 16at Boise State
Nov 21, 200320Boise State 31, Fresno State 17at Fresno State
Oct 18, 2002Boise State 67, Fresno State 21at Boise State
Oct 19, 2001Boise State 35, Fresno State 30at Fresno State
Nov 2, 1996Fresno State 41, Boise State 7at Fresno State
Sep 8, 1984Fresno State 37, Boise State 21at Boise State
Sep 17, 1977Fresno State 42, Boise State 7at Fresno State

Every game is listed as played on the field.