CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

Fresno State vs. San Diego State

Fresno State and San Diego State have 33 meetings on file, the first in 1969; San Diego State leads the series 20–⁠13 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s San Diego State 6–⁠4, and San Diego State has won the last 3. The winner takes home the Oil Can, played for since 2011. San Diego State has held it since the 2023 game.

Fresno State wins
13
San Diego State wins
20
Ties
0
Earliest on file
1969
Longest streak
5 San Diego State
Current streak
3 San Diego State
Last 10 meetings
San Diego State 6–⁠4
Most recent
2026

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1960s0–⁠1
1970s2–⁠8
1990s3–⁠4
2000s1–⁠0
2010s5–⁠4
2020s2–⁠3
Average margin
13.6 points; 12 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Fresno State
8–⁠7 Fresno State’s record at home
At San Diego State
13–⁠5 San Diego State’s record at home
Shutouts
3

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Oil Can

Played for since
2011
Held by
San Diego State since the 2023 game
Games for it on file
14 San Diego State 7, Fresno State 7

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting since 2011 (bowl rematches aren’t played for it); a tie leaves it with the holder (the usual rule; the article doesn’t say). The rivalry’s article counts the games for it: Fresno State leads, 7–⁠6. From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the Oil Can.

Games that tell the story

  1. Fresno State’s biggest win1993: Fresno State 63, San Diego State 37by 26 points
  2. San Diego State’s biggest win1970: San Diego State 56, Fresno State 14by 42 points
  3. Upset2017: Fresno State 27, San Diego State 3Fresno State had a 21% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset1977: Fresno State 34, San Diego State 14Fresno State had a 27% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset2021: Fresno State 30, San Diego State 20Fresno State had a 32% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsFresno StateSeriesSan Diego State
1969–⁠1972Darryl Rogers1–⁠3Don Coryell
1973–⁠1975J.R. Boone0–⁠3Claude Gilbert
1994–⁠1996Jim Sweeney1–⁠2Ted Tollner
2012–⁠2016Tim DeRuyter3–⁠2Rocky Long
2017–⁠2019Jeff Tedford2–⁠1Rocky Long

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Fresno State’s side (Rogers 1–⁠3 against Coryell). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Fresno State and San Diego State, 1969 on130015001700197019801990200020102020

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

Ronnie Hillman San Diego State29 carries, 178 yards, 4 TD2011 Rushing
Fred Trevillion San Diego State4 catches, 189 yards, 2 TD2018 Receiving

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

On television

2025FS10.3 million viewers

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

Every game

Oct 17, 2026San Diego State 26, Fresno State 23at San Diego State
Oct 25, 2025San Diego State 23, Fresno State 0at Fresno State
Nov 25, 2023San Diego State 33, Fresno State 18at San Diego State
Oct 29, 2022Fresno State 32, San Diego State 28at Fresno State
Oct 30, 2021Fresno State 30, 21San Diego State 20at San Diego State
Nov 15, 2019San Diego State 17, Fresno State 7at San Diego State
Nov 17, 2018Fresno State 23, San Diego State 14at Fresno State
Oct 21, 2017Fresno State 27, San Diego State 3at San Diego State
Oct 14, 2016San Diego State 17, Fresno State 3at Fresno State
Oct 3, 2015San Diego State 21, Fresno State 7at San Diego State
Oct 3, 2014Fresno State 24, San Diego State 13at Fresno State
Oct 26, 201315Fresno State 35, San Diego State 28at San Diego State
Sep 29, 2012Fresno State 52, San Diego State 40at Fresno State
Dec 3, 2011San Diego State 35, Fresno State 28at San Diego State
Aug 29, 2002Fresno State 16, San Diego State 14at Fresno State
Nov 7, 1998San Diego State 10, Fresno State 0at San Diego State
Nov 15, 1997San Diego State 20, Fresno State 19at Fresno State
Nov 23, 1996San Diego State 31, Fresno State 21at San Diego State
Oct 14, 1995San Diego State 48, Fresno State 24at San Diego State
Nov 26, 1994Fresno State 49, San Diego State 42at San Diego State
Nov 20, 1993Fresno State 63, San Diego State 37at Fresno State
Nov 21, 1992Fresno State 45, San Diego State 41at San Diego State
Sep 22, 1979San Diego State 32, Fresno State 23at Fresno State
Oct 7, 1978San Diego State 31, Fresno State 14at San Diego State
Oct 8, 1977Fresno State 34, San Diego State 14at Fresno State
Sep 18, 1976San Diego State 7, Fresno State 3at San Diego State
Oct 11, 1975San Diego State 29, Fresno State 0at Fresno State
Oct 12, 1974San Diego State 24, Fresno State 21at San Diego State
Nov 17, 1973San Diego State 41, Fresno State 6at Fresno State
Oct 28, 1972San Diego State 21, Fresno State 14at San Diego State
Oct 30, 1971Fresno State 17, San Diego State 10at Fresno State
Oct 31, 197014San Diego State 56, Fresno State 14at San Diego State
Nov 1, 1969San Diego State 48, Fresno State 20at Fresno State

Every game is listed as played on the field.