Fresno State vs. San José State

Fresno State and San José State have 71 meetings on file, the first in 1950; officially, Fresno State leads 41–⁠30; as played, 40–⁠31 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Fresno State 7–⁠3, and Fresno State has won the last 3. The winner takes home the Valley Trophy, played for since 2013. Fresno State has held it since the 2024 game. San José State forfeited the 1979 game. This page counts every game as it was played. Share

Scheduled 2029 at Fresno State; 2032 at San José State; 2033 at Fresno State; 2034 at San José State; 2035 at Fresno State. As the programs’ Wikipedia articles list them (CC BY-SA).

Official series: Fresno State leads 41–⁠30
Fresno State wins on file: 40
San José State wins on file: 31
Ties: 0
Earliest on file: 1950
Longest streak: 12 Fresno State
Current streak: 3 Fresno State
Last 10 meetings: Fresno State 7–⁠3
Most recent: 2026

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
	’0	’1	’2	’3	’4	’5	’6	’7	’8	’9	W–L
1950s											3–⁠7
1960s											5–⁠4
1970s											4–⁠6
1980s											4–⁠6
1990s											6–⁠1
2000s											9–⁠1
2010s											4–⁠5
2020s											5–⁠1

Average margin: 16.6 points; 23 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Fresno State: 22–⁠12 Fresno State’s record at home
At San José State: 19–⁠18 San José State’s record at home
Shutouts: 2

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

Valley Trophy

Played for since: 2013
Held by: Fresno State since the 2024 game
Games for it on file: 13 San José State 5, Fresno State 8

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting since 2013 (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, 8–⁠5. From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the Valley Trophy.

Games that tell the story

Fresno State’s biggest win1999: Fresno State 63, San José State 12by 51 points
San José State’s biggest win1958: San José State 48, Fresno State 6by 42 points
Upset1960: Fresno State 27, San José State 12Fresno State had a 15% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
Upset1955: Fresno State 19, San José State 13Fresno State had a 15% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
Upset1956: Fresno State 30, San José State 14Fresno State had a 19% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

Years	Fresno State	Series	San José State
1970–⁠1972	Darryl Rogers	3–⁠0	DeWayne King
1973–⁠1975	J.R. Boone	0–⁠3	Darryl Rogers
1980–⁠1983	Jim Sweeney	1–⁠3	Jack Elway
1984–⁠1989	Jim Sweeney	3–⁠3	Claude Gilbert
1997–⁠2000	Pat Hill	4–⁠0	Dave Baldwin
2001–⁠2004	Pat Hill	4–⁠0	Fitz Hill
2005–⁠2009	Pat Hill	4–⁠1	Dick Tomey
2013–⁠2015	Tim DeRuyter	1–⁠2	Ron Caragher
2017–⁠2023	Jeff Tedford	3–⁠2	Brent Brennan

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Fresno State’s side (Rogers 3–⁠0 against King). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

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

David Fales San José State	37 of 45, 547 yards, 6 TD	2013 Passing
Derek Carr Fresno State	38 of 50, 519 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT	2013 Passing
Tyler Ervin San José State	42 carries, 300 yards, 3 TD	2015 Rushing
Davante Adams Fresno State	13 catches, 264 yards, 3 TD	2013 Receiving
Jordan Pollard San José State	19 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT, 1 TD	2025 Defense
David Perales Fresno State	5 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 for loss	2022 Defense

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

On television

2025	FS1	0.2 million viewers
2026	FS1	0.2 million viewers

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

Every game

Sep 19, 2026	Fresno State 26, San José State 10	at San José State
Nov 29, 2025	Fresno State 41, San José State 14	at San José State
Oct 26, 2024	Fresno State 33, San José State 10	at Fresno State
Nov 11, 2023	San José State 42, Fresno State 18	at San José State
Oct 15, 2022	Fresno State 17, San José State 10	at Fresno State
Nov 25, 2021	Fresno State 40, San José State 9	at San José State
Nov 30, 2019	San José State 17, Fresno State 16	at San José State
Nov 24, 2018	Fresno State 31, San José State 13	at Fresno State
Oct 7, 2017	Fresno State 27, San José State 10	at San José State
Nov 26, 2016	San José State 16, Fresno State 14	at Fresno State
Sep 26, 2015	San José State 49, Fresno State 23	at San José State
Nov 8, 2014	Fresno State 38, San José State 24	at Fresno State
Nov 29, 2013	San José State 62, 16Fresno State 52	at San José State
Nov 26, 2011	San José State 27, Fresno State 24	at Fresno State
Oct 23, 2010	Fresno State 33, San José State 18	at San José State
Oct 17, 2009	Fresno State 41, San José State 21	at Fresno State
Nov 21, 2008	Fresno State 24, San José State 10	at San José State
Oct 20, 2007	Fresno State 30, San José State 0	at Fresno State
Dec 2, 2006	San José State 24, Fresno State 14	at San José State
Nov 5, 2005	21Fresno State 45, San José State 7	at Fresno State
Nov 27, 2004	Fresno State 62, San José State 28	at San José State
Nov 15, 2003	Fresno State 41, San José State 7	at Fresno State
Nov 23, 2002	Fresno State 19, San José State 16	at San José State
Nov 23, 2001	23Fresno State 40, San José State 21	at Fresno State
Nov 25, 2000	Fresno State 37, San José State 6	at San José State
Nov 20, 1999	Fresno State 63, San José State 12	at Fresno State
Nov 21, 1998	Fresno State 24, San José State 21	at Fresno State
Nov 1, 1997	Fresno State 53, San José State 12	at San José State
Oct 12, 1996	Fresno State 28, San José State 18	at Fresno State
Sep 3, 1994	Fresno State 45, San José State 13	at Fresno State
Nov 23, 1991	Fresno State 31, San José State 28	at Fresno State
Nov 17, 1990	San José State 42, Fresno State 7	at San José State
Nov 4, 1989	25Fresno State 31, San José State 30	at Fresno State
Oct 29, 1988	Fresno State 17, San José State 15	at San José State
Oct 17, 1987	San José State 20, Fresno State 16	at Fresno State
Oct 4, 1986	San José State 45, 19Fresno State 41	at San José State
Oct 12, 1985	Fresno State 37, San José State 17	at Fresno State
Oct 27, 1984	San José State 18, Fresno State 17	at San José State
Oct 8, 1983	San José State 41, Fresno State 23	at Fresno State
Oct 23, 1982	Fresno State 39, San José State 27	at San José State
Oct 3, 1981	San José State 65, Fresno State 33	at Fresno State
Oct 11, 1980	San José State 26, Fresno State 14	at San José State
Oct 13, 1979	San José State 35, Fresno State 22forfeited	at Fresno State
Oct 21, 1978	San José State 26, Fresno State 16	at San José State
Oct 22, 1977	Fresno State 45, San José State 24	at Fresno State
Oct 23, 1976	San José State 21, Fresno State 7	at San José State
Nov 1, 1975	San José State 21, Fresno State 7	at Fresno State
Sep 14, 1974	San José State 28, Fresno State 7	at San José State
Sep 15, 1973	San José State 24, Fresno State 6	at Fresno State
Sep 30, 1972	Fresno State 23, San José State 21	at San José State
Sep 18, 1971	Fresno State 14, San José State 7	at Fresno State
Nov 21, 1970	Fresno State 27, San José State 19	at San José State
Sep 28, 1968	San José State 25, Fresno State 21	at San José State
Nov 18, 1967	San José State 35, Fresno State 30	at Fresno State
Nov 19, 1966	Fresno State 15, San José State 13	at San José State
Nov 20, 1965	Fresno State 24, San José State 18	at Fresno State
Nov 21, 1964	San José State 26, Fresno State 14	at San José State
Nov 16, 1963	San José State 56, Fresno State 27	at San José State
Nov 10, 1962	Fresno State 20, San José State 14	at San José State
Nov 18, 1961	Fresno State 36, San José State 27	at Fresno State
Nov 11, 1960	Fresno State 27, San José State 12	at San José State
Oct 17, 1959	San José State 40, Fresno State 14	at Fresno State
Nov 15, 1958	San José State 48, Fresno State 6	at San José State
Nov 16, 1957	Fresno State 13, San José State 6	at Fresno State
Nov 22, 1956	Fresno State 30, San José State 14	at San José State
Nov 18, 1955	Fresno State 19, San José State 13	at Fresno State
Sep 19, 1954	San José State 28, Fresno State 0	at San José State
Oct 3, 1953	San José State 27, Fresno State 21	at Fresno State
Oct 10, 1952	San José State 40, Fresno State 6	at San José State
Oct 6, 1951	San José State 32, Fresno State 6	at Fresno State
Nov 3, 1950	San José State 33, Fresno State 7	at San José State

Every game is listed as played on the field; a game one side later forfeited is marked “forfeited”; the official series above counts them the NCAA’s way.