The Bulldogs open the season at home with Cincinnati, the defending Big East Conference champs, who played Florida in the Sugar Bowl last season and were in the Orange Bowl the year before that. The Bearcats were 12-1 last season, one of those wins was a nail-biting 28-20 victory over Fresno State at Cincinnati. This will be the second meeting between the two schools. It will be televised live by ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. PT.
The second non-conference game has Cal Poly coming to Bulldog Stadium on October 2. The Mustangs and Bulldogs have not played since 1985. The Dogs owns a 30-10-2 all-time record in the series which began in 1922.
Fresno State closes out the home schedule with Illinois on Dec. The Fighting Illini from the Big Ten Conference are coached by Ron Zook.
The Bulldogs fourth non-conference game will be on the road, at Mississippi on Sept. 25. The Bulldogs and Rebels have never played. Mississippi, from the SEC, is coming off a victory in the Cotton Bowl and coached by Houston Nutt.
Fresno State opens the WAC schedule at Utah State on Sept. 18 and will play the next two league games at home, with Hawaii and New Mexico State coming to town Oct. 9 and Oct. 16, respectively.
The remaining WAC home games feature two teams that went to bowl games last season, Nevada on Nov. 13 and Humanitarian Bowl Champion Idaho on Nov. 27.
Fresno State's game at Boise State on Friday, Nov. 19, will be live on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. PT.
