The team arrived to cheering fans along Bulldog Boulevard hours before kick-off when the Central Valley sun was still high in the sky, and many tailgaters were still finding their spot.
Tailgating veterans like Bill Green know the heat is a reality this time of the year. So he came prepared, a canopy for shade, a handful of electric fans and extension cords for an extra breeze.
"If it's late August early September we got to expect it to be like this," Green said. "Maybe by early October we won't have to worry about these things."
Matt Nutting's party went all out; they brought an AC unit and a generator to cool their tailgate.
"When they said it was going to be a 106 this weekend, we started planning," Nutting said. "Swamp cooler with 25 pounds of ice and another five gallons of cold water and it makes about a 30 degree difference."
University officials say even on hot days there are hardly any heat related issues.
"Most of our fans understand to hydrate during the day and find as much shade as they can," said Paul Ladwig with the Fresno State Athletic Department. "Our fans understand what do to stay cool on nights like tonight."
The Red Wave faithful say game day would not be the same without a tailgate. They are more focused on a win than anything else.
Cups of water were handed out at the concession stands. There were also special cooling sections and medical officials on standby during the game. No issues were reported due to the heat during the Fresno State vs. Cal Ploy game.