The Pac-12 lived up to its name, “After Dark,” releasing Fresno State’s first football schedule when conference resumed Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs will open their conference schedule on October 3rd on the road against Washington State. Valley Children’s Stadium will host its first Pac-12 Conference game on Oct. 10 against Boise State.
The Pac-12 Conference Tournament is scheduled for Dec. 4 and will be played after Week 12 on the home court of the highest-seeded team.
The new schedule also provides Pac-12 members with an unprecedented “flex game” in Week 13. This is traditionally known as college football’s “Rivalry Week.”
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How Flexible Gaming Works
If Fresno State were hypothetically ranked No. 1 with a week remaining instead of playing the game they were scheduled to play in Week 13, the conference would be slumping against a tougher conference opponent, but that wouldn’t count toward the conference standings.
Those games won’t be confirmed until six days ago, but we do know Fresno State will host a flex game in 2026. The Pac-12 projects the Bulldogs to face San Diego State in Week 13.
The purpose is to give the best Pac-12 teams a chance to qualify for the College Football Playoff by increasing the intensity of their schedule.
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The ‘Dogs’ 2026 season will kick off at USC on Sept. 5, followed by a home game against Sacramento State on Sept. 12.
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