Fresno State, USC schedule three game series

There is good news and bad new about Fresno State adding USC to its future schedules. The good news is that they get a crack at the Trojans but the bad news these games in 2019, 2022 and 2025 are all in Los Angeles.

This is a rare agreement for a school to get three games and all are on the road. A lot of times there are two-for-one games or even two road games and no home games in return but the three-for-none is pretty rare. Hopefully, the Bulldogs are getting paid for three road trips to Southern Cal.

The first game of this series is opening up the 2019 season on Aug. 31 at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and the other two games are slated for Sept. 17, 2022 and Aug. 30, 2025.

The scheduling is reminiscent of the Pat Hill days where Fresno State would play "anyone, anywhere and any time."

The 2005 game was possibly the most memorable game as the 16th ranked Fresno State nearly pulled off an historic upset over top-ranked USC. The Bulldogs had a late 42-41 lead but ultimately Reggie Bush made a huge play and the Trojans ended up winning 50-42.

This 50-yard run by Bush was the play of the game which features a cutback to score a touchdown.

Overall, these two teams have played four times ever and the one time that Fresno State was victorious came in the post season in the 1992 Freedom Bowl when the Bulldogs were led by former greats in Trent Dilfer, Lorenzo Neal, Ron Rivers and Anthony Daigle for a 24-7 victory.

The 2019 non-conference schedule is coming together with three of their four games booked with the a home game against Minnesota and a road game at Colorado. The Golden Gophers and Buffaloes are not great Power Five teams now but that schedule has the potential to be very difficult if those teams improve.

The 2022 and 2025 games against USC are currently the only non-conference games scheduled.