As Power Five conferences continue to massage future slates to take into account strength of schedule, UCLA becomes the latest to add a quality, albeit non-Power Five member, opponent to its to-do list.
Both UCLA and Fresno State announced Thursday afternoon that the two football programs have reached agreement on a one-off affair in 2018. The Bruins will play host to the Bulldogs in the Rose Bowl Sept. 15 of that year.
There will be no return game to Fresno.
“We expect that this announcement will be well received,” FSU athletic director Thomas Boeh said in a statement. “Contracting this game with UCLA reflects our continued commitment to maintain a non-conference schedule that is balanced, while including competition with the nation’s elite programs.”
The 2018 game will mark the first meeting between the schools since September of 2008. While the Bruins lead the series 6-2, the Bulldogs have won the last two contests played.
Already this year, UCLA has announced future home-and-home series with LSU (2021 and 2024) and Texas A&M (2016 and 2017). Also on the Bruins’ future schedules is a game with Texas this season, as well as home-and-homes against Virginia (2014 and 2015), Oklahoma (2018 and 2019) and Michigan (2022 and 2023).
The future series with LSU, A&M, OU and UM have all been announced within the last seven months.