Why UCLA hates playing Fresno State in football

UCLA has not beat Fresno State in over 20 years. The Dogs’ have won the last four matchups in 2003, 2008, 2018 and 2021. UCLA simply cannot beat Fresno State in the 2000’s. Why you may ask? Well UCLA is in a “better conference” since they are in the PAC-12/BIG10… but I think that’s part 1 of what hurts them. Fresno State is a huge trap game for a lot programs.

Dudes on the opposing teams will say “Where the hell is Fresno?” then go out and get beat. You see a trap game is when the favored team is already looking ahead in there schedule and they write of there next game as an easy win. For the underdog, they look at it as a opportunity to make an upset and gain some national recognition because of it. You do this enough, you become respected and teams learn not to take your program lightly.

The Pat Hill era at Fresno State was known to knock off college football big boys… hence the motto “Anybody. Anytime. Anywhere.” With that being said-Considering the Dogs’ are in the Mountain West (group of 5 program) that should mean that a PAC-12 blue blood look the UCLA Bruins should beat Fresno State most of the time. But the Bruins just keep on taking the Dogs’ lightly even though they’ve taken 4 L’s in a row.

Part 2 of why Fresno State is motivated to beat UCLA is because it’s personal. Not sure of the exact number, but I’d say half the Dogs’ roster is from the southern half of California… kids who grow up there want to play at UCLA or USC… so when they are passed up on… they take it personal. They want nothing more than to have there entire family come watch them upset a big team in there own backyard.

All this being said, it is a fantastic bad blood game at this point and it’s only right UCLA needs to travel to Fresno out of respect for taking 4 L’s in a row.