Battle for the Valley history

Rivalry leaderboard

Battle for the Valley Greatest Games

The series' top 25 meetings, ranked without team allegiance by game-time AP strength, final-score closeness, and overtime.

Games
25
Top score
35/100
Overtime
0

Series context

Completed meetings
69
Series record
Fresno State 38-31 San José State
Tracked years
1921-2024
Trophy
Valley Trophy

Series ranking

The rivalry's top 25 games

2 of these games include at least one AP-ranked team at kickoff. Open a supported game for its box score and statistics.

  1. 1989Week 10

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 30, Fresno State 31

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. No. 25 Fresno State · 1-point margin

    Ranking 1/50 · Closeness 34/35 · Overtime 0/15

    35

    Game score

  2. 1984Week 10

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 17, San José State 18

    Winner: San José State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 1-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 34/35 · Overtime 0/15

    34

    Game score

  3. 1988Week 10

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 17, San José State 15

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 2-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 33/35 · Overtime 0/15

    33

    Game score

  4. 1972Week 4

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 23, San José State 21

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 2-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 33/35 · Overtime 0/15

    33

    Game score

  5. 1966Week 11

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 15, San José State 13

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 2-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 33/35 · Overtime 0/15

    33

    Game score

  6. 2002Week 14

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 19, San José State 16

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 3-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15

    32

    Game score

  7. 1998Week 13

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 21, Fresno State 24

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 3-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15

    32

    Game score

  8. 1991Week 13

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 28, Fresno State 31

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 3-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15

    32

    Game score

  9. 1987Week 8

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 20, Fresno State 16

    Winner: San José State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 4-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 31/35 · Overtime 0/15

    31

    Game score

  10. 1986Week 6

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 41, San José State 45

    Winner: San José State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 4-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 31/35 · Overtime 0/15

    31

    Game score

  11. 1968Week 3

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 21, San José State 25

    Winner: San José State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 4-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 31/35 · Overtime 0/15

    31

    Game score

  12. 1967Week 11

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 35, Fresno State 30

    Winner: San José State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 5-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 30/35 · Overtime 0/15

    30

    Game score

  13. 1965Week 11

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 18, Fresno State 24

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 6-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15

    29

    Game score

  14. 1962Week 9

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 20, San José State 14

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 6-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15

    29

    Game score

  15. 1955Week 10

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 13, Fresno State 19

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 6-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15

    29

    Game score

  16. 1953Week 3

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 27, Fresno State 21

    Winner: San José State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 6-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15

    29

    Game score

  17. 1971Week 2

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 7, Fresno State 14

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 7-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15

    28

    Game score

  18. 1957Week 10

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 6, Fresno State 13

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 7-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15

    28

    Game score

  19. 1970Week 13

    Fresno State at San José State

    Fresno State 27, San José State 19

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked Fresno State vs. Unranked San José State · 8-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 27/35 · Overtime 0/15

    27

    Game score

  20. 1961Week 10

    San José State at Fresno State

    San José State 27, Fresno State 36

    Winner: Fresno State

    Unranked San José State vs. Unranked Fresno State · 9-point margin

    Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 26/35 · Overtime 0/15

    26

    Game score

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-time AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero.

Closeness, 35 points: the final margin is subtracted from 35, with margins of 35 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Regular-season rankings use the AP Top 25 recorded for the game's week. Postseason meetings use the final regular-season AP poll before bowl and playoff results. Games before 2005 remain in the ranking but do not link to unsupported box-score pages. Videos are matched by canonical game ID or by a rematch-safe season matchup.