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Battle for the Bone
Teams	Fresno State Bulldogs Fresno State Bulldogs football The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they... Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
Originated	2001
Largest victory	Fresno St. 45, LA Tech 13 December 5, 2002
Highest scoring game	Fresno St. 40, LA Tech 34 November 6, 2010
Most recent game	LA Tech 41, Fresno St. 21 November 5, 2011

The Battle for the Bone is the college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 rivalry game between the Fresno State Bulldogs

Fresno State Bulldogs football

The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...

 and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...

. Since 2001, the teams have played annually as members of the Western Athletic Conference

Western Athletic Conference

The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...

, and Fresno State holds a 7–4 series lead in games played as WAC

Western Athletic Conference

The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...

 foes. Prior to the conference rivalry, the two Bulldog football teams played twice in Fresno with Fresno State defeating Louisiana Tech 34–10 in 1986 and 48–14 in 1992.

With Fresno State's upcoming move to the Mountain West Conference

Mountain West Conference

The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...

 in 2012, the future of the rivalry is in doubt.

Game results

Fresno State victories are shaded ██ red. Louisiana Tech victories are shaded ██ blue.

Date	Site	Winning team		Losing team		Series
September 29, 2001	Fresno, CA	Fresno St.	38	LA Tech	28	FS 1–0
December 5, 2002	Ruston, LA	Fresno St.	45	LA Tech	13	FS 2–0
September 20, 2003	Fresno, CA	Fresno St.	16	LA Tech	6	FS 3–0
October 2, 2004	Ruston, LA	LA Tech	28	Fresno St.	21	FS 3–1
December 2, 2005	Fresno, CA	LA Tech	40	Fresno St.	28	FS 3–2
November 24, 2006	Ruston, LA	Fresno St.	34	LA Tech	27	FS 4–2
September 29, 2007	Fresno, CA	Fresno St.	17	LA Tech	6	FS 5–2
November 1, 2008	Ruston, LA	LA Tech	38	Fresno St.	35	FS 5–3
November 21, 2009	Fresno, CA	Fresno St.	30	LA Tech	28	FS 6–3
November 6, 2010	Ruston, LA	Fresno St.	40	LA Tech	34	FS 7–3
November 5, 2011	Fresno, CA	LA Tech	41	Fresno St.	21	FS 7–4

Notable games

• 2003 - In Fresno, LA Tech shut down Fresno St. in the 1st half to lead 6-0 at halftime, but Fresno shut down LA Tech in the 2nd half. Brett Visintainer kicked a 30-yard field goal with 3:31 remaining in the 4th quarter to seal the 16-6 win for Fresno St.
• 2004 - No. 17 Fresno State entered the game undefeated as the first ever ranked opponent to enter Joe Aillet Stadium
  Joe Aillet Stadium
  Joe Aillet Stadium is a stadium in Ruston, Louisiana, USA. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs...
  
   in Ruston
  Ruston, Louisiana
  Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
  
  . Prior to the opening kickoff, a sideline clearing altercation occurred at midfield with the coaches and security having to separate the two teams. Led by Ryan Moats
  Ryan Moats
  Ryan Moats is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
  
   who rushed for 236 yards and 4 touchdowns, LA Tech went on to notch their first ever victory over Fresno State 28–21. At the conclusion of the game, the LA Tech fans rushed the field and brought down the goalposts.
• 2005 - LA Tech jumped out to a 26-3 halftime lead to shock No. 23 Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium
  Bulldog Stadium
  Bulldog Stadium at Jim Sweeney Field is an outdoor football stadium on the campus of California State University, Fresno in Fresno, California. It is the home field of the Fresno State Bulldogs of the Western Athletic Conference. The stadium opened in 1980 with a capacity of 30,000 and has a...
  
   in Fresno
  Fresno, California
  Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
  
  . LA Tech went on to win 40-28 and denied Fresno State their first WAC Championship since 1999.
• 2006 - With the game tied 27-27, Fresno State's Dwayne Wright broke through for a 33-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds remaining. With LA Tech driving on the ensuing possession, Zac Champion threw an interception at the Fresno State 42 yard line with 27 seconds remaining to seal the 34-27 Fresno State victory. Wright ran for 295 yards setting the Fresno State single game rushing record.
• 2007 - In Fresno, LA Tech shut down Fresno St. in the 1st half to lead 6-0 at halftime, but Fresno shut down LA Tech in the 2nd half. A Clifton Smith touchdown run with 9:51 remaining in the 4th quarter clinched the 17-6 victory for Fresno St.
• 2008 - The meeting featured the highest scoring game of the series as LA Tech prevailed 38-35 in Ruston. Fresno State's comeback ended on a failed onside kick attempt with 44 seconds remaining. Daniel Porter led LA Tech with 189 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Fresno St. QB Tom Brandstater
  Tom Brandstater
  Thomas "Tom" Brandstater is an unrestricted free agent American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs...
  
   passed for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns.
• 2009 - LA Tech TE Dennis Morris
  Dennis Morris (American football)
  Dennis Morris is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. Morris was an All-American tight end for Louisiana Tech. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Redskins, but was traded on August 30, 2010 to the Rams for an...
  
  accumulated 131 receiving yards and caught 3 touchdown passes, but that wasn't enough. With LA Tech was clinging to a 28-27 lead with 3 seconds remaining, Fresno State's Kevin Goessling converted his third field goal of the second half as time expired to win 30–28 in Fresno.