As Fresno State is set to take on the defending College Football Playoff National Champions, Michigan for the first time in program history, the Resnick Student Union (RSU) will be hosting a watch party at Fresno State on Aug. 31 at 4 p.m.

Organized by Student Involvement and Fresno State’s Associated Students, Inc., the watch party will offer a variety of food, activities and prizes. Admission to the watch party is free and all students are welcome.

Shawna Blair, the program coordinator for Fresno State’s Welcome Week, Homecoming, Commencement and Vintage Days says the watch party offers students a place to gather and show off their Bulldog pride.

“Students will have a place to hang out and watch the game with fellow Bulldogs and show off their Fresno State pride,” Blair said. “We have an amazing big screen to watch it on. We will have free food from Habit Burger, lots of prizes and giveaways as well. It’s going to be a great time.”

The game is scheduled for a primetime broadcast, the first time in program history Fresno State will play on an NBC broadcast. The game can also be streamed on Peacock. It will be the third straight year Fresno State will be showcased on a major broadcast network during the regular season, playing games on FOX in 2022 and 2023.

The trip to Ann Arbor will be the longest of the season for the Bulldogs as they will face the defending national champion for just the third time in program history, the first time in the College Football Playoff era. The matchup is also the thirteenth time Fresno State will face an Associated Press (AP) Top 10 team in program history.

Saturday’s matchup is also between two first-year head coaches, with Fresno State’s Interim Head Coach Tim Skipper and Michigan’s Sherrone Moore.

Moore took over as head coach on Jan. 26, 2024, after Jim Harbaugh’s departure to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. Skipper took over as interim head coach on July 15, 2024, after Jeff Tedford stepped down due to health concerns.

“We may not be able to travel to this game, but we sure can gather to watch and cheer our team on from afar,” Blair said.

For questions or accommodations contact the Student Involvement Center at 559-278-2741 or [email protected].

Correction: This story was updated on September 4; Ann Arbor was misidentified.