Rams bring Foothill back to Ratcliffe for first time since 2002
The page turns quickly in junior college football, and for the Fresno City College Rams, the 2026 season already feels like unfinished business — and a long-awaited reunion.
A new opponent has been penciled into the Rams' 2026 football schedule: Foothill College of the National Bay 6 Conference.
The two programs will meet for the first time since 2008 when they kick off at 5 p.m. Sept. 5 at Ratcliffe Stadium.
For longtime fans, the matchup stirs memories.
The last time Fresno City and the Owls squared off was in 2008 at the Silicon Valley Bowl in Los Altos Hills — a dramatic 42-36 overtime victory for Foothill. The Owls walked off with the trophy that day, leaving the Rams eager for another shot.
But history at Ratcliffe tells a different story.
The previous meeting on Fresno turf came in 2002, when the Rams delivered a commanding 44-0 shutout.
Now, nearly a quarter-century later, the stage is set again under the Valley lights.
Foothill enters the 2026 campaign after finishing 6-5 overall in 2025, placing fourth in the National Bay 6 at 2-3.
The Owls proved competitive throughout the year, and their return to Fresno adds early intrigue to the Rams' slate.
Fresno City, meanwhile, closed 2025 with momentum.
The Rams finished 7-5 overall and 4-1 in the Valley Conference, but the journey was anything but smooth.
After opening the season 2-0, Fresno City stumbled through a three-game skid that threatened to derail its campaign.
Instead, the Rams regrouped, ripping off four straight conference wins to surge into the postseason.
Their playoff run in the CCCAA Northern California regional bracket showcased both firepower and resilience.
Fresno City rolled past City College of San Francisco 56-38 before falling to College of San Mateo 34-13 in the NorCal semifinals — a loss that still lingers heading into 2026.
The Bulldogs won't have to wait long to see the Rams again.
The two teams are scheduled to meet in an 11 a.m. scrimmage Aug. 15 at Ratcliffe Stadium, offering an early measuring stick for a Fresno City squad aiming to push deeper into the postseason.