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T. Thomas Postgame Interview  |  U. Gilliam Postgame Interview

DAVIS, Calif. - Sophomore sociology major Tehran Thomas posted his second career 100-yard game with 119 yards on the ground, while junior communication major Jake Maier threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns on the night, lifting No. 21 UC Davis to a 44-21 victory over Idaho in the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams on Saturday night at Aggie Stadium.

The Aggies improved to 3-1 overall on the year — the program's best start since 2004 —  and 1-0 in conference play by winning their Big Sky home opener for the second straight year following a 48-24 win over North Dakota last season.

The Vandals, playing in their first Big Sky contest since 1995, fell to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in league.

"It's good to win at home and open the season with a 3-1 record," said UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins. "We are just trying to get better and keep improving. Our guys are in a really good place where they are happy to compete, happy to win, but at constantly trying to find ways to improve. And that is a blissful place to be as a football player, and a coach when you have guys like that."

Thomas' performance was his second career 100-yard game, which fell just shy of his career-best 125-yard performance against Sacramento State on Nov. 18 of last season. His four-yard burst into the end zone staked the Aggies to a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter, part of a run that saw UC Davis score the first 24 points of the game.

"It was very important, everyone wanted to bounce back in a positive manner after last week's game at (No. 9) Stanford," said senior psychology major Isiah Olave regarding the Aggies ability to score 24 unanswered against the Vandals. "We wanted a strong start our conference schedule and protect our home field, and we were able to accomplish both tonight."

With Thomas leading the way, UC Davis' running backs finished with 256 yards, the fifth-highest total in the program's Big Sky era. 

Freshman biochemistry and molecular biology major Ulonzo Gilliam finished with 133 all-purpose yards, gaining 84 on the ground and catching four balls for 49 yards — including a 34-yard touchdown pass from Maier in the third quarter.

Maier's three touchdown passes were a season high, finding senior sociology-organizational studies major Keelan Doss for a 20-yard strike to open the scoring just 3:28 into the game, and hitting sophomore biological sciences major Darius Livingston in the end zone for his first career touchdown catch with 1:35 remaining in the third.

"I cannot tell you how fun it is to be a part of this offense. It is unique, and provides everyone with opportunities to make plays and help the team win games," said Livingston. 

Junior communication major Max O'Rourke hit all three of his field goal attempts from 31, 29, and 35 yards, while senior managerial economics major Namane Modise capitalized on a blocked punt by sophomore neurobiology, physiology, and behavior major Connor Airey at the Vandal one-yard line, recovering the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to open the scoring in the second quarter.

Sophomore Jared Harrell led UC Davis with four catches for 66 yards -- one of 10 different receivers on the night.

Olave finished with a team-high nine tackles, while senior American Studies major Mason Moe finished with four tackles and an interception inside the red zone.

The Aggies have the next week off before returning to the road to take on Northern Colorado on Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. PT in Greeley, Colo.

"With school starting, everyone has a chance to enjoy a strong start to the quarter and get off on the right foot," said Hawkins regarding the team's upcoming bye week. "That is a real positive for us ... we will enjoy a quality balance of life, something we always talk about, because that is important."
 
 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
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ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.