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FARGO, N.D. - Senior communication major Jake Maier threw for 312 yards and junior human development major Jared Harrell added 102 receiving yards, but No. 4 UC Davis fell to No. 1 North Dakota State 27-16 on the road Saturday afternoon.

The loss brought the Aggies record to 2-2 overall on the season.

"We have great respect and admiration for the Bison and what they do ... that's a really nice football team." said head coach Dan Hawkins. "I am proud of our guys and their effort, our defense did a really nice job tonight."

"I thought our coaches had a really good plan and our guys were ready to go. It was fun to be here, this is what you practice and what you play for."

Maier went 29-for-48 on the way to the 312-yard, one-touchdown showing with three interceptions.

Sophomore biochemistry and molecular biology major Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. totaled 73 yards to lead the Aggies' ground attack in the game. Gilliam, Jr. also tacked on 47 receiving yards. Junior sociology major Tehran Thomas also tacked on 41 yards on the ground.

Harrell's 102-yard performance led the UC Davis receiving corps. Junior sociology major Khris Vaughn also hauled in three passes for 70 yards and sophomore design major Carson Crawford chipped in with three grabs for 55 yards as well.

Senior cognitive science major Eric Flowers paced the UC Davis defensive effort, recording nine tackles, 2.0 TFL, and one sack. Junior neurobiology, physiology & behavior major Connor Airey added seven tackles and one recovered fumble and sophomore human development major Devon King had six tackles and one forced fumble in the loss.

After North Dakota State scored first to go on top 7-0, UC Davis responded to tie things at 7-7. Senior managerial economics major Wes Preece grabbed a 17-yard touchdown reception from Maier with 4:59 left in the first quarter to close a five-play, 44-yard drive. Senior communication major Max O'Rourke added the extra point.

UC Davis busted up the 7-7 tie to jump in front 10-7. O'Rourke finished off an eight-play, 49-yard scoring drive by converting a 48-yard field goal with 10:28 left in the second quarter.

After North Dakota State fought back to take a 14-10 lead, UC Davis got on the scoreboard again to close the gap and make it a 14-13 deficit. O'Rourke made a 44-yard field goal with :54 left in the second quarter to end a 10-play, 66-yard scoring drive.

North Dakota State scored to increase its lead to 20-13, but UC Davis scored again to cut into the lead and make it a 20-16 deficit. O'Rourke capped a 10-play, 57-yard drive by converting a 40-yard field goal with 4:07 remaining in the third quarter. UC Davis didn't score again in the game and North Dakota State tacked on seven more points to finish off the scoring.

UC Davis' defense held up fairly well against the run, limiting North Dakota State to 198 yards on the ground.

Said Hawkins, "You get hyped uyp early on for these games, and it is cool to be a part of, and a lot of fun, but there is a lot of football left with a lot of good teams coming up on both (UC Davis and North Dakota State's) schedules. We start Big Sky games next week, this will not be an easy road."

The Aggies are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 28, when they'll take on Montana in their Big Sky opener at UC Davis Health Stadium.


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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. 6-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis 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 animal science programs.

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.