DAVIS, Calif. -- UC Davis football will open its 2021 season with a Thursday, September 2 game against Tulsa, member of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision American Athletic Conference. The kickoff time will be announced at a later date.
The game replaces that date's previously scheduled matchup against USC, which announced officially Friday that it would opt out of the matchup.
The Aggies went 5-7 in 2019, having faced seven opponents either ranked or receiving votes in the FCS Top 25 polls. Under head coach Dan Hawkins, UC Davis previously captured its first Big Sky Conference title in 2018, while earning another first: a trip to the NCAA FCS postseason.
The Golden Hurricane went 4-8 overall and 2-6 in The American, a conference that featured four teams in the Associated Press Top 25. Tulsa's most recent Bowl appearance was the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl, resulting in a 55-10 win over Central Michigan. The 2021 season opener will mark the program's first-ever game against a member of The American, which formed in 2014 as an offshoot from the 41-year-old Big East Conference.
The city of Tulsa has served at the site for several historical moments for UC Davis intercollegiate athletics. The Aggie men's basketball team made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament round of 64 at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in 2017. Tennis players Alec Adamson (2017), Ivan Thamma (2019) and David Goulak (2019) also earned spots at the prestigious ITA All-American Championship, held at Tulsa's Michael D. Case Center.
The 2020 UC Davis football season begins on August 29 at Nevada. Deposits for season tickets can be made now at tickets.ucdavis.edu.
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 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 plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO: Established in 2017-18, 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.
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE: Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit this site for more information.
DON'T MISS OUT: Tickets for all UC Davis sports are on sale by contacting the Athletics Ticket Office at (530) 752-AGS1 or by visiting us online at tickets.ucdavis.edu.
