DAVIS, Calif. - The UC Davis football team (1-2) will open its Big Sky Conference slate against Weber State (3-0) on Saturday, Sept. 24 at UC Davis Health Stadium. The contest will kickoff at 7 p.m. Scott Marsh and Scott Gordon will call the action on ESPN+ while Greg Wong and Doug Kelly have the call on Sactown Sports 1140 am. The Aggies are coming off their first win of the season, downing San Diego, 43-13, in the home opener at UC Davis Health Stadium. The Wildcats ran past Utah Tech, 44-14, and entered Week 3 ranked No. 12/13. UC Davis downed Weber State, 17-14, last season on the road.  

SERIES HISTORY

The two programs will be meeting for the 10th time as Weber State holds a 6-3 all-time advantage. UC Davis snapped a five-game skid last season by downing the Wildcats in thrilling fashion, 17-14, in Ogden. Trent Tompkins scored with 27-seconds left to snag the victory over the No. 14/15-ranked squad in the country. Saturday's meeting will just be the fourth in the series at Davis, as the Wildcats hold a 2-1 slight advantage. The two programs last met in Davis in 2019 – a 36-20 Weber State victory.

 RECORD BREAKER

Senior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., broke G.P. Muhammad's 24-year-old career rushing record (3,589) when he bounced free on a 12-yard run on the second play of the first offensive drive for the Aggies against San Diego. Gilliam, Jr. finished the game with 106 yards on the ground to move his record total to 3,689. Gilliam, Jr. also broke the all-purpose yards (4,630) record at Cal, surpassing Muhammad's career mark of (4,629) by one yard in week one.
*A complete look at his record run can be found on pages 8-9*

 BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE

Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., already has two milestone records in his name and is on the verge of more. The 5-9 running back enters the Week 3 contest against Weber State with 40 career touchdowns. The 40 touchdowns are tied with Matt Brown and Preston Jackson for the most in a career by a non-quarterback in program history. Gilliam, Jr. also enters the game 31 points behind Brady Stuart's scoring record of 274.

THE KING OF SOLO TACKLES

Defensive back Devon King paced the Aggies with 10 tackles against San Diego with seven solo stops. King enters Week 3 against Weber State with 132 unassisted tackles, which ranks fourth all time and is just four shy of Jason Hairston's school record of 136.

 CONNORS BROTHERS – AN AIR DEFENSE FAMILY

Redshirt freshman Rex Connors was named Big Sky Co-Defensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Ground FCS Freshman Player of the Week after his stellar performance in Week 2. Connors put together one of the finest defensive performances in recent memory for the Aggies. Against No. 2 ranked South Dakota State on the road, Connors registered 17 total tackles, including 10 solo stops in the defensive slugfest. On top of his 17 tackles, the Pleasant Grove, Utah native added two interceptions as the initial takeaway was the first of his Aggie career. The 17 total tackles are the most in a game in program history since at least 2007. The 17 total tackles also currently rank fourth in the FCS in a single game this season. In Week 3 against San Diego, his brother Porter recorded his first career interception when he picked off Judd Erickson deep in Aggie territory in the first quarter. The brothers have combined for 37 total tackles and three interceptions.

 60-YARD STRIKES

In three games this season the Aggies have showcased some explosive plays with three touchdowns over 60 yards. In the opener at Cal, senior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. ripped off a 60-yard rushing score. The scamper was his longest since a 75-yard touchdown in 2019 against Portland State and the longest by an Aggies since an 86-yard score from Trent Tompkins in 2020. Sophomore running back Lan Larison hauled in a 68-yard touchdown pass from Miles Hastings in Week 2 at South Dakota State. The touchdown reception was the longest by an Aggie since Khris Vaughn caught a 76-yard touchdown in the Causeway Classic in 2019. Larison has been electric in his career, boasting a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 40-yard rushing score on top of his 68-yarder against South Dakota State. Against San Diego in Week 3, Josh Gale recorded his first career touchdown, racing past the Torero defense for a 62-yard receiving score.

 COMPLETE BACKS

All eyes have been on arguably the most prodigious rusher in UC Davis history and the rushing record. Diving in deeper on the all-time leader in rushing and all-purpose yards, Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. has been an underrated receiver his whole career and is starting the 2022 season in impressive fashion. The Merced native enters Week 4 leading the Aggies with 18 receptions and is second on the squad with 162 receiving yards. His 18 catches and 162 receiving yards rank third of all players in the Big Sky. Also out of the Aggie backfield, Lan Larison enters the Weber State game leading UC Davis with 168 receiving yards, including a 68-yard score. Larison is averaging a team-best 18.8 per reception on pass catchers with five or more receptions.

SPREAD THE WEALTH

In three games in 2022 the Aggies have started five different wide receivers. In the first game of the season at Cal, Justin Kraft returned from an injury plagued career to earn the start while Chaz Davis caught his first career touchdown. In Week 2 at South Dakota State, Justin Poerio hauled in his second career touchdown reception on a nine-yard fourth quarter strike from Miles Hastings. In the big win against USD, three different receivers caught touchdowns, including career firsts from Matteo Perez and Josh Gale. Already, 12 different receivers have been credited with a catch, while six different pass catchers have recorded five or more receptions and seven different Aggies have caught touchdowns.

THE "MAGICAL" TRENT TOMPKINS

In his time in an Aggie uniform, Trent Tompkins has done a lot of everything for the Aggies. Listed as a wide receiver in 2022, the sophomore was all over the stat sheet in 2021. The All-Big Sky second team selection at the all-purpose spot tied for the team-lead with six rushing touchdowns and ranked second on the squad with 448 yards on the ground. The Fresno native caught 12 passes for 77 yards and threw 18 passes for 102 yards and one score. Tompkins also returned two punts for 86 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown. In 2022, Tompkins has returned five punts for 23 yards, three kickoffs for 80 yards, rushed for 36 yards on 10 carries and caught 11 passes for 74 yards. In Week 3 against USD, Tompkins tallied 114 total yards and scored twice on two direct snaps.

HASTINGS LAST TWO GAMES

Miles Hastings hasn't taken long to get comfortable as the Aggie's starting signal-caller. In his last two games, the sophomore has thrown for six touchdowns and 543 yards with only one interception. Against USD, Hastings completed the first 10 passes of the game and finished 16-for-21. The San Marcos native leads the Big Sky with 785 yards passing and is second with seven touchdowns.

SCHEDULE GAZING

On top of opening the season on the road against FBS foe Cal, UC Davis entered the 2022 campaign slated to play four FCS squads that are ranked in the top-25, including three in the Big Sky. Of the four teams, three were tabbed in the top-10 in the preseason polls. In the AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll, UCD will face No. 3 South Dakota State, No. 4 Montana State, No. 7 Sacramento State and No. 20 Weber State. The three top-10 contests will all be on the road.

COACHING MATCHUP

Jay Hill is in his ninth season as the head coach of the Wildcats. Hill is Weber State's all-time leader in coaching wins with a 61-36 record. In his eight seasons, he has led the Wildcats to four Big Sky Conference titles and five trips to the FCS Playoffs. UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins has led the Aggies to their first two FCS Playoff appearances in school history and boasts a 32-24 mark in now his sixth season in Davis. Hawkins is 1-3 against Hill during his time at the helm of the Aggies.

TEAM CAPTAINS

Senior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. and sophomore linebacker Teddye Buchanan were voted team captains for the upcoming season. The selection of Gilliam, Jr. marks the third-straight season the Merced, Calif., native has been named a captain, which is a program record. The appointment eclipses the likes of two-time captains Ken O'Brien, Bo Eason, Mike Moroski, and J.T. O'Sullivan, to name a few. Buchanan, only a sophomore is entering his first season with the distinguished title. On top of the two permanent captains for the 2022 season, additional captains will be named on a game-by-game basis. A complete list is below:

CAL: McCallan Castles & Cam Trimble
SDS: Miles Hastings & Chris Venable
USD: Connor Pettek & Jayce Smalley
Weber: Isaiah Gomez & Nick Eaton

SMALLEY NOMINATED FOR CAMPBELL AWARD

UC Davis graduate linebacker Jayce Smalley is taking full advantage of his extra eligibility seasons. The UCLA graduate transfer, who earned his degree in just three years in Westwood, already etched his name on an MBA degree in Davis and is starting another graduate program in professional accountancy. Smalley boasted a 3.82 in his MBA program. Smalley has started the first three games of the 2022 season and has recorded 11 tackles. 

AGGIES SHATTERING ATTENDANCE MARKS

The consumption of Aggie sports grew across the board in 2021-22. Ticket sales increased by a department record 31-percent, highlighted by record-setting attendance numbers in football in both students and general fans. Two new UC Davis Health Stadium records were broken this past football season, hitting a high of 12,315 against Sacramento State with an average of over 11,000 in attendance across the five home games. Ticket revenues experienced a six-figure increase from previous seasons. The student body set new game day records as well, with over 8,000 entering the gates for their first game back in over a year and a half. The momentum didn't waver to start the 2022 season as a UC Davis Health Stadium record 14,394, including 10,883 students came to the home opener against San Diego.