DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis continues its road swing to start the 2022 season as the Aggies head to Brookings, S.D. to take on No. 2-ranked South Dakota State. The two teams will clash on Saturday, Sept. 10, with kickoff slated for 4 p.m. PT. Both squads are coming off loses to FBS opponents as UC Davis dropped it opener, 34-13, at Cal and SDSU was edged by Iowa, 7-3. The game Saturday is a rematch from the first round of the 2021 FCS Playoffs, where the Jackrabbits were victorious, 56-24.

AGGIE OUTLOOK
Coming off their second FCS Playoff appearance in school history the Aggies look to build on an encouraging 8-4 campaign in 2022. UC Davis returns a plethora of talent, headlined by Big Sky Preseason Offensive MVP and Walter Payton Watch List senior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr.  Gilliam, Jr. is on the verge of breaking the all-time rushing record and was listed on nearly every preseason All-American squad. Also earning preseason recognition by multiple outlets were offensive linemen Jake Parks and Connor Pettek. The duo was joined by tight end McCallan Castles, and RB/KR Lan Larison. The Aggies checked in at No. 25 in both the Stats Perform and Hero Sports preseason polls and No. 22 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.

SERIES HISTORY
The two teams will be meeting for the ninth time on Saturday, with SDSU holding a 6-2 advantage. The two foes are familiar with each other as they met in the first round of the FCS Playoffs last season. The Jackrabbits won that game, 56-24, in Brookings. South Dakota State has won five straight over UC Davis, with the last Aggie win coming in a 52-0 drubbing in 2004.

CHASING HISTORY
Senior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., is on the verge of etching his name atop the Aggie record books in several categories. He enters week two ranked 2nd in career rushing (3,550), needing 40 yards on the ground to surpass G.P. Muhammad's (1995-98) mark of 3,589. Gilliam, Jr. broke the all-purpose yards (4,630) record at Cal, surpassing Muhammad's record of (4,629) by one yard in week one. The running back has 171 career receptions to rank seventh all-time. He also ranks sixth in scoring with 237 points - third all-time among UC Davis non-kickers. Brady Stuart (2012-15) holds the Aggie record with 274 career points.

SCHEDULE GAZING
On top of opening the season on the road against FBS foe Cal, UC Davis enters 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
John Stiegelmeier is in his 26^th season at South Dakota State, sporting a 185-112 record, having led the Jackrabbits to 10-straight FCS Playoff appearances. UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins has led the Aggies to their first two FCS Playoff appearances in school history and boasts a 31-23 mark in now his sixth season in Davis.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Senior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. and sophomore linebacker Teddye Buchanan were voted team captains for the 2022 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.

NEW COACHES JOIN THE AGGIES IN 22
Three new coaches join the Aggies for the 2022 season. Veteran coach Andre Allen joins the staff from Washington State and will oversee the wide receivers. Allen brings over 30 years of coaching experience to the Aggies, including 27 in California. In his two seasons in Pullman, the WSU receiver room was one of the most heralded in the Pac-12. Taylor Chapatte will be in his first season coaching the Aggie tight ends. Chapatte comes to Davis from the University of San Diego, where he spent four seasons as an assistant coach. Chapatte was the pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach for two seasons with the Toreros and was the wide receivers coach the previous two seasons. With the departure of Mark Speckman right before camp, former UC Davis offensive quality control coach Kevin Burke was elevated to work with the talented running backs room. Burke came to Davis after two different stints as an assistant coach at his alma mater Mount Union where he most recently served as the quarterbacks coach. Burke spent three seasons as an assistant football coach at Case Western Reserve University after his first two-year stint as an assistant coach for the Purple Raiders.

HAWKINS EARNS CONTRACT EXTENSION
This offseason, UC Davis head football coach Dan Hawkins inked a contract extension through the 2027 season to continue to lead his alma mater. Coach Hawkins has led the Aggies to a 31-22 (.585) record over his five seasons. In just year two at the helm, Hawkins guided UC Davis to its first 10-win season since 2001 and its first FCS Playoff appearance in school history. The 23-16 victory over Northern Iowa in 2018 marked the first postseason win for the Ags since 2002. After navigating the Aggies through the COVID-19 pandemic and on the heels of a shortened five-game 2021 spring season, UC Davis again made an appearance in the FCS Playoffs last fall after an 8-4 campaign.

FIRST FULL OFFSEASON
For the first time since the 2019 season, the UC Davis football team got to enjoy a full offseason of preparation. The Aggies participated in their first spring training schedule since leading up to that 2019 campaign. UC Davis did not play in 2020 and returned to action for five contests in the spring of 2021, before jumping right back into action for a full fall slate.

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 started the season-opener at Cal.

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 VERSATILE TRENT TOMPKINS
In his short 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 his season debut at Cal, Tompkins returned three punts for 11 yards, a kickoff for 15 yards, rushed for eight yards and caught four passes for 31 yards.

DISCIPLINED APPROACH
In the season-opener at Cal, UC Davis committed only three penalties. In the last five contests the Aggies have committed five or less penalties in each outing. In 2021, the Aggies were penalized more than five times in only five of the 12 games.

LINEBACKER LEADERSHIP
The Aggies return a lot of experience and continuity from its linebackers. Of the group, the leading tackler and sack leader from a year ago return in 2022. Team captain Teddye Buchanan paced the team with 74 total tackles, including 40 solo stops in 12 games played. He also registered two sacks, two interceptions, a quarterback hurry and 5.5 tackles for loss. Sack-leader Cam Trimble also looks to wreak havoc in the backfield as the senior totaled 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks to lead the team. He registered 47 tackles with 27 solo stops. The Ags also return Nick Eaton, who ranked seventh on the team with 41 total tackles, including 19 solo stops and five for a loss. Veteran Cole Hansen, Jackson Cloyd and Jayce Smalley return as well.

RUSHING RETURN
The UC Davis offense returns its top three rushers from a year ago. Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., Trent Tompkins and Lan Larison accounted for 1,604 yards on the ground and 15 touchdowns. In all, the Aggies return eight players that carried the ball in 2021, accounting for 1,784 yards.

ELITE SPECIAL TEAMS
Behind Hawkins, the Aggies have enjoyed special teams success and 2021 was another year to showcase that, spotting one of the best top-to-bottom special teams units in the nation during the regular season. The Aggies were one of the tops in the nation in kickoff return yards behind All-Big Sky Second Team honoree Lan Larison at 29.91 per return. He set a single-game program record with 211 kick return yards against Eastern Washington. Punt returner Isaiah Thomas was named to the All-Big Sky Second Team at that spot. Thomas ranked 15th in the nation in punt return average at nine yards per during the regular season. Conversely, UC Davis allowed just 18.96 yards per return, though those are few and far between with Daniel Whelan averaging over three touchbacks per kickoff. Speaking of Whelan, as an All-Big Sky Second Team choice averaged a school record 44.01 yards per punt for his career and a single season record 46.25 in 2021.

GOING FOR TWO
In 2021, UC Davis attempted six two-point conversions, with QB Trent Tompkins involved in five of them. He sucessfully ran for three and passed for one (to Garren O'Keefe). While an official school record for such plays does not exist, records dating back to 1964 show the following program highs: the 1967 (3-for-8), 1991 (4-for-8) and 1993 (6-for-8) teams had the most attempted conversions, with that 1993 squad owning the benchmark for most successful tries. Shaun Ayers scored three in 1991 for the individual best. However, UC Davis archives are incomplete, with the number of attempts missing from final reports throughout the 1970s and 1980s; and no individual info prior to 1964.

AGGIES ON THE AIRWAVES
UC Davis football will once again join forces with Sports 1140 KHTK. Scott Marsh enters his 16th season as the Aggies' primary play-by-play voice, while Doug Kelly continues to his analyst roll that dates back to the 1990s. The 2022 football season also marks the second under the Big Sky Conference's deal with the streaming platform ESPN+. During home games, the Aggies welcome Scott Gordon on the call with Marsh on the ESPN+ streaming network and Greg Wong will join Kelly on the radio.