DAVIS, Calif. – The UC Davis football team officially opens the 2023 season on the road at Texas A&M – Commerce. The two teams will face off on Thursday, Aug. 31, with kickoff slated for 5 p.m. PT at Memorial Stadium. Scott Marsh and Scott Gordon will be on the call on Sactown Sports, KHTK 1140 and The Varsity Sports Network.



IN THE RANKINGS
The Aggies enter the season ranked as high as No. 14 in the Athlon Sports Preseason FCS Top 25. The Ags checked in at No. 18 in the HERO Sports Preseason Poll and were tabbed No. 17 in the AFCA Poll.

PRESEASON HONORS
Quarterback Miles Hastings and safety Rex Connors garnered national preseason recognition as Hastings was named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List and Connors was listed for the Buck Buchanan Award. Connors was also named to the preseason all-Big Sky team and was joined by Zach Kennedy and Jake Parks.

SEASON OPENERS
Since joining the Division I ranks in 2004, the Aggies have gone 6-13, facing an FBS opponent 11 of those 19 openers. Under head coach Dan Hawkins UC Davis is 3-3, earning wins over FBS foes San Jose State (2018) and Tulsa (2021). The Aggies have started on the road in 15 of the 19 seasons since joining Division I.

SERIES HISTORY
The two teams will be meeting for the third time overall. The two programs met in a home-and-home in back-to-back seasons in 1998-99 as the Aggies won both matchups. The first game was played in Commerce in 1998 and the Ags won, 34-10. The next season in Davis, UCD won, 36-0.

TEAM CAPTAINS
For the second straight season, linebacker Teddye Buchanan was voted a team captain before the start of the season. Quarterback Miles Hastings, who was named a captain during the season in 2022, will also lead the Aggies in 2023.

COACHING MATCHUP
UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins will lead his alma mater for his seventh season. Hawkins enters the 2023 campaign with a 37-27 overall record while at the helm in Davis. Hawkins sports a 148-89-1 overall record in 21 seasons. Texas A&M – Commerce head coach Clint Dolezel enters his first season at his alma mater. The Lion Hall of Famer spent 13 seasons as a head coach in indoor professional football.

NEXT TIME OUT
For the second straight season, the Aggies will hit the road to face a Pac-12 opponent. UC Davis will head north to play No. 18 Oregon State on Saturday, Sept. 9, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will air on Pac-12 Network.

Football season tickets, single game tickets, group tickets and mini-plans are now on sale. Click HERE or call the UC Davis Ticket Office at 530-752-2471 for more information.