Score:Â No. 6 UC Davis 48, Eastern Washington 38
Location:Â Cheney, Wash. (Roos Field)
Records: UC Davis 7-1 (4-0), Eastern Washington 2-5 (1-2)
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The short story: For the first time in program history, No. 6 UC Davis took down Eastern Washington, out gaining the Eagles on the red turf of Roos Field behind over 500 yards of total offense and 257 all-purpose yards from senior running back
Lan Larison.
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FIRST DOWN
- Larison finished with 182 rushing yards and 75 receiving yards, scoring a rushing touchdown on a 53-yard scamper in the first half
- Senior quarterback Miles Hastings finished 18-for-28 with 329 passing yards and four touchdowns
- Junior wide receiver Samuel Gbatu, Jr. finished with a career-high 134 yards receiving, snagging a pair of touchdowns
- Senior wide receiver Chaz Davis finished with a pair of touchdowns, snagging 52 yards on three catches
- Junior kicker Hunter Ridley hit a pair of big field goals, from 46 and 37 yards out. The Aggie placekicker was also a perfect 6-for-6 in extra points
- Senior defensive lineman Zach Kennedy had a big game, finishing with six total tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss (10 yards), one sack and one quarterback hurry
- Senior defensive end Evan Bearden added six tackles of his own, with 0.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry
- Junior linebackers Porter Connors (12) and David Meyer (11) each finished with double digit tackles
- As a team the Ags rushed for 220 yards, scoring twice on the ground and in the air the Aggies finished with 329 yards for a total of 549 yards
WHAT HEAD COACH TIM PLOUGH HAD TO SAY
"It's a great feeling after that win, and today was a great example of how hard it is to win on the road in this conference. I'm proud of our team as they continue to have a closed mindset and focus on themselves. We are playing good football and finding ways to win, so I am proud of this team and the effort they continue so show. We will enjoy this win before pivoting to a much-needed bye week and then Northern Colorado."
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- The opening quarter started slow for both sides, with the Eagles scoring on their second drive of the game when they split the uprights from 25 yards out to make it 3-0 heading into the second quarter
- In the second quarter the Aggies found joy
- It didn't take long, and on the Ags second drive of the period Larison busted it open
- As Larison took the handoff, the line parted like the Red Sea and, untouched, Larison scampered for a season-long 53 yards and the Aggies first touchdown of the game
- A three-and out for Eastern Washington gave UC Davis the ball right back and away they went, going 66 yards in six plays breaking the plain when senior wide receiver C.J. Hutton ran for a 40-yard touchdown to put UC Davis up 14-3
- The Eagles responded with a touchdown drive of their own, but a missed extra point meant the score sat at 14-9
- Using a 41-yard pass to Larison, the Aggies marched down the field and on second and 10 on the Eastern Washington 26, Hastings found Davis for an Aggie touchdown to extend the Davis lead to 21-9
- Over the final minutes of the quarter the Aggies again drove, using 1:18 to go 70 yards in six plays to put a cherry on the opening half
- And after Gbatu Jr., hauled in a 17-yard pass the Aggies took a 28-9 lead into the break
- Ridley's career-long 46-yard field goal would be the Ags lone score of the third quarter as Eastern Washington came out of the locker room swinging, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the quarter to get back into the game
- Entering the final period the Ags held a 31-21 lead as they looked to lock up their first win on the red turf
- The Eagles converted a field goal early in the fourth to make it 31-24, getting within one score
- A pair of Eastern Washington penalties on the next drive helped UC Davis get down the field on their next drive, and from eight yards out Hastings nailed Davis who scored his second touchdown of the game to put the Ags back up by two scores at 38-24
- After being pinned deep, the Aggies broke out on their second play
- From the UC Davis 10-yard line, Hastings found a streaking Gbatu Jr., who ran under a perfect pass and just kept on going, racing for a 90-yard touchdown to push the Ags up 45-24
- Over their final two drives, Eastern Washington would score touchdowns and both times attempt an onside kick
- But both time UC Davis answered the call on the onside kick, recovering both with ease to keep extra possessions away from the Eagles
- Ridley nailed a 37-yard field goal on the Aggie second-to-last drive giving UC Davis the cushion it needed to lock up a 48-38 Big Sky road victory
GAME NOTES
- The 90-yard touchdown pass from Hastings to Gbatu Jr., was the fourth longest passing play in program history; the longest passing play in the Division I era; the first passing play of at least 90 yards since 1985
- Chaz Davis' two receiving touchdowns was his first career multi-touchdown game
- Gbatu Jr.'s 134 yards receiving yards are the most by an Aggie since Trent Tompkins snagged 148 yards against Northern Arizona in 2023
- Gbatu Jr., had career highs in receiving yards and touchdown receptions (this was his first career 100-yard receiving game)
- Larison's game was his 10th-career 100-yard rushing game, and his fourth of the season
- Ridley's 46-yard field goal was a career long
- Ridley has successfully hit 12-straight field goals
- For the first time this season, the Aggies failed to create a turnover in a game
- Hastings now has 9,910 career passing yards as he sits third all-time in program history
- Larison now has 2,990 career rushing yards, as he is 10 away from 3,000 yards for his career and he passed Ron Austin (1977-80) for fourth all-time in program history
- The Aggies recorded their first win over Eastern Washington and are now 1-11 all-time against the Eagles
- UC Davis scored on four-straight drives to end the first half
- The Aggies' 220 rushing yards is a season-high
- UC Davis now has four scoring drives of at least 90 yards this season