DAVIS, Calif. – After an offseason of hard work with the goal of taking the next step on the national stage, No. 8 UC Davis football begins its 107th campaign with a nationally broadcast season opener against No. 11 Mercer in the 2025 FCS Kickoff Classic at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW
2025 FCS Kickoff Classic
Aug. 23 – vs. No. 11 Mercer | ESPN | Listen | Live Stats | @UCDavisfootball
 
GAME NOTES

• For the first time in program history, UC Davis and Mercer will face off on the gridiron. It's historic for the Aggies because it also marks the first time they have faced a team from Georgia and the Southern Conference. As for Mercer, the Ags are the second team from California the Bears have seen in program history having faced off with San Diego in 2013
• Give UC Davis a win in its season opener for the third time in five years and its first since opening the 2023 season with a 48-10 victory over East Texas A&M. A victory in the Cramton Bowl would also be the first for an Aggie team south of the Mason-Dixon line in only the third game ever played by an Aggie team in the south. It would also be head coach Tim Plough's first win in a season opener at the helm of the Aggies.
• UC Davis will be taking part in the 2025 FCS Kickoff Classic, a annual game played since 2014 that is hosted during Week 0 giving FCS team's a national showcase. The Aggies are the first team from California to play in the game, and since the game moved permanently to Montgomery in 2017 UC Davis will make the longest trip for the game since Youngstown State played Samford in 2019. The Aggies are also the first Big Sky team to play in the game since 2015 when Montana hosted North Dakota State in Missoula, Montana.

 
PREVIEWING THE BEARS

• Mercer comes into the season having gone 11-3 during the 2024 season, falling short in the quarterfinals much like the Aggies
• This is the second time that Mercer has played in the FCS Kickoff Classic, having won the game in 2023
• Mercer returns 48 letterwinners, that includes over a dozen starters from its 11-win 2024 squad

 
SEASON NOTES

• UC Davis, for the first time since 2006, opens its first three games away from Davis, California. After the Aggies visit Montgomery, they will travel to St. George, Utah to face Utah Tech before heading to Seattle, Washington to face the Washington Huskies. This year marks the third time in program history the Aggies have begun their season away from home for so long, spending the opening three weekends away in 2006 and 1978.

TEAMS PLAYING AT LEAST FIRST THREE GAMES ON ROAD SINCE 2006
            - UC Davis (2025)
            - East Texas A&M (2025)
            - Southeastern Louisiana (2021; 2023)
            - Duquesne (2017)
            - Tarleton State (2013)
            - Charleston Southern (2008; 2009; 2011)

• Returning for 2025 is talented safety Rex Connors, and he brings with him a collection of 2024 honors that have evolved into 2025 preseason accolades. Connors ended 2024 as a four-time All-American, first team All-Big Sky Conference honors and his 74 solo tackles set a program record. This season he comes in ranked as the No. 1 returning safety by HERO Sports and he has already earned multiple preseason All-American honors. Connors also became the first Aggie to be named the Big Sky Preseason Defensive Player of the Year to go along with Preseason All-Conference honors.
• UC Davis returns all its starting offensive linemen from the 2024 team, making them one of three teams in the nation that can make that claim. The Ags return tackles Eli Simonson and Ernesto Nava to go along with interior starters Zaire Collier (center), Jace Rodriguez and David Porotesano. David Main, once back from injury, will make the Ags six deep on the offensive line. The collection of talent meant that HERO Sports named the Aggie offensive line as the fourth best returning line in the nation.

TEAMS RETURNING ALL FIVE STARTING OFFENSIVE LINEMEN IN FCS
            - UC Davis (Big Sky)
            - Charleston Southern (Big South)
            - North Carolina Central (MEAC)

• Entering 2025 the Aggies have been finding themselves individually on several All-American lists, with five Aggies earning honors. Rex Connors (first team), Winston Williams (second team), Hunter Ridley (second team) and Porter Connors (third team) earned the honor from Stats Perform. While FCS Football Central added Jacob Psyk (second team) to a collection that saw Connors and Ridley earn first team honors, Williams earn second team honors and Porter bring home third team honors. It's the most preseason All-Americans in program history.

SEASON TICKETS: Season tickets are on sale now, and fans can head here to secure their spot in Shredville for the 2025 season. Tickets start as low as $100 for new alumni and $140 for the general public.

GROUP TICKETS: Football group ticket discounts start at 10 or more tickets and provide a great opportunity for gatherings and parties to enjoy Aggie football. If you'd like to create an unforgettable experience with your group, the Aggie Ticket Office is here to help you customize your day! Fans can head to THIS LINK to purchase their group ticket packages.
 
MINI PLANS: Mini Plans are a great way for Aggie fans to save on tickets by bundling multiple games. Choose from 2 different options to get the biggest bang for your buck, and fans get to pick the games that work the best for you. The Pick Any 2 or Pick Any 3 Plans allow fans to pick and choose which games they want to attend at a discounted rate versus buying single-game tickets. Both plans can be purchased here.
 
SINGLE GAME TICKETS: Single game tickets are on sale now and fans can secure their spot at one five home games for as little as $13 a ticket. HEAD HERE to buy single game tickets today.