DAVIS, Calif. – Jordan Fisher learned early that opportunity is only part of the equation.
His mother, Lisa, put it more simply.
"You're going to get your opportunity," she has told him throughout his life. "What you do with it when you get that opportunity is going to decide whether you keep it."
Fisher has carried that lesson from the football fields of Portland, Ore., to UC Davis, where the senior running back has established himself as one of the Aggies' most dangerous offensive weapons.
The foundation for that success was built long before Fisher became UC Davis's leading rusher in 2025.
He built it in a family that taught him to work, stay committed, and keep moving forward.
"I would say it really comes from both of my parents," Fisher said. "Obviously my mom, she's done a great job, I think, of teaching me things and trying to make sure that I stay the course. My dad as well, he was like a big mentor for me coming up through youth football and stuff and making sure that I have the right mindset."
Fisher watched his parents put those lessons into practice. Lisa, his mother, earned her master's degree while working and raising a family, something he witnessed firsthand.
"(Jordan) saw firsthand me grinding for two years to get my master's," Lisa said. "When I tell him, 'You need to work hard and be committed,' he saw his mom do it, not just seeing the results of it. So, I think that shaped him in a lot of ways."
His father, Robert, played a similar role in Fisher's football development, mentoring him throughout his youth career and helping him understand that his response to adversity was ultimately his choice.
That mindset followed Fisher to UC Davis.
When he arrived in Davis, there was no expectation that he would immediately become the Aggies featured running back. Lan Larison was already on his way to becoming one of the Aggie greats, and Fisher understood that his first job was to learn.
"I was okay with learning from the guys who have already figured it out because that's their time," he said. "I'm going to enjoy this year or two when the pressure is not on me, when I can just focus on my game and develop."
It was not passive waiting.
Fisher watched Larison. He asked questions. He learned how he handled different defenses and even continues to text him about the NFL and the speed of the professional game. More importantly, he trusted that preparation would eventually pay off.
"I knew that my chance was going to come," Fisher said.
His parents had taught him what came next.
"When you get it, you just have to make sure that your presence is felt," said Fisher. "Whether it be on special teams, offense, if they switch you to defense, whatever it is."
That shot began to take shape in 2025.
He entered the season as one of the Aggies' primary running backs alongside
Carter Vargas. The two were productive from the beginning, with both topping 100 rushing yards in UC Davis's 50-34 victory over Southern Utah on Sept. 20.
The workload continued to be shared throughout the season. Through eight games, Vargas had accumulated 445 rushing yards and five touchdowns before an injury ended his season.
Fisher's role expanded, and he took advantage.
By season's end, he finished with 1,121 rushing yards on 185 carries, turning the chance he had spent years preparing for into a season that continued the long-standing tradition of great Aggie backs.
But even as the yards accumulated, his perspective remained larger than the stat sheet. Football, he says, has taught him about preparation and how to prepare for his ambitions after his playing days are through.
Those ambitions are still taking shape. He has talked about wanting to help communities in need, particularly communities with individuals who look similar to him, and creating tangible improvements that make those communities better places to live. He wants people to expect more from themselves and to move through life with greater intention.
"I'm going to try to change the world with my platform," Fisher said. "I don't just play football just because I want to score touchdowns and stuff. But I see my future beyond football as well."
He is now an established Aggie, an experienced running back, and one of the players UC Davis will rely on most as they look to take the next step towards competing for a national title.
He spent years preparing for his moment. Now he gets to decide what comes next.
Opponent: Eastern Washington (1-4, 0-2 Big Sky)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
Time: 7:30 pm PT
Location: UC Davis Health Stadium / Davis, Calif.
Watch: ESPN2 - Chuckie Kempf (Play-by-Play), Dustin Fox (Analyst)
Listen: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Scott Marsh (Play-by-Play), Scott Gordon (Analyst)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Purchase Here
Game Notes: View Here
Game Program: View Here
GAME 5 NOTES:
- Samuel Gbatu, Jr., who finished with 103 yards against Montana, eclipsed 100+ receiving yards for the fourth time in five games to start the season. The performance also marked his 13th career game with 100-plus receiving yards. Additionally, Gbatu Jr. has logged at least five receptions in all five games this season.
- Jordan Fisher finished with his first 100-plus yard rushing performance of 2026, totaling 202 yards on 19 carries last Saturday. It also marked his seventh career game with 100-plus yards rushing. The senior scored his team-high fifth rushing touchdown of the season on a 27-yard run in the third quarter, his longest rush of the year so far.
- Zach Jones caught his first receiving touchdown of the season against Montana, marking his sixth career receiving touchdown.
- Treynor Cleeland played turnover-free football for the second straight game, finishing with 194 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions/fumbles. He now holds a 3:33 TD:INT ratio, with 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions across five games.
- Porter Connors proved to be a leader for the UC Davis defense once again, tying his season-high with 11 total tackles last weekend. He tied his career-high with eight solo tackles in the performance and recorded his third tackle for loss this season (-2 yards).
- Sophomore tight end Jordan Rogers finished with new career-highs in both receptions (2) and receiving yards (15). He previously had only one career catch: 1 reception for 6 yards in the 31-24 win at Portland State on Aug. 29.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES:
- Gbatu Jr. continues to rank amongst the nation's best in multiple offensive categories as the wide receiver now ranks in the top ten in the country in receiving yards (571, second), receiving yards per game (114.2, third), receptions per game (7.60, fourth), and receiving touchdowns (4, ninth).
- Alongside his national rankings, Gbatu Jr. continues to climb in the record books at UC Davis. Heading into Saturday's game, he is 39 yards away from passing Randy Williams (2,921) for fifth all-time in receiving yards. He is also 117 yards away from 3,000 career receiving yards, which would make him one of only four Aggies ever to achieve this feat.
- UC Davis has multiple student-athletes leading the Big Sky in multiple statistical categories: combined kick returns (372, Zach Jones), forced fumbles (0.40, Brayden Rosa), punt return TDs (2, Zach Jones), punt returns (28.0, Zach Jones), receiving yards (571, Samuel Gbatu, Jr.), and receiving yards per game (Samuel Gbatu, Jr.).
THE SERIES VS. EASTERN WASHINGTON:
- Saturday's game between UC Davis and Eastern Washington will mark the 13th meeting all-time between the two programs. The Eagles hold an 11-1 advantage in the series, but the Aggies secured their first-ever win over EWU last time out with a 48-38 victory on Oct. 19, 2024, in Cheney.
- With a victory on Saturday night, the Aggies would notch their first-ever win over Eastern Washington in the city of Davis, having previously dropped all five matchups. The most recent loss came in a narrow 27-24 result on Sept. 23, 2023, at UC Davis Health Stadium.
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS
UC Davis, ranked No. 2 among public universities by the Wall Street Journal in the value of a college degree, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked top in the United States in agriculture and forestry as well as No. 1 in veterinary medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley, and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.
For more information, visit
ucdavisaggies.com.
