DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis opens its 2026 football training camp Thursday, July 30, with the first of 25 practices leading up to its Aug. 29 season opener at Portland State at noon PT.

"I'm excited about the 2026 season and the opportunity to continue building something special at UC Davis," said third-year head coach Tim Plough. "We often talk about finding joy in what we do, and that's what this program is about. We want to represent UC Davis in a way that brings joy to our players, our university and our community—and gives people a team they're proud to support."

UC Davis will host a press conference with Plough on July 30 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bruce Edwards Room.

TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE AND ACCESS

The Aggies will practice through Aug. 28, with off days scheduled for Aug. 5, 10, 15, 16 and 22. Practices will begin at approximately 9 a.m., except July 30 and Aug. 1 and 3, when practice will begin at 10 a.m.

Filming is permitted during the portion of practice held on Bob Biggs Field but is prohibited when the team moves to the turf inside UC Davis Health Stadium. All media members and content personnel unaffiliated with UC Davis Athletics are expected to follow designated access areas and filming restrictions. Practices on Aug. 17, 21, 23, 27, and 28 are closed to the media.  

FOLLOW THE AGGIES THROUGH CAMP

Fans can connect with Plough at Lunch with the Ball Coach on August 6 and receive an inside look at the Aggies as they prepare for the 2026 season. Click here to purchase tickets.

The complete training camp schedule, along with the latest news, photos and videos from camp, will be available on the Aggies' 2026 Football Camp Central webpage.

2026 SCHEDULE OUTLOOK

The Aggies open the 2026 campaign with three consecutive road games, beginning Aug. 29 at Portland State. UC Davis then travels to San Diego on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. before facing SMU on Sept. 12 at 1 p.m.

The Power Four Mustangs won nine games last season and represent the Aggies' lone FBS opponent on the schedule. In 2024, SMU reached the ACC Championship Game and advanced to the first round of the College Football Playoff.

UC Davis begins a three-game homestand Sept. 19 against Stetson at 7 p.m. in its final regular-season nonconference game. The Aggies then open Big Sky play by hosting Montana on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. and Eastern Washington on Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Montana finished the 2025 season with a 13-2 record and ranked No. 3 nationally.

Following a bye week, UC Davis returns to action Oct. 17 at Southern Utah at 5 p.m. The Aggies will alternate home and road contests for the remainder of the regular season, hosting Northern Michigan on Oct. 24, Utah Tech on Nov. 7 and Cal Poly on Nov. 21 while traveling to Weber State on Oct. 31 and Idaho on Nov. 14.

2026 PRESEASON NOTES

• UC Davis is coming off a 9-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Big Sky, a trip to the FCS Quarterfinals and a No. 8 final national FCS ranking in 2025, with its victories including a second-round playoff win over No. 9 Rhode Island, and a victory over Sacramento State in the Causeway Classic against Sacramento State, which in 2025 was the last currently scheduled game in a series that began in 1954 with the Hornets' move to the Mid-American Conference in 2026.
• UC Davis has six players on 2026 Preseason All-American teams, including First Team selections in WR Samuel Gbatu Jr., LB Porter Connors and DB Rex Connors. DB Drew Cofield, RB Jordan Fisher and TE Winston Williiams and have also earned Preseason All-America mentions. 
• Gbatu Jr. is also on the 2026 preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award given annually to the top offensive player in FCS Football.
• Gbatu Jr. picked up Second Team All-America honors in 2025, while both of the Connors' brothers were FCS Preseason All-Americans a year ago before each suffered a season-ending injury in the fourth contest of the campaign against Weber State.
• Gbatu Jr. (70-1169-11 TD) and Fisher (185-1121-8 TD) are the Aggies' most productive receiver and rusher returning from a year ago, while LB Jackson Sievers (67 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 SACK) is the team's leading returning tackler. Cofield's 11 passes defended ranked third in the Big Sky and tied for eighth nationally a year ago.
• Head coach Tim Plough, Gbatu Jr. and Cofield represented UC Davis at the 2026 Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend. The three-day event in Spokane took place from July 24-27. 

BUY 2026 SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Single game tickets are on sale now. Secure your seats for any of UC Davis' six home games today.

BUY 2026 MINI PLANS
Mini Plans offer a great way to save by bundling multiple games. Choose from two different options and select the games that fit your schedule.

Both Mini Plan options include the Montana game and allow fans to add one or two additional home games at a discounted rate compared to purchasing single-game tickets. All Mini Plan seats are located in Sections 119 or 125 on the west side of UC Davis Health Stadium.

BUY 2026 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets start at just $100 for new alumni (2017–26 UC Davis graduates) and $140 for the general public. Season ticket holders also receive a variety of exclusive benefits, including priority access to postseason tickets, select away games and parking.

Additional benefits include a dedicated Aggie Ticket Representative, flexible payment plan options and invitations to exclusive season ticket holder events. Purchase your season tickets today. For more information, email the Aggie Ticket Office at aggietickets@ucdavis.edu or call (530) 752-2471.

BUY 2026 GROUP TICKETS
Group ticket discounts begin with just 10 tickets and provide the perfect opportunity for company outings, family gatherings, birthday celebrations and more.

Create a memorable birthday experience with a player high-five tunnel or reserve a turnkey tailgate space for your group before kickoff. Call the Aggie Ticket Office at (530) 752-2471 to customize an unforgettable game-day experience.

BUY 2026 TAILGATE/PARKING SPOTS
For more information about purchasing tailgating or parking for the 2026 season, contact Jordan Kurtz at (530) 304-1433 or jkurtz@ucdavis.edu.