HILLSBORO, Ore. — UC Davis (1-0) scored 31 second-half points to erase a 21-point halftime deficit en route to a 31-24 comeback victory at Portland State (0-1) in the season and Big Sky opener for both teams Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium. Treynor Cleeland connected with Laviel Pickett for the 22-yard game-winning score with 0:27 seconds remaining and then a Vikings' Hail Mary attempt from the Aggies' 36-yard line on the game's final play was thrown out of bounds.
The comeback started when UC Davis scored its first points of the season on its first safety since 2018 with 9:42 remaining in the third period. Portland State punter Emiliano Montenez was unable to come up with a high snap cleanly on the play before kicking it out of the back of the Vikings' end zone.
Zach Jones returned Montenez ensuing free kick 87 yards to the end zone for an apparent touchdown but much of the return was wiped out by a blindslide block on the Aggies at the 50-yard line. But UC Davis would score its first touchdown anyway on the drive that followed as Cleeland marched the Aggies 60 yards on eight plays culminating with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jordan Fischer to cut the Vikings advantage to 21-9 with 6:01 to go.
Fischer struck again with 0:06 remaining in the third quarter when he capped a six-play, 50-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to move the Aggies within 21-16.
Portland State reached the UC Davis eight-yard line on its next possession before stalling and settling for a 24-yard field goal from Joshua Hossmann Lees to increase its lead to 24-16 with 9:35 to play.
An interception ended the Aggies' next drive but UC Davis would make a critical spot at its own 25-yard line to get the ball back with 6:54 to go.
Cleeland then went 5-for-5 for 57 yards on a game-tying drive that culminated in a 15-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Gbatu Jr. and a successful two-point conversion from Cleeland to Pickett with 2:19 to go.
Teeg Sione got the Aggies the ball back with his interception at the UC Davis 20-yard line and Cleeland marched the Aggies down the field again, completing 3-of-4 passes for 61 yards on the game-winning five-play, 80-yard drive.
