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Zach Jones
7
Stetson STE 1-3 , 0-0
45
Winner UC Davis UCD 3-1 , 1-0
Stetson STE
1-3 , 0-0
7
Final
45
UC Davis UCD
3-1 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
STE Stetson 0 0 0 7 7
UCD UC Davis 14 14 10 7 45

Game Recap: Football |

Aggies Race Past Hatters in Home Opener

DAVIS, Calif. - It was a special night at UC Davis Health Stadium on Saturday as No. 11/11 UC Davis (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) raced past Stetson (1-3), 45-7, to open the 20th season in the facility.

With the win, UC Davis moves to 48-24-2 in home openers all-time and has won 11 straight home openers dating back to 2016.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • After forcing a three-and-out to begin the evening, UC Davis methodically drove down the field for its first points of the game, scoring the opening touchdown on a 6-yard plunge from Jordan Fisher. The touchdown capped off a 12-play, 75-yard drive for the Aggies.
  • The two teams traded possessions in the minutes to follow, but the Aggies struck again when Treynor Cleeland found a streaking Samuel Gbatu, Jr. down the middle of the field for a 46-yard touchdown with 1:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, putting UC Davis up 14-0.
  • Moving into the second period, Zach Jones electrified the crowd at 8:59 by returning a Stetson punt 79 yards for his first-career punt return touchdown. The score extended the lead to 21-0 in favor of UC Davis.
  • The Aggie defense continued to dominate for the remainder of the quarter, with UC Davis getting the ball back for one final drive with 1:21 left. Cleeland showed his poise once more as the half wound down, this time finding Edward Khutsishvili in the end zone on a 19-yard touchdown with 16 seconds remaining. Following the strike, the Aggies rolled into halftime with a 28-0 advantage.
  • Coming out of the locker room, both sides stalled on offense until UC Davis took the ball back at the 9:27 mark. Robert Meyer added to the Aggie lead shortly thereafter, converting on his lone field goal of the night at 5:56 in the third quarter to push the score to 31-0.
  • Jones wasn't done creating magic on special teams as the senior housed his second punt return of the game at 3:07 in the third quarter. The Daly City native danced through the Stetson defense on the 61-yard return, putting UC Davis up 38-0.
  • The Hatters got on the scoreboard in the middle of the fourth quarter, crossing the goal line on a 39-yard touchdown from Thomas Von Grote to Anthony Benzija with 6:59 remaining in regulation.
  • Enjoying a successful night all around, Kai Acia joined the party by scoring his first-career touchdown with 33 seconds left. This touchdown would be the final points of the night for either side as UC Davis cruised to a 45-7 victory.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
  • Jones became the first Aggie in the modern era to return two punts for a touchdown in a single game, recording his ninth and tenth career touchdowns on the way. In total, Jones finished with 140 punt return yards, a new school record for a single game. For UC Davis, the first touchdown marked the Aggies' first punt return for a touchdown since Trent Tompkins returned a punt 85 yards at San Diego on Sept. 11, 2021. It was also the fifth-longest (79 yards) punt return touchdown in school history.
  • Gbatu, Jr. showed out on Saturday as the senior set new career-highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (172). His touchdown in the first quarter was also his 25th career receiving touchdown, which ties him with Charley Enos for fourth in school history. It also marked his third 100+ yard receiving game this year, and his 12th career game with 100+ receiving yards.
  • Fisher's rushing touchdown marked his fourth rushing touchdown of the season, and fifth overall in 2026. It also marked his 13th career rushing touchdown at UC Davis, tying current New England Patriot Lan Larison for seventh all-time in rushing touchdowns in school history.
  • Cleeland dazzled from the pocket throughout the evening, finishing with new career-highs in passing yards (331) and completions (26). It also marked the first 300+ yard passing game of his collegiate career.
  • With his touchdown from Cleeland, Khutsishvili scored his second career touchdown in just his fourth career game.
  • Trent Carrade and Winston Williams both returned to action for the first time this season on Saturday night. Carrade finished with two tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss.
  • Teeg Slone (nine) and Nick Afato (six) both finished with a new career-high in tackles. Slone. Slone's six solo tackles also marked a new career high.
  • Porter Connors tallied ten tackles on the night, the sixth time in his career and second time this season he has finished with ten total tackles or more.
STATS SPOTLIGHT: POSTGAME WITH THE AGGIES: UP NEXT:
UC Davis will continue its three-game homestand next Saturday, Sept. 26, as the Aggies welcome Montana. Kickoff from UC Davis Health Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 pm. Tickets begin at $17 and are available here. Live streaming, radio, and live statistics links are available via the team's schedule page.

FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on UC Davis football, follow the Aggies on X @UCDFootball, on Instagram @ucdavisfootball, and on Facebook @ucdavisfootball.

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.
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UC Davis University Big 12 Conference Big Sky Mountain West West Coast Conference MPSF Golden Coast Conference