DAVIS, Calif. – The Stetson punt unit was no match for Zach Jones.

Last Saturday, the UC Davis fourth-year returner made history when he became the first player in school history to bring back two punt returns for touchdowns in a game.
 
And it wasn't even close.
 
On the first one midway through the second quarter, Jones broke a tackle about 10 yards into the return, then accelerated into high gear to get behind a wall so big that no one would get close to him again as he covered 79 yards in the blink of an eye.
 
Jones would call for a fair catch the next time he went back on a return early in the third quarter, but the Hatters would not be so fortunate on his next opportunity later in the same period. He started right again as he did on the first touchdown return before making a devastating cutback at the Stetson 30-yard line, leaving the only defender who had a chance to tackle him grasping at air.
 
"Forget about it, you're not catching the fastest man on campus," proclaimed Aggie play-by-play voice Scott Marsh on the ESPN+ broadcast. "He's done it again."
 
Jones and head coach Tim Plough were obviously quite pleased. 
 
"I just want to thank my boys, because without them I couldn't do it," Jones said about his punt return unit. "The most exciting part for me was seeing my boys out there and how happy they were."
 
"I was super happy for Zach to have that moment," Plough added. "He deserved it. Zach has worked really hard. He has always been very talented. He just needs to believe in himself, and I think he's starting to do that. When he's right, he's as talented as anybody we've ever had. For us to be great, we're going to need Zach Jones to be Zach Jones."
 
Jones couldn't agree more.
 
"We've made big jumps these past couple of years," Jones said. "It was just a matter of time until it was going to start clicking, and I feel like we're really rolling now." 
 
Plough was also quick to praise the entire special teams operation.
 
"What goes overlooked is our improvement on special teams," Plough said. "Clearly, our special teams coordinator Cody vonAppen is a special coach. To see our special teams units impact games the way they have is tremendous. They've been talking about scoring on the punt return unit all year, and they had been close a bunch of times."
 
In fact, two long returns by Jones in the season-opener at Portland State were called back on penalties Plough has described as "50-50 calls". Plough believes that as the Aggies' special teams units continue their dominating play and make it their standard, they will get more of those borderline calls. 
 
Jones could use that if he's going to accomplish more of his goals.
 
"I want to break the Davis record for punt return touchdowns," Jones said about a mark he equaled in a single game. "I told Coach Plough that before the season started and he told me what I needed to do. I tried to follow what he gave me the entire offseason to get to this point."
 
Defensive back Boston Stovall, who has roomed with Jones during each of their four years in Davis, has seen Jones' improvement.
 
"Zach has changed a lot since we got to Davis," Stovall said about the player and person he sees now compared to the one who was seldom used for his first two seasons. "He has a cooler head now and is more mature. He always played with confidence, but he couldn't get into a rhythm."
 
As 22 Stetson players can attest, he has found his groove.
 
Opponent: #5/4 Montana (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm PT
Location: UC Davis Health Stadium / Davis, Calif.
Watch: ESPN+ - Trey Bender (Play-by-Play), Jordan Tripp (Analyst), Kyle Hansen (Sideline)
Listen: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Scott Marsh (Play-by-Play), Jon Grant (Analyst)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Purchase Here
Game Notes: View Here
Game Program: View Here

GAME 4 RECAP NOTES:

• It was a special night at UC Davis Health Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, as No. 11/11 UC Davis (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) raced past Stetson (1-3), 45-7, to open the 20^th season in the facility. With the win, UC Davis moved to 48-24-2 in home openers all-time and has now won 11 straight home openers dating back to 2016.
• Zach 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.
• Samuel 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 25^th 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 12^th career game with 100+ receiving yards. With this performance, he also passed Tony Kays to move into sixth all-time in school history in receiving yards with 2,780 and counting.
• Jordan Fisher's rushing touchdown marked his fourth rushing touchdown of the season, and fifth overall in 2026. It also marked his 13^th career rushing touchdown at UC Davis, tying current New England Patriot Lan Larison for seventh all-time in rushing touchdowns in school history.
• Treynor 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 to close the first half, Edward 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 had his way defensively for the Aggies as the linebacker finished with a game-high 10 tackles, four of which were solo, one tackle for loss (-2 yards), and one forced fumble. The performance marked the sixth time in his career and second time this season he has finished with ten total tackles or more. The forced fumble was his first of his career, and the tackle for loss was his second this season.
• Jackson Kollock and Jackson Fay (WR #16) connected for a 47-yard completion and a first down at 6:30 in the fourth quarter, the longest play on offense for UC Davis.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES:

• With the victory over Stetson on Sept. 19, UC Davis won its eleventh straight home opener, dating back to 2016. The Aggies last dropped their first game at home in a 27-17 loss to South Dakota on Sept. 12, 2015. Additionally, the victory over the Hatters marked the 60th win for the Aggies at UC Davis Health Stadium, which officially began its 20th season of operation on Saturday. It also marked the 100th home game inside the stadium for UC Davis, with the Aggies holding a record of 60-40 since it opened in 2007 (previously named Aggie Stadium).
• The Aggies swept this week's Big Sky Player of the Week honors as Samuel Gbatu Jr. was named Offensive Player of the Week, Porter Connors was named Defensive Player of the Week, and Zach Jones was named Special Teams Player of the Week. For UC Davis, it marked the second time ever the Aggies have swept the weekly Big Sky Player of the Week Awards. The first time came when Hunter Rodrigues (Offensive), Cole Hansen (Defensive), and Isaiah Thomas (Special Teams) swept the awards in Week 4 of the 2020-21 COVID-shortened season.
• Gbatu Jr. continues to climb the leaderboards nationally as the wide receiver now ranks in the top five in the country in receiving yards (498, second), receptions per game (8.00, fourth), receiving yards per game (117.0, fifth), and receiving touchdowns (4, tied for fifth).

THE SERIES VS. MONTANA:

• Saturday's game between UC Davis and Montana will mark the 12^th meeting all-time between the two programs. The Grizzlies currently hold a 9-2 advantage over the Aggies, but UC Davis came out victorious, 30-14, in the last matchup between the two on Nov. 9, 2024, in Missoula. The Aggies have also never won back-to-back games over Montana.
• A win over the Grizzlies would give the Aggies their first-ever win over Montana in the city of Davis, having previously dropped all five matchups. The most recent loss came in a narrow 31-23 result on Oct. 7, 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.