Teams: UC Davis vs. Sacramento State
Records: Aggies, 5-4; Hornets, 4-5
Where: Aggie Stadium
When: Saturday at 2 p.m.
Who to watch: Saturday’s rivalry tilt will mark the 10th football game in Aggie Stadium history, and up to this point, Brandon Rice has shined in every single one of them.
Dating back to last year’s stadium opener, the senior has a run of nine straight home games with 100 yards receiving and/or a touchdown. The Beverly Hills High graduate has the chance to push the streak to double-digits against the Hornets in what will be the final home game of his career.
Did you know? The UC Davis-Sac State rivalry has been lopsided of late – in all sports.
Not only have the Aggies defeated the Hornets in football the last eight years, but UC Davis has yet to lose to Sac State all year in the race for the Causeway Cup.
The Aggies have won in men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s volleyball and men’s golf to take a commanding 32.5-0 lead in the Causeway Cup standings.
Preview: All season, the UC Davis coaching staff has been preaching for its players to finish.
On Saturday, the Aggies will be asked to do it again, this time with the opportunity to put the finishing touches on perfection.
UC Davis has won all four games of its current five-game homestand and stands a perfect 5-0 at home for the year. A win over Sac State would complete the team’s home schedule on a winning note and give it added momentum heading into next Saturday’s Battle for the Horseshoe at No. 3 Cal Poly.
Coming off a bye, the Aggies return to action with a familiar face in their lineup. Joe Trombetta practiced all week and will get the start at running back. He returns to face a Hornets rush defense ranked No. 8 in the Football Championship Subdivision, allowing an average of 80.7 yards against. Last week, Sac State held Eastern Washington to negative 31 rushing yards.
UC Davis, meanwhile, is ranked fourth in the FCS in rush defense (73.0 yards per game).
–Michael Gehlken
