Teams: UC Davis at Cal Poly
Records: Aggies, 4-5 (2-1); Mustangs, 7-3, (2-1)
Where: Spanos Stadium – San Luis Obispo, Calif.
When: Saturday at 6:05 p.m.
Who to watch: Wide receiver Sean Creadick is a marked man every week.
Last Saturday at North Dakota, however, Creadick played like he was wide open all game.
The senior out of Camarillo, Calif. came alive for 102 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-16 victory last Saturday.
“Creadick has been so consistent,” said coach Bob Biggs. “He’s made plays all year for us, and he’s really playing at an exceptionally high level. It amazes me the way he’s been able to get open.”
Did you know? The Aggies lead the all-time series against Cal Poly 17-16-2.
Preview: Motivation won’t be hard to find in a tenacious UC Davis team this Saturday at Cal Poly.
The Aggies are coming off a crucial road victory where they made plays big enough to set school and personal records.
“It’s Cal Poly,” said quarterback Randy Wright. “If you can’t get amped up for this game, you’re in the wrong sport. That’s all the motivation you need.”
From punter Colton Shmidt’s 78-yard boot to Wright’s new career-high 286 passing yards, Biggs liked what he saw last week against the Fighting Sioux.
“That was the game we were looking for all year,” Biggs said. “All in all, I’m very happy. We made big plays, and I was very pleased with how hard [the Aggies] played.”
The Aggie defense forced four turnovers against North Dakota – one of which resulted in a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Against the Mustangs this Saturday, in the storied Battle for the Golden Horseshoe, the Aggies will again need contributions from all angles of the game.
Luckily, the road victory gave UC Davis confidence and momentum entering the rivalry game.
“There’s nothing like winning,” Biggs said. “It’s an affirmation of all your hard work, and it [shows] a belief in what you’re doing.”
This mindset will be crucial for UC Davis as it faces another solid running game from its long-time rival Cal Poly.
The Mustangs average over 255 yards on the ground per game, led by running back Mark Rodgers who ran for 235 yards against Southern Utah last week.
Biggs says the Aggies will be ready.
“It’s been a great rivalry over the years,” Biggs said. “We’re not playing for a spot in the playoffs – they are. Our motivation is to have a winning season and to beat Cal Poly. It’s tradition, it’s history.”
– Grace Sprague
