Aggies’ offense shines with a 50-point firework show
By THEO KAYSER — sports@theaggie.org
On Sept. 20, the UC Davis Aggies football team hosted the Southern Utah University (SUU) Thunderbirds for their third game of the season, hoping to shake off a difficult loss against the University of Washington (UW) two weeks prior. After being held to just 10 points in the game, the Aggies’ offense exploded, leading them to a 50-34 victory.
The game’s scoring began early when Zach Jones, a third-year undeclared major, scored an 11-yard touchdown run about a third of the way through the game’s inaugural quarter.
On their next drive, the UC Davis offense kept the pedal to the metal, marching down the field for another score. This time, tight end Winston Williams, a fourth-year psychology major, caught the scoring pass from the arm of quarterback Caden Pinnick, a second-year international relations major.
However, after a dominant first three drives, the Aggies faltered through the next 15 minutes of action. First, SUU entered the scoring column with a bang, as a two-play drive saw them drive 50-yards, finished off in style with a 28-yard touchdown reception by SUU’s wide receiver Gabe Nunez. By the halfway mark of the second quarter, the game was knotted at 14.
In response, the Aggies flashed their own explosiveness on offense, as Carter Vargas, a second-year undeclared major, notched a 50-yard run, followed by a six-yard score by Jordan Fisher, a third-year managerial economics major. After retaking the lead, UC Davis Head Coach Tim Plough’s aggressive gameplanning continued as the squad executed a two-point conversion to take their lead to eight.
Before the half concluded, SUU scored once more, but after a failed two-point conversion attempt, remained behind at 22-20.
After two high-octane performances from both sides in the first half, both teams remained firing on all cylinders in the second. The Aggies wasted no time before revisiting the scoring column, as during the first play of the half, Fisher scored a 75-yard touchdown run.
Still, SUU refused to roll over after another devastating blow to their defense. In response, quarterback Will Burns topped off an efficient seven-play, 66-yard drive for the Thunderbirds with a one-yard touchdown, drawing the deficit back to two points.
A few minutes later, the Aggies scored yet again, as Pinnick launched his second touchdown pass of the night. After this penultimate third-quarter scoring drive, Vargas cashed in one more touchdown to advance the Aggies’ lead to two scores.
The nail in the coffin came via yet another score by Vargas, this one from 47-yards out. After a successful extra point kick, the score sat at 50-27.
In the game’s closing moments, SUU scored one last time, leading the score to read 50-34 as the clock struck zero.
This explosive offensive performance from the Aggies featured several stellar individual performances to lead the charge. Headlining the explosion was the UCD rushing attack, which saw big numbers put up by both Fisher and Vargas. The two combined for 18 carries, 308-yards and four touchdowns, staggering with not only raw totals but also efficiency in their statistical profile.
From under center, Pinnick played an efficient, clean game, completing 13 of his 21 attempts for 162-yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Pinnick’s choice target in the game was Samuel Gbatu Jr., a fourth-year managerial economics major, whose three receptions for 45-yards led the Aggies’ receiving score in both metrics. In support of the Pinnick-Gbatu connection, Vargas and Stacy Dobbins, a second-year human development major, each had strong performances of their own, tallying a combined four receptions for 67-yards.
On the other side of the ball, standout Aggies were Sam Goligoski, a third-year communication major, Jacob Psyk, a graduate student at the School of Management and Nate Rutchena, also a graduate student. Goligoski and Pysk each recorded two sacks in the game, with Pysk also recording two forced fumbles. Rutchena recorded a key interception in the game in addition to two solo tackles.
The Aggies will hope to continue their positive momentum as their schedule hits full swing for the start of the school year. UC Davis is set to travel to San Luis Obispo to face off against the Cal Poly Mustangs on Oct 4.
Written by: Theo Kayser — sports@theaggie.org
