UC Davis wins 49-38 in football over Eastern Washington University

Aggies rebound from tough loss to improve its conference record to 4-2

By ALEXIA NAVARRO GARCIA— sports@theaggie.org

On Oct. 3, UC Davis football hosted the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Eagles at the UC Davis Health Stadium, defeating them 49-38 in a Big Sky Conference match.

The Eagles started the game with first possession, and scored with a successful field goal attempt by Eagles kicker Soren McKee. McKee made a 50-yard field goal, giving the Eagles the 3-0 lead at 13:00 in the first quarter.

The Aggies scored on their first drive of the game. Quarterback Treynor Cleeland, a second-year managerial economics major, completed a deep pass to wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr., a redshirt fifth-year managerial economics major. Gbatu caught the pass at the Eagles’ 24-yard line and ran into the end zone for an Aggie touchdown at 12:27. Kicker Robert Meyer, a second-year human development major, completed a successful point-after-touchdown (PAT) attempt, putting the Aggies up 7-3. 

Following a turnover on downs by the Eagles, the Aggies regained possession at their own 33-yard line. Wide receiver Zach Jones, a fourth-year undeclared major, rushed the ball down the right side of the field for a 67-yard rushing touchdown at 10:20. Meyer added an extra-point with a PAT to further the Aggie 14-3 lead. 

On the next drive, Eastern Washington was unable to score a touchdown after reaching the Aggies’ 21-yard line. On fourth-and-five from the Davis 16-yard line, McKee attempted and made a 33-yard field goal, bringing the score to 14-6 with six minutes remaining in the first quarter. 

The Eagles scored their first touchdown in the second quarter. Quarterback Nate Bell completed a short pass from the Davis 34-yard line to his brother, running back Jaxon Bell. Jaxon Bell caught the ball two yards behind the line of scrimmage and ran it to the endzone at 10:11. Bell’s touchdown served to bring the score close at 14-12. McKee’s kick was blocked by Aggie linebacker Sam Goligoski, a redshirt fourth-year undeclared major. UC Davis defensive back Albert Richardson, a first-year undeclared major, recovered the ball in the endzone. 

Later in the quarter, running back Jordan Fisher, a fourth-year communication major, rushed the ball off a shotgun pass from Cleeland from the Aggies’ 13-yard line all the way down to the endzone for his second rushing touchdown of the night. Meyer completed another PAT to increase the Aggie 21-12 lead with less than three minutes left in the first half. 

Jones opened the third quarter scoring a receiving touchdown off a pass from Cleeland at the Aggie 47-yard line to Eagles 42-yard line. Meyer’s PAT was blocked by Eagles defensive back Justis La’ulu, keeping the Aggie lead at 27-15.

On the following drive, the Eagles responded with a six-yard rushing touchdown by Nate Bell. Defensive tackle Isaiah Perez’s rushing attempt for the 2-point conversion failed, the Eagles down six points at 27-21. 

Davis came back with another rushing touchdown by Fisher at the 37-yard line and into the endzone. Despite Fisher failing on the 2-point conversion rushing attempt, he increased the Aggie’s lead 33-21 at 8:31. 

On the next drive, EWU worked their way back from their own 34-yard line to the Davis 7-yard line. Unable to get past the Aggie defense, the Eagles sent out their special teams onto the field, McKee successfully completed a 25-yard field goal to add three more points for the Eagles 33-24 scoring deficit. 

After a failed onside punt kick by the Eagles, the Aggies started their drive on the Eagles 7-yard line. On the first play, Cleeland completed a short pass to Jones, who caught the ball on the 9-yard line and ran it in for a touchdown at 4:07. Meyer made the PAT, which increased the Aggie lead 40-24 . 

Later in the third quarter, Cleeland completed a deep pass from the Davis 44-yard line to wide receiver Xzavior Guess, a second-year English major, who caught the ball at the Eagles 26-yard line and finished the play in the endzone for a touchdown. The Aggie offense was unsuccessful in the 2-point conversion attempt, setting the score at 46-24 with 1:35 left in the quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, Meyer executed a successful 27-yard field goal for the Aggies, increasing the Davis lead 49-24 at the 10:03 mark. 

On the next drive for EWU, Bell connected with wide receiver Drew Carlson in the endzone for a 24-yard passing touchdown. McKee’s kick was good to set the score 49-31 at 8:36.

On the next Eagles possession, Bell completed a short pass to tight end Will McKissick from the Davis 7-yard to the 2-yard line, McKissick running in the final two yards for the touchdown. McKee’s PAT was successful to improve the Eagles odds with a score of 49-38 with 3:48 left in the game. 

The Eagles attempted an onside punt, however, the Aggies successfully returned the ball to the Eastern Washington 47-yard line. The Aggies ran out the clock with the remaining three minutes to secure the 49-38 win over the Eagles. 

Offensively, Fisher led the rushing effort for the Aggies with a career high of 255 rushing yards, his 87-yard rushing touchdown was also his career longest rush. Gbatu led the team in receiving yards, ending the night with 92-yards and one receiving touchdown. 

Defensively, defensive back Ty Richardson, a third-year human development major, led the team with nine solo and four assisted tackles. linebacker Porter Connors, redshirt fifth-year human development major, led the team with 2.5 sacks. 

The Aggies will return home on Oct. 24 to take on the University of Northern Colorado Bears at UC Davis Aggie Health Stadium at 4 p.m. in a Big Sky Conference match-up. 

Written by: Alexia Navarro Garcia — sports@theaggie.org