Aggies cruise past Stetson University Hatters with 45-7 win

UC Davis football wins 11th straight home opener

By ALEXIA NAVARRO GARCIA — sports@theaggie.org

On Sept. 19, the UC Davis football team held its home opener at the UC Davis Aggie Health Stadium against Stetson University, winning 45-7. 

The Aggies won the coin toss and deferred, starting the game on defense at the Stetson 25-yard line. Stetson was unsuccessful on its first drive, gaining a total of six yards before punting. 

Davis scored first on its first drive, seven minutes into the game, with a 6-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jordan Fisher, a fourth-year communication major. Fisher gained 42 rushing yards for the Aggies and accounted for 48 of the 75 yards on the drive from the Davis 25-yard line to the Stetson endzone. Kicker Robert Meyer, a second-year human development major, was successful on the point after touchdown (PAT), putting the Aggies up 7-0. 

Stetson tried to regroup on its next drive; however, Davis linebacker Porter Connors, a master’s student in management, forced Hatters quarterback Thomas Von Grote to fumble the ball at the Stetson 48-yard line. Aggie linebacker Macray Madruga, a master’s student in management, recovered the ball for a turnover. 

Later in the first quarter, Aggie quarterback Treynor Cleeland, a second-year managerial economics major, sent a pass from the middle of the Stetson 46-yard line to wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr., a redshirt fifth-year managerial economics major, who caught it at the Stetson 6-yard line and completed the play for a touchdown with 1:12 left. Meyer converted the PAT, increasing the Aggie lead to 14-0. 

The Hatters began the second quarter with possession but failed to get a first down, leading to a turnover on downs at the Davis 35-yard line. The Aggies also failed to get a first down on the next drive, leaving the ball at the Stetson 28-yard line. 

With another turnover on downs looming, Stetson opted to punt, sending Brett Gonda on the field, who punted 44 yards to the Davis 21-yard line. Davis wide receiver Zachary Jones, a fourth-year undeclared major, scored the Aggies’ third touchdown of the game with a 79-yard punt return six minutes into the second quarter. Meyer, with another successful PAT, put the Aggies up 21-0. 

In the following drive, the Hatters made an effort to secure a touchdown in a seven-minute drive from the Stetson 30-yard line to the Davis 6-yard line. However, the Aggie defensive line stopped any attempt the Hatters made to finish their drive.

With a minute left in the first half, Davis retook possession and quickly made its way down the field. Running back Matteo Perez, a sixth-year master’s degree in management graduate student, rushed for a total of 22 yards, putting the Aggies on the Davis 23-yard line. Cleeland took over passing for a total of 77 yards on the drive, including a passing touchdown from the Stetson 19-yard line to the end zone, where the ball was caught by tight end Edward Khutsishvili, a second-year managerial economics major. Meyer successfully got the extra point for the Aggies, increasing the lead to 28-0 to end the first half. 

The Aggies began the second half with possession, Perez returning the ball from the Hatters to the Davis 23-yard line. Cleeland, making several passing gains, made it out of Aggie territory and positioned the team for a scoring opportunity. However, at the Stetson 20-yard line, Cleeland completed a short pass to Gbatu on the left side, who, while being tackled by Stetson defensive back Julian Sampson, fumbled the ball at the Stetson 15-yard line and was recovered by Stetson defensive back Lemuel Bass. 

The play underwent an automatic review and the fumble call was overturned, crediting Sampson and defensive back Justin Rodriguez with the tackle to take down Gbatu. 

Later in the third quarter, Davis put another three points on the board with a successful 33-yard field goal attempt by Meyer, stretching the Aggies’ lead to 31-0.

On the next drive, Stetson opted to punt after three unsuccessful first-down attempts. Gonda went out on the field, punting 43 yards to the Davis 39-yard line. Jones caught the ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. Meyer buried another PAT, putting the Aggies up 38-0.

The Hatters finally got on the scoreboard five minutes into the fourth quarter. Von Grote completed a short pass from the Davis 39-yard line to Benzija, who caught it at the Davis 22-yard line and ran to the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown. Kicker Trey Hess converted the PAT, chipping away at the Aggie lead to 38-7. 

On the following drive, the Aggies worked their way back 70 yards. Running back Kai Acia, a fourth-year psychology major, rushed through the middle from the Stetson 3-yard line and into the end zone for his first career touchdown with 33 seconds remaining in the game. With another successful PAT, Meyer finished the game for the Aggies, setting the final score at 45-7.

With the win over the Hatters, the Aggies improved their overall season to 3-1. Currently 1-0 in conference play, the Aggies will take on Eastern Washington University in a Big Sky Conference game on Oct. 3 at the UC Davis Health Stadium at 7:30 p.m. 

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