UC Davis Health Stadium is a 10,743-seat multi-purpose stadium located on the campus of the University of California, Davis. Its artificial turf playing field is named for the Aggies’ College Football Hall of Fame coach Jim Sochor. (Photo by UCDavisAggies.com)
By Dan Verdun
After winning its first-round FCS playoff game at Southeast Missouri, Illinois State heads west to UC Davis for second-round action Saturday, Dec. 7.
The Aggies are the No. 5 national seed and therefore received a first-round bye. UC Davis is making its third FCS postseason appearance.
“Any team that made the 24-team bracket is going to be a great football team. I was pleased that we got a seed and a bye, because I thought we deserved that,” head coach Tim Plough said on UCDavisAggies.com. “I’m also happy that we aren’t playing a Big Sky opponent, because I do think it’s fun when you get to play new opponents and against teams you don’t see every year.”
The two teams will not only meet for the first time, it’s also marks the first time ISU faces foe from California in the Redbirds’ history.
The Aggies landed 13 players on the All-Big Sky Conference team, which was announced Nov. 27.
UC Davis has six first-team all-league selections, five second-teamers and two honorable mention picks.
UC Davis finished second in the Big Sky with a 7-1 record. The Aggies’ lone FCS loss occurred Nov. 17 to league champion Montana State, 30-28. Montana State (12-0) is the No. 1 overall seed in the FCS playoff bracket.
Here’s our look at the Redbirds’ postseason opponent:
School: University of California-Davis
Founded: 1905
Location: Davis, Calif.
Distance from Normal, Ill.: According to Google, it’s 2,027 miles to Davis, Calif.
Population: 65,832
Enrollment: 40,848
Nickname: Aggies
Colors: Yale blue & gold
Conference: Big Sky
Head Coach: Tim Plough
Overall Record: 10-2
I-AA/FCS Playoff Appearances: 3 (2018, ‘21, ‘24)
Key players: QB Miles Hastings, RB Lan Larison, TE Winston Williams, DL Zach Kennedy, LB David Meyer, DB Kavir Bains, DB Rex Connors
Best NFL player from UC Davis: QB Ken O’Brien (New York Jets, 1984-92; Philadelphia Eagles, 1993)
Other notable UC Davis players in NFL: K Rolf Benirschke, DL Casey Merrill, QB Mike Moroski, QB J.T. O’Sullivan, DE Mike Wise, TE Daniel Fells, RB Joshua Kelley, P Colton Schmidt
Famous UC Davis alumni: Mike Bellotti (football coach); Adam Duritz (lead singer, Counting Crows); Tracy Caldwell Dyson (astronaut); Kimberly Guilfoyle (TV personality); Dan Hawkins (football coach); John Morrison (WWE); Jonny Moseley (Olympic champion freestyle skier); Chris Petersen (college football coach); Stephen Robinson (astronaut); Danielle Spencer (played Dee on ‘70s sitcom “What’s Happening”); Anne Veneman (former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture); Martin Yan (TV Chef).
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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