Program Prestige · UC Davis1971
The Miracle Game
UC Davis defeated Cal State Hayward 30-29 with 16 points in the final 44 seconds, culminating in a touchdown pass from Bob Biggs to Mike Bellotti with 4 seconds remaining
UC Davis
2-1Big Sky · Aggie Stadium · 10,743
The nationunrankedAP / Coaches
The marketno line yetvs Stetson · our model 92% UC Davis · a number, not a pick
LastL 10–56 at SMU · Sat Sep 12 · Teeg Slone 1 sacks, 2 TFL, 4 tackles
Nextvs Stetson · Sat Sep 19 · 10 pm ET · Aggie Stadium · first meeting on record · Game preview
Updated Tue Sep 15 · through week 2
Program Prestige · UC Davis
Mid-Major Contender
The CFP Era
11 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
TRAJECTORY · quality-score line · AP rank dotted · CFP bids marked · coach regimes ribboned
Program Quality
AP Rank (inverted)
CFP Appearance
UC Davis's 2014–2025 record is 68-62. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
Program outlook
UC Davis won the final Causeway Classic on November 22, 2025 — a 31-27 victory that crowned the Aggies victorious in the 71-year rivalry, but also ended it.
Read the full essay — 4 more paragraphs
UC Davis enters 2026 without the defining annual game that built the program's regional identity for seven decades. The Aggies defeated Sacramento State 31-27 in the series finale on November 22, 2025, extending their all-time lead to 46-19 and capturing three straight meetings against the Hornets. But Sacramento State's move to the Mid-American Conference means there are no future scheduled dates — the Causeway Classic, born in 1954 as a showdown between cross-town neighbors in the Sacramento Valley, is paused after 71 years of continuous play (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causeway_Classic).
UC Davis is built on something deeper than the Causeway Classic, though: the Jim Sochor dynasty. Sochor arrived as head coach in 1970 and spent 18 years winning 18 consecutive conference championships (1971-1988), a winning percentage of .785, and ultimately induction into the College Football Hall of Fame — a streak matched only by Mount Union College in NCAA history across any division level (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UC_Davis_Aggies_football). The dynasty established the Aggies as one of the FCS's blue-blood programs, the standard against which a small college program measures sustained excellence.
That legacy was reinforced recently. Under second-year coach Tim Plough, UC Davis made back-to-back FCS playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025, both ending in quarterfinals. The 2025 season was particularly strong: a 9-4 record, 6-2 in Big Sky Conference play, ranked #8 nationally. The Aggies beat Rhode Island in the second round before losing to Illinois State in the quarterfinal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_UC_Davis_Aggies_football_team). Plough enters 2026 entering his 3rd season with momentum, a Big Sky contender without the rival that used to define November.
The grief is specific: UC Davis didn't lose the Causeway Classic on the field, and they didn't lose it to Sacramento State's superiority. They lost it to institutional ambition — the Hornets' leap to the FBS removed the annual date that rooted both programs in regional pride. The Aggies won that final meeting and owned the series. But the victory carries the weight of closure, not celebration.
On the field
Up-tempo spread offense with aggressive, high-paced execution. Disciplined fundamentals rooted in the Sochor-era philosophy, now under offensive coordinator Paul Shelton in his 2nd year.
All-time record · UC Davis
UC Davis has won 47% of its games since 1926 — 58% at home, 38% on the road.
120-136-1 all-time · 44 seasons · 1926–2026
Home
56-40
Away
55-87-1
Neutral
9-9
8 g
1920s
0%
1930s
1 g
1940s
3 g
1970s
2 g
1980s
2 g
1990s
50%
2000s
40%
2010s
67%
2020s
Program memory
What this program never forgets
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
1988
The Sochor Dynasty
Ended after 18 consecutive conference championships (1971-1988), a streak matched only by Mount Union in NCAA history at any division level
2018 Big Sky Championship
UC Davis's first Big Sky title, establishing the program as a Division I FCS contender
2025
Back-to-back FCS playoff runs
UC Davis made the 2024 and 2025 FCS playoffs, both ending in quarterfinals with #8 national ranking in 2025
2025
The Final Causeway Classic
UC Davis defeated Sacramento State 31-27 on November 22, 2025, winning the last three meetings in the series and ending the rivalry with the Aggies on top, 46-19 all-time
Moment of the season — so far · UC Davis · 2026
Moment of the season — so far · UC Davis · 2026Lost 10-56 at SMU
Week 2 of 2026. A reckoning loss — the data point the next season must answer.
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Conference
Big Sky standing · 2026
5th in the Big Sky
UC Davis sits 5th of 13 in the Big Sky at 1-0. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 2-0 |
| 2 | Cal Poly | 1-0 |
| 3 | Montana State | 1-0 |
| 4 | Northern Arizona | 1-0 |
| 5 | UC Davis | 1-0 |
| 6 | Southern Utah | 1-1 |
| 7 | Weber State | 1-1 |
| – | Idaho State | 0-0 |
| 9 | Eastern Washington | 0-1 |
| 10 | Idaho | 0-1 |
| 11 | Northern Colorado | 0-1 |
| 12 | Portland State | 0-1 |
| 13 | Utah Tech | 0-2 |
Gameday customs
Rituals
The rituals that anchor a Saturday in this program's world.
The Causeway Classic vs. Sacramento State
since 1954
more
The Causeway Classic is UC Davis's defining rivalry — 71 years of battles with Sacramento State for a trophy made of cement taken from the Yolo Causeway. UC Davis leads the all-time series 46-19 and won the last three meetings, culminating in a 31-27 victory on November 22, 2025, when Sacramento State's final drive stalled on 4th-and-8 at the UC Davis 27. That victory marked the end of an era: Sacramento State's move to the Mid-American Conference for 2026 means there are no future scheduled meetings. The Aggies won the rivalry on the field but lost it to institutional ambition, leaving UC Davis without the annual game that defined November for decades.
The Jim Sochor Dynasty (1970-1988)
since 1970
more
Jim Sochor arrived as head coach in 1970 and immediately transformed UC Davis into a dynasty. He won 18 consecutive conference championships from 1971 to 1988 (15 outright, three shared) — a streak matched only by Mount Union College in NCAA history at any division level. His overall record between 1970 and 1988 was 156–41–5, a winning percentage of .785. In conference games, the Aggies were 92–5 under Sochor, with winning streaks of 41 and 38 in-conference games. His teams were final-poll leaders at the end of the regular season in 1983 and 1985. Sochor was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and the playing field at UC Davis Health Stadium is named Jim Sochor Field in his honor.
Gunrock, the Mustang Mascot
since 1921
more
Gunrock is the legendary mustang that serves as UC Davis's mascot — a living symbol of the University Farm's rural heritage and the Aggies' athletic identity. The mustang represents toughness, resilience, and the California spirit.
Cultural identity
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