UC DAVIS at CAL
2021 Information: Cal – 5-7 total, 4-5 Pac-12; UC Davis – 8-4, 5-3 Huge Sky
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley
TV: Pac-12 Community Bay Space
Radio: KGO (810 AM)
Sequence historical past: Cal leads 10-0 in a collection that started in 1932. The Bears gained six of the primary seven conferences by shutout. Their most up-to-date matchup, in 2019, was probably the most aggressive: The Aggies led 10-0 earlier than Cal rallied for a 27-13 victory. Davis is 2-23 all-time vs. present members of the Pac-12, most just lately scoring a come-from-behind 20-17 win at Stanford in 2005.
Cal storylines: The Bears hope to get off to a greater begin to their season than a 12 months in the past, once they misplaced their first two video games and started 1-5 with 4 of these defeats by seven factors or fewer . . . Cal performs subsequent week at dwelling vs. UNLV earlier than visiting Notre Dame on Sept. 17 to shut out its non-conference schedule . . . There are seven new starters on offense, led by Purdue switch Jack Plummer, who replaces Chase Garbers at quarterback . . . The Bears hope freshman Jaydn Ott, with pace and elusiveness, supplies a counter-punch to beginning working again Damien Moore . . . The protection took an enormous hit final week when junior lineman Brett Johnson was declared out for the season after a lower-body harm unrelated to the hip ailment that sidelined him for all of 2021.
UC Davis storylines: The Aggies began final season with a highway win over FBS foe Tulsa on the best way to an 8-1 document. However they misplaced their closing three video games, together with a 56-24 defeat towards South Dakota State within the FCS playoffs . . . Davis is ranked No. 22 within the preseason AFCA FCS coaches ballot. The Aggies are amongst six Huge Sky groups within the prime 25 . . . Coach Dan Hawkins, who acquired a contract extension by means of 2027 within the offseason, was head coach at Boise State in 2001-02 when Cal coach Justin Wilcox was a graduate assistant. Hawkins was 53-11 in 5 seasons at Boise, then simply 19-39 in 5 years at Colorado. He has a 31-22 document with the Aggies . . . Senior working again Ulonzo Gilliam Jr. is second on the Aggies’ profession speeding checklist with 3,435 yards, together with 89 vs. Cal of their 2019 matchup. Gilliam is the Huge Sky preseason Offensive Participant of the 12 months and is on the watch checklist for the Walter Payton Award, which matches to the perfect participant in FCS . . . Three former Cal gamers will swimsuit up for the Aggies: McCallan Castles, a preseason FCS All-America tight finish, beginning linebacker Evan Tattersall and reserve quarterback Jack Newman.
Stats that matter: Cal set faculty information final season for fewest turnovers (10) and fewest misplaced fumbles (2) in a 12-game season . . . Senior inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon, the son of Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon and a switch from Washington, had 92 tackles final season, second-most amongst any returning Pac-12 participant . . . Cal is 25-0 all-time vs. present members of the Huge Sky Convention.