UC Davis Aggies stun Idaho for football program’s first Top 5 victory. ‘This is really cool’

In the long, often glorious history of UC Davis football, the Aggies pulled a satisfying first on Saturday night.

Ranked 11th in the FCS, UCD pushed the tempo with a hurry-up offense and then promptly pushed the No. 4 Idaho Vandals right out of Yolo County with a spirited 28-26 victory in front of 8,921 fans at Jim Sochor Field at UC Davis Health Stadium. In a Big Sky Conference opener, the program secured its first triumph of a Top 5 team.

Not this season, or of late or this decade. Ever.

After decades of devouring teams at Division II, UCD was elevated to NCAA Division I-AA status in 2004, later changed to FCS. There have been competitive contests against Top 5 teams in recent years but not until here did the Aggies secure a victory years in the making.

Miles Hastings produced as fine of an effort as any in his three years as starting quarterback, completing 25 of 32 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions against a stout defense. Idaho native Lan Larison was typically versatile in rushing for 46 yards, catching four passes for 54 yards and completing all three of his passes — and he recovered an onside kick for the Aggies with 42 seconds.

The defense came up with three interceptions, and the Aggies moved to 4-1 on the season with their third consecutive victory.

“This is really cool,” said a relieved and proud Tim Plough, the first-year head coach who played quarterback for the Aggies and had two assistant coaching stints with the program. “I told the guys at halftime that this was everything we ever wanted, and where else would we want to be? This is why we play football, for games like this. It was a cool night.”

What added to the cool was Plough having his three young sons — Jackson, Camden and Bodie — sitting with him at the media table as they all collectively tried to catch their breath. Each of the boys were decked in UCD blue colors with caps that read “Shredville,” the team’s motto, and each of the lads took the microphone after their father was finished to say, “Go Aggies!” Later, there most likely was a plea for late-night ice cream.

UCD is 5-0 against Idaho since the Vandals of Moscow rejoined the Big Sky before the 2018 season, but Idaho was not ranked in the Top 5 for any of those contests. Idaho (3-2) had its three-game winning streak halted. The Vandals opened the season with a 24-14 loss at the Oregon Ducks, a program that is ranked in the Top 10 of the FBS and is 4-0.

This was deemed the FCS Game of the Week for all the obvious reasons, and the Aggies did their part and have now officially thrust themselves into Big Sky Conference title discussion. Premature thinking? Never in this sport. UCD won its first Big Sky crown in 2018, the 31st conference championship in program history, and the Aggies served notice that they will be a difficult draw the rest of the season.

Plough continues to stress that the Aggies have to win their home games to compete for top honors in the Big Sky, a rugged conference with skill players galore that includes No. 3-ranked Montana State, No. 8 Montana and No. 10 Sacramento State. Plough praised his team’s offense, defense and special teams, the stars and the grinders.

One of the grinders with star power is senior receiver C.J. Hutton, a Folsom High School graduate. He returned the second-half kickoff 72 yards, off a fake reverse to Larison, to set up a 26-yard TD strike from Hastings to Larison for UCD’s first lead at 21-17, one the Aggies would not relinquish.

Idaho led 14-0 but wore down defensively from UCD’s fast tempo. UCD produced a season-high point total against Idaho. Still, the Vandals had a chance to tie it after they scored their final touchdown with 44 seconds to play. But the 2-point conversion pass was too long, Larison pounced on the onside kick and Hastings took the victory formation snaps.

Members of UCD’s 1980s teams were on hand to witness this bit of history in a stadium that bears the name of their Hall of Fame Coach. Jim Sochor also served as a mentor of sorts to Plough, urging him to get into coaching. The walls just beyond the scoreboard end zone details the program’s 31 conference championships and 22 playoff teams.

Of the no-huddle offense, Plough said: “We can’t block that D-line (of Idaho), and not sure anyone can. Maybe the best thing is to go fast and make them tired, keep them off balance.”

Plough said Hastings was “fantastic” and has earned his praise, adding, “I hope he starts to get the respect he gets, from the nation and down to fans. Some have given Miles enough grief. He is going to be the guy who gets us to where we want to go.”

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