UC Davis Football Seeded No. 8 In NCAA Championships; Earns First Round Bye

UC Davis football has secured the eighth-seed in the NCAA FCS Playoffs, including a first-round bye that will place them into the second round.

BY UC DAVIS ATHLETICS

Nov 24, 2025, 9:23 AM

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Following a comeback win in the Causeway Classic and a third-straight win in the 71-year rivalry, UC Davis football earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, earning a bye to the Second Round of the championships and a home game in Shredville.

Fans can get tickets to the game by clicking this link, by calling the Aggie Ticket Office at (530) 752-2471, or by emailing the Aggie Ticket Office at aggietickets@ucdavis.edu.

It’s the second-straight season UC Davis has earned a first-round bye, and the third playoff game the Aggies will host since 2018. The appearance marks the fourth time UC Davis has clinched a spot in the FCS playoffs and the 25th time the Aggies have played in the postseason at any level.

No. 8 UC Davis will await the winner of the No. 9 Rhode Island vs. Central Connecticut State First Round matchup set to go on Nov. 29 at 9 a.m. PT in Kingston, Rhode Island.

The Aggies will host that winner on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 12 p.m. PT, with that game and the First Round games being broadcast on ESPN+ and Sactown Sports 1140 AM.

More on UC Davis Football

Score: No. 15 UC Davis football 31, Sacramento State 27
Location: Davis, Calif. (UC Davis Health Stadium)
Records: UC Davis 8-3 (6-2), Sacramento State 7-5 (5-3)

The short story: Using 14 points in the fourth quarter, capped off by Samuel Gbatu, Jr., hauling in a go-ahead 30-yard touchdown pass with 54 seconds left, No. 15 UC Davis football won its third straight Causeway Classic in one of the better games of the 71-year rivalry, sending stingers down in its battle with Sacramento State.

UC Davis football has earned the 8th seed in the FCS Playoffs and earned a first-round BYE. The Aggies will host the winner of Rhode Island vs. Central Connecticut State at home on Saturday, December 6th (12:00 PM PT kick-off).

FIRST DOWN

The Aggies held Sacramento State to only 17 yards of total passing, the lowest the Aggies have held a team since keeping Utah Tech to 95 yards passing in their 2024 match up
Caden Pinnick led the Aggies through the air, throwing for 306 yards going 24-for-30 with two passing touchdowns and no interceptions
Jordan Fisher scored twice on the ground, adding a receiving touchdown for a total of 63 all-purpose yards
Gbatu Jr., snagged seven balls for 127 yards and one touchdown to lead both sides
Nate Rutchena finished with a game-high 12 tackles, making 10 solo
Khalani Riddick and Jackson Sievers added 11 tackles to the mix, while Jacob Psyk made five tackles and added one sack, his ninth of the season

WHAT HEAD COACH TIM PLOUGH HAD TO SAY:

“This game is a perfect example of Aggie Pride and this team finding joy. What this team has done all year is unbelievable, with what they have had to overcome. This year has been for boys and I’m excited that we get to keep the trophy here. We are not a team that goes by the score, we just try to find joy in every play. Today was a great example of how the team didn’t let the outcome of plays affect them. I’m just super proud of how this team never gets down, and I’m proud of them for coming away with another hard earned win.”

HOW IT HAPPENED:

UC Davis football started fast and aggressively taking two of their first three drives down the field for touchdowns to take a quick 14-0 lead
Both drives were capped off by Fisher rushing touchdowns, with the first ending a seven-play 46-yard drive and the second being a nine-play 62-yard march down the field
The next two scores would come by Sacramento State as they used an Aggie fumble and a 66-yard drive to score back-to-back touchdowns to tie things up
Those two touchdowns by Sacramento State started a stretch where the Hornets outscored the Aggies 27-3 over the second and third quarters
But entering the fourth period, the Aggies had eyes on coming back and locking up the Causeway Classic