UC Davis Football enters 2026 with Big Sky championship expectations

UC Davis football enters the 2026 season with expectations higher than they have been in recent years, and head coach Tim Plough believes his team has the depth and talent necessary to take another step forward.

The Aggies went 9-4 last season and return a roster that Plough described as the deepest and most talented he has had during his three seasons leading the program.

Since taking over in 2024, Plough has guided UC Davis to a 20-7 overall record and a 13-3 mark in Big Sky play.

The Aggies begin the 2026 season Saturday on the road against Portland State, kicking off a challenging stretch that will see UC Davis play its first three games away from home.

“The team is definitely motivated,” Plough said on Sactown Sports’ The Matt & Kayla Show. “They’re ready to play somebody else. I think they’re sick of hearing from me, so we’re excited to just get the season going and seeing how well we can play.”

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The early road schedule could provide an immediate test for a UC Davis team with aspirations of competing for a Big Sky championship. Plough believes there is also a benefit to spending so much time together away from home.

“The cool part about starting on the road is you learn a lot about your team when you’re on the road together,” Plough said. “The bonding, the connecting, the connection that you can create as a team.”

One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the Aggies’ depth in the trenches. Plough said UC Davis has spent the past three years recruiting and developing its offensive and defensive lines, resulting in seven or eight players on each side who can contribute.

“This is definitely the deepest and most talented we’ve been,” Plough said. “We have, you know, seven, eight guys on both fronts that can contribute, and we’re hoping that that maybe is the thing that can help us get over the hump.”

UC Davis also boasts plenty of playmakers. Running back Jordan Fisher, wide receiver Sam Batu, All-American tight end Winston Williams and defensive standout Rex Connors headline a roster Plough believes can make the Aggies one of the more entertaining teams in the Big Sky.

But Plough emphasized that UC Davis football is built around more than individual stars.

UC Davis football

“The Davis way has always been that we do it as a collective,” Plough said. “Our defense plays really hard together. They play really physical.”

That collective mentality also extends to player retention in the transfer portal era. Plough said UC Davis has had only 13 players leave through the portal over the past eight years, compared with roughly 200 at the average Division I program.

His philosophy is straightforward: create an environment players genuinely want to be part of.

“It’s my job to create an environment that they want to be a part of,” Plough said.

With a talented roster, strong continuity and rising expectations, UC Davis football appears poised to enter 2026 with legitimate Big Sky championship aspirations.

Listen to and watch Sactown Sports’ The Matt & Kayla Show with Matt George & Kayla Anderson, airing weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on Sactown Sports.

More UC Davis football content from Sactown Sports

• Position Preview: Inside the 2026 Aggie Offense
• Position Preview: Defensive Leaders Return for UC Davis

2026 UC Davis Football Schedule

• Saturday, August 29th – @ Portland State – 12:00 PM PT
• Saturday, September 5th – @ San Diego – 7:00 PM PT
• Saturday, September 12th – @ SMU – 1:00 PM PT
• Saturday, September 19th – vs. Stetson – 7:00 PM PT
• Saturday, September 26th – vs. Montana – 7:00 PM PT

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