By admin 
It was a rocky start to his homecoming, but it turned out to be a triumphant trip for Treynor Cleeland.
Read more Two people injured following afternoon house fire in Roseville
Trailing 21-0 at the half at Hillsboro Stadium in Oregon on Saturday afternoon, Cleeland rallied FCS No. 6-ranked UC Davis past Portland State in his first Aggies career start with a late touchdown pass, and the defense made a final stop to stun the Vikings 31-24 in a season opener.
It was also a Big Sky Conference opener, a rarity this early in a season, and it was a game that saw the Aggies struggle early before finding new life in the second half against a Portland State program that went 1-11 last season before a coaching change.
Cleeland was a star quarterback at Jesuit High School in Portland, the son of a former NFL tight end in Cameron Cleeland, who years ago was a sports radio host in the city. Cleeland won the starting job after a strong showing in fall camp.
The sophomore overcame a sluggish first half and finished 22 of 39 passing for 287 yards and two touchdowns, none more dramatic and needed than the 22-yard game winner to Laviel Pickett with 27 seconds left to play.
The drive was set up by an interception by Teeg Slone, a redshirt junior defensive back out of Rocklin High School in Placer County with a stop at Sacramento’s American River College.
On the game-winning drive, Cleeland hit Samuel Gbatu Jr. for a 24-yard play to midfield with 52 seconds left. Jordan Fisher then gained 15 yards and was tackled by his facemask, advancing the ball 15 more yards via penalty.
Read more Is there legislation to fund CA state scientist raises? Here’s what to know
Cleeland then rolled out and hit Pickett, who raced in the final 5 yards as UCD crushed the hopes of the Vikings for the second time in recent years. The Aggies had late-game dramatics to upend the Vikings 27-26 on their home turf in 2024.
UCD needed this victory to back its aim of competing for the program’s first Big Sky crown since 2018 and to qualify for the program’s 26th all-time playoff berth, including its fifth at the FCS level since 2018 and third in succession under third-year coach and former Aggies quarterback Tim Plough.
Fisher, a returning 1,000-yard rusher for UCD, ran for 65 yards on 14 carries. He scored his team’s first touchdowns on runs of 1 and 4 yards to pull UCD to within 21-16 late in the third quarter.
Gbatu Jr. had eight receptions for 107 yards after producing a 1,000-yard campaign in 2025. Fisher had four catches for 37 yards as the Aggies put up 374 yards. UCD managed just 84 yards in the first half while allowing 257 before amassing 290 in the second half while limiting Portland State to 119.
UCD plays at FCS member San Diego on Sept. 5, then at FBS-member SMU in Texas on Sept. 12.
Read more Doris Matsui has been in Congress long enough. Sacramento deserves a change | Opinion
The Aggies play their home opener Sept. 19 against Stetson of Florida.