By admin 
Tim Plough sees the crowds that pack into home stadiums for the two blue-blood football programs in the Big Sky Conference.
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The UC Davis coach can appreciate the corporate and regional sponsors that back the Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State Bobcats, titans in the world of NCAA FCS football. So, yes. Saturday’s showdown in Yolo County against Montana in a battle of Top 10 teams has significance beyond first downs and touchdowns. There is a topic of image, intrigue and attendance.
FCS-ranked fifth, Montana visits No. 10 UCD with visions of winning a record 20th Big Sky championship. UCD also has expectations of winning that crown with Plough reminding his players that to do so, teams must win their home games. Winning leads to support, and support leads to financial stability.
“We’re playing a really talented team, and these are the fun games and why we play football and why we coach football — to be in games like this,” Plough said during his Monday media session. “We know how good Montana is.”
He added, “You see the revenue and fan interest for Montana and Montana State, and you can see why they’re so successful. It’s a great time for us to measure ourselves as a program. It’s great for the alumni and the support and the donors and student and community. We’re striving to be like Montana and Montana State, to have that kind of support.”
Montana has been a difficult team for UCD to solve. The Grizzlies of Missoula are 9-2 all-time against the Aggies. The first meeting between the programs was 100 years ago, a 21-0 victory for Montana over what was known then as the University of California College of Agriculture Northern Branch. That’s a mouthful for a college name. UC Davis went by University Farm for nearly two decades, from 1905-1922.
Montana is 5-0 all-time at UCD, though UCD won the last meeting, 30-14, in 2024. Both of UCD’s all-time wins against Montana were in Missoula, including in 2018 when coach Dan Hawkins led the Aggies to their first Big Sky crown, the 31st in program history dating back to when the Aggies first fielded a football team in 1915. UCD seeks its 26th playoff appearance, including four since 2018.
The Grizzlies are 3-1, beating Southern Utah 28-21 in an opener as Keali’i Ah Yat passed for 265 yards and had the game-winning 53-yard strike. Montana beat Drake 45-10 and last week lost to FBS-member Oregon State, 52-17.
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Montana defensive back Clay Owen told Montana media this week that Saturday will provide the Grizzlies with a challenge.
“It’s going to be good competition,” he said. “That’s why you come to a school like this.”
UCD sweeps Big Sky honors
UC Davis for the second time in program history swept Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors after three Aggies sizzled in a 45-7 win over Stetson of Florida.
All-American receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr. was the Offensive Player of the Week after catching a career-best 10 passes for a career-best 172 yards and a touchdown. His 25 career scores tie him with Charley Enos for fourth-most in program history for a receiver.
Porter Connors was named the Big Sky’s Defensive Player of the Week after the senior linebacker recorded 10 tackles and forced a fumble, and Zach Jones earned special teams honors after becoming the first Aggie to return two punt returns for scores, a 79-yarder and a 61-yarder.
No. 5 Montana (3-1) at No. 10 UC Davis (3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday at UC Davis
On air: ESPN+, Sactown Sports 1140 AM
Of note: UCD quarterback Treynor Cleeland has settled into a nice groove as a first-year starter, passing for 331 yards and two touchdowns against Stetson. He has passed for 995 yards and nine touchdowns. UCD’s effort over Stetson marked the program’s 11th consecutive home opening victory, dating back to 2016. Kai Acia, a Del Oro High School of Placer County product, scored his first career touchdown for UCD on a 3-yard run.
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