The Jacks are back in the FCS Playoffs and are taking on the UC Davis Aggies. The game is at 2pm in Brookings and it would be great to honor this team with your presence. UCD finished the season 8-3 but limped to the finish. Like the Jacks, they started the year with a bang with an FBS victory over Tulsa. They also played Dixie State, winning 60-27. That is the only common opponent so it is hard to read too much into any of the schedule. Outside of their win vs. Tulsa, beating Weber State on the road was easily their next biggest win. They did not play either Montana school and lost to both Eastern Washington and Sacramento State to end the year. In kind of a funny quirk of playoff scheduling, the Jackrabbits and Aggies will square off again next fall in a non-conference showdown back in Brookings.

Offense

UC Davis runs a pretty balanced attack on their way to a 28.73 ppg average. On the ground they average 4.4 ypc in route to 175 per game and through the air they average 232.45 ypg. They are ultra efficient and convet on 41.10% of their 3rd down opportunities and also score on 82% of their trips into the redzone but only 50% of the time it is touchdowns. Their offensive line is solid and has only allowed 16 sacks on the year.

Davis has utilized three separate QBs this season, partially due to injury but they have also done it at times when they were all healthy. #7 Miles Hasting (6-1, 189) has taken most of the snaps over the past month but #12 Hunter Rodrigues (6-0, 170) was the starter early in the season but was injured vs. Northern Colorado. #18 Trent Tompkins (6-0, 189) has been the one consistent in the lineup. He is mostly a running QB but has gone 10 of 18 passing for 102 yards and 1 TD. He is mostly a threat on the ground where he is the teams second leading rusher with 436 yards and 6 TD. Hasting has completed 62% of his passes for 1,101 yards and 6 TD but also 6 INT (including 3 the past two weeks). He is not a threat to run the ball and has just 25 gross yards on the year. Rodrigues has completed 60% of his passes for1,233 yards, 8 TDs, and 5 INT. He can move the chains with his feet and finished the year with 219 gross yards. Rodrigues did play last week against Sac St and led the team to its only TD of the game in the 4th quarter.

The rushing attack for UC Davis features #34 Ulonzo Gilliam Jr. (5-9, 189) who averages 75.27 yards per game. He has 191 attempts for 828 yards (4.3 ypc TD) and 5 TDs. He is also a big threat to catch the ball and has 35 receptions for 223 yards and 1 TD. #3 Lan Larison (6-0, 199) is the backup running back and he has 254 yards (4.5 ypc) and 3 TD on 57 attempts. He is also a threat to catch passes out of the backfield with 17 receptions for 233 yards and 1 TD.

No matter which QB is in for UC Davis, they will have a pool of talented pass catchers to throw to. #2 Jared Harrell (6-2, 192) is the leading receiver with 44 receptions for 551 yards and 5 TD. However, it sounds like Harrell was hurt in the season finale against Sac State and is unlikely to play this week. If he does play, I would expect him to be shadowed by Don throughout the game. Freshman #1 CJ Hutton (5-9, 173) has really had a strong first year with 34 receptions for 290 yards and 3 TD. He also carries the ball plenty with 27 carries for 122 yards. I’m assuming these are jet motion type of plays. Certainly a wrinkle the Jackrabbit defense will need to be aware of. #6 Carson Crawford (5-10, 170) is a player to watch on trick plays but as a receiver he is also productive and he has 19 receptions for 162 yards and 1 TD. He also has 13 rushing attempts for 91 yards and he is also thrown the ball 6 times (completing 4) for 114 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. Some more trick-eration to watch out for this week! UCD also has a trio of talented tight ends. #87 McCallan Castles (6’5, 233) is the teams second leading receiver with 25 receptions for 363 yards, and 4 TD. #5 Blake Thorpe (6’3, 226) has pitched in with 15 receptions for 135 yards and #40 Garren O’Keefe (6’4, 236) has 7 for 78 and 2 TD.

The offensive line for UC Davis is #73 Nick Amoah (6-3, 285), #70 Colton Lamson (6-6, 285), #74 Connor Pettek (6-3, 280), #60 Jake Parks (6-3, 285), and #67 Malik Banks (6’4, 260). This group does appear to rotate at times and #65 Jordan Ford (6-2, 273) and #78 Joe Albrecht (6-9, 326) have played significant snaps this season. Again, they have only surrendered 16 sacks and have paved the way for an effective rushing attack.

Defense

The UC Davis defense again plays a 3-4 or a 3-3-5. It is starting to feel like SDSU and NDSU are the last teams to run a traditional 4-3 defense! They allow just 20 ppg and opponents rush for 163 per game and throw for 255.64. They have registered a respectable 24 sacks, forced 13 interceptions and recovered 5 fumbles out of 7 forced. Teams are converting on 36% of their down opportunities and have scored on 27 of 36 trips into the redzone with 20 touchdowns.

UC Davis though is big along the defensive line with multiple guys who are 300+ pounds and really features a lot of depth that will certainly keep guys fresh. #99 Bryce Rodgers (6-3, 285) leads the group with 48 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Next to him is #92 Chubba Maae (6-2, 347) and he has 20 tackles and 3 TFL. On the other side of Mae is #45 Michael Ambagtsheer (6-5, 238) who has 19 stops and 4 sacks along with 2 passes defended. #96 Kyree Woods (6-3, 313), #95 Zach Kennedy (6-6, 251), and #69 Joshiah Suani (6-0, 313) all see significant action. Woods has 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks, Kennedy has 7 stops, and Suani has 9 tackles, 1 sack.

The linebackers for UC Davis are coached by former Jackrabbit, Isaiah Jackson so we know they are well coached. This group is young but has been productive this year. Leading the way is freshman #15 Teddy Buchanan (6-2, 228) and he has filled the stat sheet registering 67 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks, and 2 INT! Phenomenal production from the will linebacker. #7 Cam Trimble (6-0, 218) is the SAM backer and he has 45 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 3 PBU, and 5 sacks. The MIKE is #33 Jame Scharetg (60, 218) and he has 35 tackles, 2.5 TFL, a sack, and 2 QBH. #53 Nick Eaton (6-2, 237) is the “RUSH” and he has 41 tackles, 5 TFL, and 3 QBH. #41 Cole Hansen (6-1, 225) is a part time starter and he has 37 tackles, 2 TFL, a sack, 2 INT, a QBH, and 2 PBU. #46 Calvin Mouisset (6-1, 212) also is active in a reserve role with 25 tackles, 3.5 TFL, and 2 QBH.

The secondary for UCD is young but has been productive. Their 2-Deep, has 6 of the 10 listed as sophomores or younger on it. The corners are #23 Jordan Perryman (6-0, 201), #10 Jaylin White (5-10, 180), and #3 Jehiel Budgett (6-0, 183). Perryman has 57 tackles this year, 2.5 for loss, 1 INT, 12 PBU, and 1 forced fumble. White has 36 tackles, 3 INT, and 9 PBU. Budgett, has 32 tackles and 3 PBU. #27 Markeece Alexander (6-0, 198) and #30 Algery McGuaire (5-0, 170) has seen some action and have limited production from their reserve roles. #14 Chris Venable (6-2, 174) is a playmaker from his field safety position with 63 tackles, 2 INT, 6 PBU, and 1 FF. #32 Erron Duncan (5-9, 200) is the strong safety and he has 36 tackles, 3 INT, and 9 PBU. #1 Isaiah Thomas (5-10, 187) sees plenty of action and has 25 tackles and 2 PBU.

Special Teams

The Aggies are really really good on special teams. Their punter #37 Daniel Whelan has a 46.56 average on 52 attempts. His long is 65 and he has forced 13 to be fair caught while landing 19 inside the 20. His long is 65 and he has booted 21 50+ yards. Crazy! Whelan also handles the kickoff duties where he has forced 35 touchbacks on 63 attempts. Furthermore, opponents are only averaging 19 yards per kick return with a long of just 30. #48 Isaiah Gomez handles the field goals and he is 18 for 23 with a long of 45. He is 30 for 31 on extra points. He has had 1 kick blocked. On the flip side, UCD has blocked 2 field goal attempts.

In the return game, they have one kick return and one punt return on the season. Reserve QB Trent Thompkins had the punt return against San Diego early in the season and has had just one opportunity after that. The primary punt returner is #1 Isaiah Thomas and he has 27 attempts for a 9 yard average. #3 Lan Larison is the primary kick returner and he has a 30 yard average and 97 yard touchdown off of 22 attempts.

Prediction

UC Davis is a good team. They are really young and I think will be a factor for years to come in the FCS title hunt. The weather, the travel, and the size of the Jackrabbits are all stacked against them at this point though. It is never a good thing to be limping into the playoffs (2 consecutive losses) and for all of those reasons I think that the Jacks will win this game and advance in the playoffs.

Jackrabbits 31- Aggies 17