The Weber State University football team lost to the University of California, Davis, Aggies 34–12, in both teams’ first Big Sky Conference game of the season.
Weber received the ball first, but went three-and-out. Punter Henry Way’s punt attempt hit the side of his foot and sailed out of bounds, only culminating in 11 yards. The Wildcat defense recovered, however, forcing a three-and-out of their own. On the ensuing punt, freshman wide receiver Robert Young, who stepped in for injured punt returner Bird Butler, got a fair-catch of the ball on the three-yard line, rather than letting the ball go into the endzone for a touchback, giving the Wildcats poor field position.
The Wildcats drove down to their own 46-yard line before being stopped on third and two, forcing another punt.
On the Aggies’ next drive, running back Carter Vargas fumbled the ball, which Weber State senior safety Angel King recovered to give the Wildcats the ball back.
After the teams exchanged punts to end the quarter, Weber drove down the field to the UC Davis 16-yard line before being stopped on third down. Senior kicker Sloan Calder then kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 3–0 lead.
On the following drive, the Wildcats forced another three-and-out, but freshman defensive tackle Zion Finau was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving the Aggies a first down. They took advantage, drove down the field, and scored the game’s first touchdown.
On Weber’s next drive, the Wildcats went for it on fourth down, but the pass fell incomplete.
On the next drive, the Aggies noticed the Weber State blitz and changed their formation, sending three wide receivers to the left side and one to the right. No one was covering Aggie Vargas in the receiver position, so Weber linebacker Mayson Hitchens left his usual spot to cover him. Vargas then outran Hitchens, and UC Davis quarterback Caden Pinnick found him wide open for a 57-yard touchdown pass.
On the ensuing kickoff, Weber State safety Trevian Tribble returned the ball 46 yards before being hit out of bounds by the UC Davis kicker, which put the Wildcats in excellent field position on the Aggie 33-yard line.
The Wildcats drove to the Aggie four-yard line, but the drive stalled out after quarterback Jackson Gilkey was sacked. Calder was brought out to kick a 27-yard field goal, but missed it.
To end the half, the Aggies drove down the field, culminating in a 45-yard field goal to make it 17–3 at the half.
In the third quarter, the teams traded punts, then field goals, with the score being 20–6 entering the final quarter.
In the fourth, UC Davis scored another touchdown to make it 27–6.
After Weber failed a fourth-down attempt in the red zone, UC Davis scored again on their drive’s first play.
Weber got the ball back and was driving down the field to the Aggie 42-yard line when Gilkey ran the ball on third down and slid to avoid the tackle; however, his cleat was caught on the turf, and his ankle was turned sideways. A UC Davis defender saw the injury and called for the medical team.
Luckily, Gilkey was able to come off the field with minimal help; the diagnosis is not yet known.
With backup quarterback Cash McCollum out with a hand injury, third-string quarterback Dijon Jennings relieved Gilkey. Jennings then found junior wide receiver Marcus Chretien, who made an acrobatic catch to score Weber’s only touchdown of the night.
The Aggies then ran the clock out, giving them the 34–12 win.
The Wildcats enter their bye week to heal before returning home to play California State University, Sacramento, for the homecoming game on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.
