I only just noticed that the Ags first three games are all on the road. Kind of frustrating for the home town fans in Davis, but it's always bothered me that so many games (four counting the Mercer fiasco) are played before the fall quarter even starts. Maybe that's why the students don't get that involved once they're there?

It makes sense to play games when the students are here. Also makes sense not play games when the students who are here are moving this weekend

They started before Labor Day this year, had 1 FBS and used a bye week to recover from that probable game which is wise. Davis is quiet during the summer but even more so in week between Summer Session II and move in week. Off campus people will either move their stuff on September 1st or closer to school start but they might not stay yet.

Anyone hear anything about athletics facility master plan yet?

Is this the Connor twins final year?

The TV guys yesterday mentioned that UC Davis is the only school in the country to open with three road games.

yes. They both redshirted first year. For some reason they don’t list players by eligibility, or list their year graduated from high school, so you have to look at their bios which show they have been with team since 2021.

So next year we have to replace them, and probably a few of our new graduate contributors.

Will need to replace all the grad contributors except Ty Richardson who will still have eligibility, since he graduated in two years and will have another year remaining.

When he fills in his frame and gets more games under his belt, Drew Cofield is going to be a Teddye/Rex caliber defender. The impact he's making as a freshman is impressive.

I'm also really looking forward to seeing what Totten and Cravin get up to. Bright future for Davis on defense. Coombs is doing a great job.

Hopefully playing teams like Washington and UCLA will help get guys like Coombs paid. I feel like we are already on borrowed time with him.

In recent years the defense has been good but not the best in the conference and prone to giving up big plays, and lots of yardage, and scores in the mid 20s. This year they have more of a pass rush, seem to have quality players everywhere so we should expect more, but so far defense still giving up big plays, sustained drives, and mid 20s scores, against average offenses. Not saying it might not all come together but it hasn’t.

My main point is nobody ever talked about Davis as being one of the toughest defenses in the Big Sky and we never busted into the top 5 before Coombs.

.....but it is time to get over the hump and bust into the top 3 consistently.

Big Sky era scoring defense

before Coombs:
2012: 7th
2013: 11th
2014: 11th
2015: 11th
2016: 8th
2017: 9th
2018: 5th
2019: 5th

since Coombs:
2020: 3rd (covid 6 games)
2021: 5th
2022: 2nd
2023: 5th
2024: 3rd
2025: ?

Through 2 games this is the strongest D I’ve seen.

Feels like we can get a 3 and out whenever we want.

Ags moved up to #5 in the FCS coaches poll, which tells me that all they look at is the final score. Plus two teams previously ranked ahead of us (South Dakota and Illinis State) lost.

Don't forget GoGo breakout team Sac State lost.

So we can plan on moving back down 2 spots after losing to Washington this weekend.

We stayed at 8 in the STATS FCS poll.

Hmm….

I'm guessing it's just going to be some sort of promotion, but would be cool if they dropped bigger news

they are announcing our “new” stadium at Yolo County Fairgrounds. They can use the existing stands from the destruction derby! Lol.
.
My serious guess is probably a Football GM announcement?

hahaha, I like both guesses

FWIW. "FCS and Southland Conference member UTRGV (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) will make its football debut in 2025" - new stadium, suites sold out, 10K capacity.

https://x.com/SamHerderFCS/status/1906391489262837995

Glad we don't need to spend big money for an indoor practice facility. NDSU new addition.

https://x.com/SamHerderFCS/status/1847419970827014316

https://x.com/zachmckinnell/status/1966161090556923983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1966161090556923983%7Ctwgr%5E21f1504c95648e8aa915458ee6bcd2e4c9787d34%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aggiesportstalk.com%2Fdiscussion%2F2437%2Flooking-forward-to-2025%2Fp16

Doesn't say much without the balance sheet.

...and Jesus Poly...

I imagine we’re up there just due to cost of a scholarship

Think about the size of the Montana economy (#47 GDP in 2024). UM and MSU football are pretty big money in that state.

According to the AI fever dream overview I pulled up....UM alone contributes $94 million a year to the local economy. MSU probably less, but a substantial amount to Bozeman's local economy.
Bottom line is their football budgets are justified, for both the schools and their communities. I'm sure those programs are money makers across the board

For Davis, Poly and Sac...its literally just super expensive to have anything in this state.

Stony Brook....sheesh....College football on Long Island, NY ain't cheap.

Budget similarities between NY and CA schools on that list......
Stony Brook attendance record set in 2017 is 12,311. They average around 6,400 over the past couple seasons.

I'm curious about U. of San Diego. It looks like the Athletics total budget was $15 million in 2024 (seems low....student aid not included?).
https://www.sandiego.edu/finance/documents/Budgets_Publication.pdf
If I had to guess I'd bet football is a little under Cal Poly's level?

Noticing that North Dakota State isn't on there.