"Fine" makes it sound better than it was. We trailed 42-17 with 4 or 5 minutes to go. Key team stats, and it was a team loss: ISU held the ball for 35 minutes, went 5 of 8 on 3rd Down, 1 for 1 on 4th down, 2 for 3 in the Red Zone. The Ags had the ball for 24 minutes, 6 of 11 on 3rd Down (good), 0 for 2 on 4th down, 4 of 7 in the Red Zone. Efficiency and executing situational football matter more than individual stats, which are very misleading. Especially when you're down big late in the 4th Quarter and the opponent is sitting back in coverage.

Missing two more starting Defensive Linemen did hurt the cause, injuries and sickness, but teams that advance to Nashville are all dealing with the same issues in December.

There were certainly bright spots (zero sacks allowed), but in the playoffs, there are no moral victories. You play the players you have available and fight to the death. That's football. They were better than us that day in all phases, on to the next.

Here we go! Nice job Akiltopmack99 of providing some tangibles. I think this is a great starting point. Dealing with the City might be an issue, but we can at least continue improvements on the water tower (it was nice this season but nothing too spectacular). With some of the technology I've seen on TV games and by visiting other stadiums, they can turn that tower into a disco ball, they can turn it into a football, they can basically show highlights on it. Let's juice that thing up!

Over the past months since I've joined this board, I've heard that we already have a small support staff that works hard and is responsible for everything from fundraising to game experience. I've read that everything costs money. I've read that we need to join the Mountain West yesterday and take on the SJSUs and Nevadas of the world. Well, if we are growing the program, I will assert once again that we need to grow the Department and support staff infrastructure. A few, hard working staffers is the D2/small FCS model. Let's act like where we're going. Hire a small team to spearhead nothing but the 1000 at $1000 campaign. Give them an end date, pay them right, give them an operations budget, and get it done. Create a game experience team, and all they do is sell advertising inside the stadium, run promotions, and focus on the experience. I'd hire Akiltopmack99 as part of that crew. Let Rocco and Flush and Plough handle major donors and corporate partnerships with a small team. Have a special event steam. This is no knock on the people doing the yeoman's work right now, but there are not enough of them! Expand and create positions and teams and act like an FBS program.

Final recommendation: a culinary team responsible for in-stadium vendors and concessions, maybe handle the catering for the new suites and seats, and, wait for it, THE BEER and WINE GARDEN! I'm not just talking about a small patch above the home side 30 yard line. A freaking real-deal beer and wine garden. Exhibit A, once again, is Colorado State's New Belgium Porch. I've been there, I've experienced it, and it is the best investment into the stadium that UC Davis can make.

Thanks for the perspective. I've only been on the bandwagon for 25 years and that's from a distance. I honestly don't have a great understanding of what drives the Aggie alumni base since I ain't one. I've just looked at a lot of college football, seen a lot of programs drop the sport and others make a go of it way over their skies only to get stuck in football purgatory, hoping at best for that bid to the Toilet Bowl sponsored by Ajax. Personally, I like the concept of playoffs and to be a part of those every year at the D1 level took a lot of work by UCD. They've gone from hoping to get in to expecting to get in. Plenty of teams would kill for that. I support a move to the MWC if and when our facilities are ready and the program (players and coaches, support staff, operations budget) is funded at a level to be competitive in the MWC. We don't need to be Cal or Fresno St., but we need to be on par with UNLV, New Mexico, and even North Dakota State before it makes any sense to move-up to me.

Illinois State came down to those missed opportunities in the red zone and an inability to stop the Inside Zone run and big plays by the Defense. While the Defense has plenty of blame to go around (invisible Linebacker play, timely busts in coverage), there was plenty of in-game blame to go around:

Aggies fake a FG attempt from the +13 yard line trailing 14-10 with 5 minutes to go in the 1Q and come up way short. This play is followed by a 90+ yard TD pass to extend it to 21-10, we survive and get it back, and first quarter ends 21-17. Easily could have been 14-13 after 1st if we kick and both sides hold. Or 21-20 more likely given the way the defenses were both playing.

2nd quarter begins with a failed 4th down attempt from the +3. No points on the board, left them on the field. The two teams trade FG attempts (we block theirs and miss ours) to go to the half 21-17. Again, we should have been up by this point in time if you include the 1st Quarter decision and the missed scoring opportunity from the +3. Being down probably led to the decision to go for it.

ISU scores on opening drive of the 3Q and lead 28-17. We strike quickly with a long pass down to the 20 YL where the ball is fumbled and recovered by ISU. ISU subsequent drive and score, Ags now trail 35-17.

We trade punts, drive deep to the ISU +2 YL, and have a pass intercepted in the end zone. Another long drive and ISU TD, 42-17 Red Birds.

We all know how it ends (42-31 bad guys). But how's this for missed opportunities:

Fake FG from the +13
Turnover on downs from the +3
Missed 51 yard FG
Fumble on the +20
INT on the +2 YL

I will be the first guy to say we didn't play well enough to win from the Defensive perspective, but don't be fooled by late game stats and 42-31. Football is a team sport. Come on Spring Ball!

Was the game a regional, ESPN game, or was it broadcast in the Sac Metro and Bay Areas? I am all about reviving that rivalry at the earliest date possible. It's just not going to happen for a couple seasons so we'll have to make the best out of the semi-rivalry to the south.

I highly doubt UCD got paid a cent by the MWC or by NDSU for passing on the first shot at moving up.

Tuliaupupu: Seven seasons at USC, heading into his 9th total/2nd at Montana. The logic behind this ruling tells me the Connors bros. are screwed with a legitimate hardship. This guy apparently has received at least four, possibly five, medical redshirt seasons at USC alone and a mystery season followed by a victorious appeal in Missoula:

USC
2018 Medical redshirt
2019 Re-injured in fall camp, another medical
2020 Knee injury prior to fall camp, another medical
2021 Listed as REDSHIRT JUNIOR by USC, did not see the field but survived the season
2022 Appeared in all 14 games for USC, Special Teams player
2023 Injured in training camp, another medical?
2024 End of bio at USC. Here's what they said heading into camp: "Tuliaupupu, whose USC career has been slowed by foot and knee injuries, will look to compete for playing time on the defensive line as a redshirt senior in 2024."

MONTANA
2025 Here's his pre-season Griz bio: "Transferred to Montana after playing 21 career games at USC with 22 total tackles (13 solo), 4 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery in two seasons of action for the Trojans… Will join the program in time for summer workouts with one season of eligibility remaining"

Good run of bad luck for Tuliaupupu, but no idea why the NCAA perpetuates these careers like that.

I'm with you 100% on the necessity of a statement from the admin. I see where you're coming from; perhaps the statement could include verbiage that we are focused on a national championship, building it to a national championship level, using the words NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP as the rallying cry.

From your perspective, what would fire-up the donor base more: jumping from today right into FBS, or talk of staying the course, focusing on the present, and a drive towards an FCS national championship?

Understood on Cal Poly not being Sac State, but it is one of Plough's pillar goals every year and I think the people in the building (players, coaches) look at it as a rivalry. As I stated many posts ago, I think the old trophy is buried somewhere in the depths of Cal Poly's existing, pile of crap football dumpster and someone needs to come clean and get that thing back. A BIGGER trophy may create more hatred towards them (joke).

I do disagree, however, on staying put in FCS for a little longer hurting the Aggie Ascent drive. Ascending with a plan > ascending unprepared. Plenty of improvements to be made at the stadium to bring it closer to FBS-ready, plenty of money to be spent to get to a consistent national championship contender (spend it on players, feeding them, summer housing/school, recruiting budgets, etc.). We're probably more prepared than Sac to make the jump today (minus all their newfound money), but not nearly as prepared as NDSU. That will be a decent barometer for us.

Absolutely. Plus the Griz are in transition. The door is open...

Be where our feet are... the allure of "FBS" and "playing more recognizable teams" is not what it's cracked up to be. A bunch of 5- and 6-win seasons (at best) and possible playing in some crap bowl game in a stadium filled 1/3 to capacity will get old in a hurry. People will blame the coach. You know where it goes from there. Then we're back on here crying for the "good old days" of losing in the Quarters with a team ranked in the Top 10 every year. Let's take care of our business, save some money, build a monster, and enjoy the ride.

Sac State was 7-5 or something this year with a much more talented roster than what they have today. Sure, we sell out the Causeway game and it's fun to whip their ass and take that ugly trophy, but they are toxic. The team to the south and the little horseshoe trophy now moves to game 12 and we'll sell that one out. We do not need Sac State.

Late breaking word on the street is that the NDSU to MWC deal for 2026 us done…

IF that is true, along with Bobby H. retiring and the changes at MSU Boze-Angeles are opening the door for the Aggies to be a very serious title contender next season. Money talks, suckers walk.

As far as the future NDSU-UC Davis football contracts, tear em up with the move. Maybe a small buyout at best.

Sac State offering $10m to the MAC and MWC to "pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease" let them into an FBS conference for 2026. And they won't even take a dime of your TV revenue for the season. Several questions:

1. Where are they getting the money? Perhaps they raised enough from the lil' Yachty concert or from savings from a failed stadium project.
2. If that happens, what happens to Mississippi Valley State (Jerry Rice's alma mater), Youngstown, Rio Grande Valley, North Alabama, Maine, Tarleton, and Southern Utah games already scheduled? I'm sure the Stingers don't get out of those games for free. Where's that money coming from? Probably their guarantee money from Fresno State :rofl:

The ineptitude and decision making by the circus clowns running Sac State is truly unlike anything I've witnessed in college athletics. Keep it rolling!

Maybe make the first scholarship a two year deal with a buyout so the FCS program gets compensated for their investment.

That made me spit my protein shake onto the computer screen, so true. Man we couldn't get that right in '25. Onward and upward and out of the end zone, cheers to that!

Agreed. The Montana retirement and Montana State defensive coordinator bolting to the NFL (not to mention all their portal losses) has the Aggies in a prime position to contend for the Big Sky championship. The 2-deep will be strong and also still young. Another area of strength is the staff retention. Plough made a nice move with the special teams position while retaining a very good position coach. The RB guy leaving is a loss, but that is a plug-and-play position on staff with the talent in that room. I feel really good heading towards Spring Ball in April

Nicely done! Go Ags!

Summer housing is the key to success. If they aren't able to keep the best players in town, all day every day from the end of spring quarter to the start of training camp, They're not committed to competing for a national title. Period. Great to hear about the one apartment complex, hopefully they can find more to follow. Same with summer jobs, meals around town, etc. Someone is hopefully pounding the pavement to get all of that lined-up, then taking care of the two deep roster.

I agree with you about their willingness to burn a season early on. I was just looking at 3-4 clips of their highlight films from high school when I was doling out REDSHIRT tags. Those Edge players may be highly-rated, but neither one of those guys are ready right now. Who knows with a great summer session and maybe some doors opening ahead of them on the depth, but neither one is ready to deal with a 21 year old Division 1 dirtbag Offensive Tackle as of today! A kid like Few from last year's class came in at like 6'5" 240 and only played sparingly on the strong side until late in the season. He also played against a much higher level of high school competition and had more of a college ready body. I may be wrong, and I am all in favor of young guys playing IF they're the best guy and they're ready. The couple clips I watched on each told me they would both benefit tremendously from a year in the weight room and learning their craft. I'm not too proud to admit it if they prove me wrong, I just looked at a small sample size. Both have VERY bright futures ahead of them!

Bobby is BURNED OUT by College Football 2026. It's a shitshow out there, who can blame him. Especially at a place like Montana. Hopefully he can go up to his lake house and skip rocks and catch fish and get refreshed. He's an acquired taste but a good guy.

We don't give Plough enough credit for how he manages the program and the roller coaster of recruiting and agents and raising money for the cause at a place that is mostly but not all the way in compared to the Montanas and Dakotas of the world. Maybe he goes home and throws his patio furniture into the pool and kicks his dog, but he doesn't strike me as that guy. I really appreciate the way he is both passionate and realistic. Has a vision and isn't scared by it. Consistent on every level that we get to see. Go Ags!

Outstanding group! Kudos to the coaching staff, they put so much effort into recruiting and it is paying off with Top 5-10 classes every year. Davis guys...

PACIFICO's 5-CENT NEW AGGIE SIGNEE EVALUATIONS:

I think Gilbreath and Sylvester are the steals of the class...

Gilbreath will play early. 6' 185 as an freshman FCS corner is BIG. Faulkner is nice as well. And he hits, which you don't always say about Corners. The CB from San Bernardino is quality depth, will redshirt.

The Idaho Safety (John) fits a very specific need on the back end. Big cat that will fill it up and can deal with Big Sky TEs. And he's played in the Conference. He's a sleeper.

Kollock had crazy high school numbers. He's going to be in an absolute dogfight with Cleeland, maybe even Eason, we'll see. Shout out to SailorGabe. GREAT problem to have for Plough and Shelton. My early money is on Cleeland vs. PSU.

Looking at the film, both Sylvester and Herman are dudes. More dudes to go with some dudes already in the RB room. Dudes everywhere. The new Running Back coach will be happy.

Houseworth the Cal/Fortuna TE is a load! Classic, in-line run blocking TE that might surprise in the passing game but doesn't have to for another year.

JUCO LB Knudtson is a downhill guy, rangy, but only had 36 tackles in 11 games last season. Why? I obviously don't know the scheme he played in, and he has a good frame. Should be in the mix to play or back up depending on what the returners are like. The two young LBs will need to develop and are probably redshirts unless something happens. Not convinced the Johnson kid doesn't end up playing some Safety but we'll see. Nice athlete. The Portland kid will be a player eventually, he's all over the field.

I like the fact that we got into Hawaii with Honebein. Uses his hands well and has a motor. Redshirt. The kid out of Colorado is long and gets off like he's shot out of a cannon, but doesn't use his hands yet. Some vet will cave his chest in July and he'll figure it out at some point. Redshirt. Both of these cats are high caliber outside guys, we'll see them on the field in 2027 or 28.

As for the WRs, Parnell is 6'4" or something, will likely be a "tweener" WR or Hybrid Y. Not a burner but good ball skills at 6'4". Fay from Manteca is quick and has some giddyup.

Don't have time to go into the weeds on each of the OL signings but I trust Cody. None of them should see the field until their year 3/RS Sophomore season at best. That's the sign of a healthy program. Maybe I'll go back on them and evaluate the unit at some point as the dog days of a late spring ball start day drag on...