Our game vs EWU will be on ESPN!

Herder has Idaho State as a Top 20 team? Sure, they're in the alphabetical 16-20 group, but I don't see that either. I still can't believe UC Davis lost to that team. Yes I can... you lose something like 90% of the time when you have a punt blocked. Terrible loss. Still pissed. That Saturday in Davis was the one time in the "if we played them 10 times, we win 9 of them" scenario/excuse.

I just can't drink the Montana Kool-Aid. They strike me as soft on defense and they have a lot of holes to fill on that side of the ball. They also don't strike me as a formidable road team.

Going back to a few weeks ago, my Top 5, with one change, is:

1. Montana State: The champs are the champs until someone takes it from them.
2. South Dakota State: Lots of returning talent. Pedigree of winning. Road to Nashville runs through Bozeman and Brookings.
3. Ags: Early Montana game tells the story as to whether or not they deserve the hype. Doesn't make or break the season for either team, but it might be the difference between a national 2 seed and home field throughout, or having to go to Bozeman or Brookings eventually. Win the games you're supposed to win, which are 11 out of 12 of them
4. Rhode Island: I like this team...
5. Illinois State
5. To me, this is between Montana and Tarleton State. ISU just loses too much to garner the Top 5 ranking I gave them in my original Top 5. Tarleton looses too much talent, so I will go with the hated Griz here to round out my Top 5.

Due to season-ending injuries early on, last season’s Aggie bench was short and very inexperienced. AND very young - three of the five available players were true freshmen, another was a redshirt freshman returning from a year lost to injury. With the exception of super-sub Vic Baker, significant contributions, other than brief rests for the starters, were rare. The result was no second unit as such. As the season progressed, the rotation became limited to 7 or 8 players. This year’s bench should be deeper, but overall, even younger.

Last year, Aggie starters averaged over 32 mpg. Late in the season, I thought tired legs were evident. Not for everyone, in every game, but someone was “off” in several games. This year’s group has the potential to do more than provide brief rests, despite limited game experience at the collegiate level. They can all run, and several look like capable 3-pt shooters. We could see stretches of small ball if this group can form an effective second unit.

Bench

If she isn’t starting - and that’s a distinct possibility - Emmy Ersdala should be the 1st player off the bench. Though Emmy played mostly forward last season, she also saw time at wing - and could again. That versatility could be crucial for the Aggies. Emy’s best moments were scattered throughout the season; if she can string those together, Ersdala should see plenty of action.

Carrington Davis, despite a high school resume comparable to that of Sussex and Bennett, didn’t see nearly as many minutes as her fellow sophomores. Perhaps like Sussex, Carrington will blossom during her sophomore season. She has some ’bounce’, so it’s definitely possible that Davis could claim a starting wing position. Or she could become the primary back-up anywhere on the perimeter.

Returning from injury, Theoni Tsami saw some action in 25 games last season, backing up Megan Norris at center. Theoni flashed a nice 3-pointer, and good movement rolling to the basket off a screen. If those brief looks are legit, Tsami could become a match-up problem as a small post player and emerge as a viable backup - a very welcome development for the front court rotation. Hopefully, her knee is sound and she’s regained the confidence to play freely.

2026 recruit, Australian Anna Bassett, arrived just after Christmas, enrolled for Winter Quarter, and has practiced with the team since. That experience should put the 6’ Bassett a significant step ahead of her fellow 2026 recruits, and may enable her to challenge for a starting role. If she’s like many Aussies who come to the States for college hoops, she’s a good shooter. On a squad that needs to replace so much scoring, that alone could lead to substantial playing time.

Carondelet graduate Layla Dixon is a smooth player who seems capable of playing several positions. Dixon has a complete game, including some defensive skills. Strong defense is rare for a freshman, so maybe that, plus Layla’s versatility will lead to more time on the court early on in her Aggie career.

Texan Taylor Hicks has some swagger to go with what looks to be a powerful, athletic game. Looking at clips of her play, makes me think Taylor grew up playing with and against boys on the playground. At 6’, Hicks did everything for her Hutto High team, from playing center to handling the ball on the break. Maybe she’ll find a role backing up at point guard in her first year as an Aggie, or maybe Taylor will become an under-sized, problem-causing forward.

Australian Rebecca Donnelly may be destined to play forward based on height. Like UCD’s current front court players, Rebecca stands 6’1”, so she could become part of the forward/center rotation. Like Anna Bassett, Rebecca looks to be a good shooter. Donnelly won’t be as familiar with the Aggie defensive scheme as Bassett, and defense is usually critical for playing time at UCD. But, if Rebecca can play some defense, and her shooting is as advertised, the Ags should find minutes for her.

The final player on the Aggie roster, redshirt junior Sahanna Kanagasabay, would be much higher on this list - possibly in contention for a starting wing position - had she not re-injured her knee in last season’s opening game. At this point, what she can contribute, or how much she should even play, is totally unknown.

Sam Herder has us as the #4 team in the nation in his pre-season top 15:

After back-to-back quarterfinal appearances, is UC Davis ready to make it a round further? The Aggies retained great talent, especially at the skilled position. Standout receivers Samuel Gbatu Jr. and Stacy Dobbins are back, as is productive tight end Winston Williams and 1,000-yard running back Jordan Fisher. Davis will need a new starting quarterback to step up, and the Aggies have shown they can reload at that spot. The defense has to improve to win games deeper in the bracket, though. All-Big Sky defenders Rex and Porter Connors headline that unit as the twin brothers earned an extra year of eligibility.

Link to article

Max is headed to the world cup.

No, Sahana's included in the snapshots of the bench that I'll post tomorrow. Given that she suffered her second knee injury in last season's opening game, I'm not sure where she is at this point.

I saw her in one video posted of the girls in the weight room. One leg was notably smaller in muscle mass than the other - I mean really smaller. Far smaller than last season, and also smaller than I remembered from 2024-25 after her 1st injury. So she's a real question mark. I know that if I were coaching, I'd have some concerns about putting her on the court, just for her future health.

Truly a shame. In the six minutes she played last season before going down, she looked ready to really contribute. Had she played all of last season w/o injury, she would very likely have been one of my projected starters this year.

Dang, that kid is big and can run! Big time high school program in San Diego, way to go Ags!

It will be interesting, for sure. This is where basketball fans are at a disadvantage vis-a-vis football fans, as far as getting an early read on the team. In FB, spring practices are open, and end with a controlled scrimmage, aka "Spring Game." Nothing like that in BB, at least not at UCD that I'm aware of.

We'll have no idea what's behind the curtain until the first few preseason games. "In Jen we trust", right? She's definitely earned that.

I find it very surprising that the sacramento sports community has not realized what is actually going on at sac state. That Luke wood has so bambozled them and especially the students is just beyond belief. It’s like drink the koolaide and it will all be okay. The sac bee has nibbles around the edges on the subject, sees the issues, but seems afraid to do what the old sacramento bee used to do, that is investigative reporting into what could be a very big story, is also odd. I hate watching a train wreck about to happen, but it is a coming.

Davis admin have been smart taking their time to move up to FBS. Luckily I don’t foresee Davis having to pay anywhere near the same about of fees to the MW because moving up would just make Davis a full member, not an affiliate member like Sac State or NDSU. The game guarantees to play big programs is good. I don’t know how many of those you’d want to schedule though to make sure the team has a competitive record.

Jake Meier, after a season with Saskatchewan is now playing for the Ottawa Redblacks. He started in yesterday's pre-season victory over Montreal.

“I think the challenge now is in the marketplace of Division I athletics with NIL (name, image and likeness monetization rights for college athletes), and all the other needs that you have to be competitive at an FBS level, those are also revenue opportunities, fundraising opportunities that we’re chasing as well.“

An expense is labeled a revenue opportunity. No wonder they are hopeful, they’ve got lots of expenses.

I don't know if the 3.5 million for "staff" is an average of their members or a requirement. I looked at the Nevada coaches and they have perhaps 18 to Davis' 12, it's hard to compare because of different roles. While it makes sense to expand the staff, and increase pay, more than tripling Davis' coaching expenditure seem like it would not be necessary to put a good product on the field.

This is honestly the class where they have to be thinking the last couple of years we'll be mixing it up with the Mountain West.

Heavy, Heavy, Heavy OL and DL - solid up front, solid everywhere.

The current MW media package (just announced this year) was negotiated with the TV networks without UC Davis (or NDSU) included in the conference as a football member. The other schools are not going to reduce their share to add Davis in. Davis gets a share of other sports media distributions. It is better to be in FBS than not. Have to think long term.

you are right. It seems like the terms NIL and revenue sharing get interchanged quite a bit.

It seems to me the 2.5 million requirement would be revenue sharing rather than NIL. Name, image and likeness payments have to have a reasonable correlation with the market value of an athletes association with the product. It’s now not run by consortiums but by the school, and auditable by the NCAA, steps motivated to avoid it being used to evade the revenue sharing limit. Revenue sharing is going to be the standard way to pay players, can be distributed any way they want, but the program has to have revenue.

Looks like we’ll have to wait to see how much 1. MW revenue share would look like (I’m guessing this would be the biggest part of the budget)
2. How much they can make from new stadium renovations.

I’m not too worried about $5mm a year bc if they can’t figure out a way to do that, they were never serious about competing in FBS in the first place. UC Davis isn’t some of these small universities. If there is a will there is a way.

let's hope there is some news coming soon. I was looking at the portal tracker google document, and some schools who lost a bunch (SJSU, UTEP) seem to be grabbing anybody they can. Unless I've missed the emergence of William&Mary, John Logan and Stetson as basketball breeding grounds.

Good start

I sure wish we’d see some news of signees for us. I know they don’t like to announce anyone until compliance gives the full a-ok, but it’s starting to get late even by last seasons standards.

What I don’t think is talked about enough is that Richardson had the stats he did considering how many games he missed. He also was never noticeably beat in the way that cofield was in multiple games last year. Not to mention the way he played against Washington. Denzel Boston never looked like the player he did the rest of the season against him. I think our corner room is going to be elite this year with him all the way healthy and cofield back. Coach Jordan has done great job recruiting and developing that room

Hero Sports is releasing its top players returning for 2026 by position. According to them, we’re in pretty good shape.

Porter Connors-10th best LB in nation (Jackson Sievers snubbed)

Jordan Fisher- 8th best RB

Stacy Dobbins- 18th best WR

Sam Gbatu- 3rd best WR

DB’s haven’t released but I feel FOUR of our guys should be on that list.

https://herosports.com/fcs-football-top-returning-2026-wide-receivers-bzbz/

https://herosports.com/fcs-football-top-returning-2026-linebackers-bzbz/

https://herosports.com/fcs-football-top-returning-2026-running-backs-bzbz/

Isn't that what you call NIT?

Nice finds though I'm pretty sure those are both late 2026 commits. Go Ags!

We have a bunch of new offers over the last several weeks, but I've been far too busy to update the list. I should get around to it soon.

You don’t have to be very creative with student aid when tuition is free for students families making less than $200,0000 and families making less than 100,000 get everything free. Harvard's policy.

boy, i have no idea what the college football landscape will look like in the next 5 years. I think our success in the Mountain West in other sports the next couple of seasons will either accelerate or decelerate the effort for football.