There is lots to look forward to on and off the field as Aggie football comes roaring back into UC Davis Health Stadium next week for the first of five regular season home games.<\/p>\n
In addition to each game\u2019s theme, fan favorites like Maggie the Aggie and Cori the kickoff tee retrieval dog will be back.<\/p>\n
Here is an overview of what to expect, starting with the first home game on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
Themes: \u2018Every game is a party\u2019<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s schedule of home games includes Salute to Ag Day, Homecoming, a Doxie Derby, Brewfest and more. (UC Davis photo)<\/p>\n
Each home game in the lineup has activities to keep fans entertained during breaks in the on-field action.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs always, we have a lot going on,\u201d said Danielle Shank, senior associate athletics director for external relations, chief marketing officer and senior woman administrator. \u201cEvery game is a party.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sept. 20 vs Southern Utah, 7 p.m. kickoff: The home opener Sept. 20 is a matchup against Southern Utah. The Back to School Night game is a frequent sellout, officials with Intercollegiate Athletics said.<\/p>\n
Sept. 27 vs Weber State 7 p.m. kickoff: Next up will be the Sept. 27 contest against Weber State, the Big Sky Conference opener and the second Salute to Ag Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
HOW TO GET TICKETS<\/p>\n
That event, sponsored by the CLEAR Center<\/a>, will include a 5 p.m. tailgate that will feature tractors, cattle, sheep, goats and more. Ashley Stokes, the new dean<\/a> of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is scheduled to be on hand to meet attendees.<\/p>\n The Sept. 27 game will also feature the debut of the football team\u2019s Bold Aqua alternate jerseys<\/a>, which pay homage to the Tahoe Environmental Research Center. The game will also include the First Year Field Storm, youth cheer and dance camp performances as part of Jr. Aggiette Day, and organizations tabling and performing to celebrate Latinx heritage.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tickets for the Sept. 27 game are available online, with a 20% discount when using the code \u201cCLEAR\u201d at checkout.<\/a><\/p>\n Oct. 11 vs Northern Arizona, 4 p.m. kickoff:\u00a0A week of Homecoming activities<\/a> culminates with the Homecoming football game. A \u201cpair\u201d of fan favorites will return this year: 200 pairs of tube socks will be thrown into the crowd, and this year will mark the first Brewfest since 2019<\/a>. Located in Tailgate Town on Bob Biggs Field, Brewfest, in partnership with the UC Davis Brewing Program, will feature more than 20 local breweries along with music and a large selection of food.<\/p>\n Brewfest single-game tickets are available online.<\/a> Get access to the pregame tailgate and the Aggies\u2019 matchup against the Lumberjacks for as low as $45. Fans planning to attend Brewfest must have a ticket to the event \u2014 game-only tickets will not be accepted. Brewfest tickets are only available to those 21 and older.<\/p>\n The Oct. 11 contest will also include a tribute to the 2025 Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame class and Aggie Legacy Award winner<\/a>. The game will also promote breast cancer awareness and mental health awareness.<\/p>\n Nov. 1 vs Idaho State, 1 p.m. kickoff:\u00a0The annual faculty and staff appreciation game will feature a tailgate hosted by Staff Assembly. All employees will receive a promo code via email for two free tickets, plus additional seats at a discount.<\/p>\n The Nov. 1 game will also feature a halftime performance by the UC Davis Marching Band and local high school bands, the culmination of the annual Band Day, where high school musicians spend the day learning from the UC Davis Marching Band.\u00a0<\/p>\n Entertainment will also come in the form of a mini Doxie Derby \u2014\u00a0this is the fifth time a dachshund race similar to the Picnic Day tradition will be held in between quarters at a football game.<\/p>\n The game is also part of Parent and Family Weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nov. 22 vs Sacramento State, 1 p.m. kickoff: The Causeway Classic returns to UC Davis Health Stadium this year, as the teams battle over the perpetual trophy. The Aggies will look to extend a two-year winning streak<\/a> against the Hornets.<\/p>\n The Nov. 22 game will also feature the Salute to Service, honoring first responders. Police and fire vehicles are scheduled to be on display during the game.<\/p>\n Student to return as Maggie the Aggie<\/p>\n Communications major Nicole Shroyer will serve as Maggie the Aggie this year. (Gregory Urquiaga\/UC Davis)<\/p>\n Leading the charge onto the football field once again this year will be Maggie the Aggie, the student in blue and gold Western regalia who rides a horse onto the field to mark the start of each home game.<\/p>\n Nicole Shroyer, a communications major, will reprise her role<\/a> as Maggie the Aggie, riding Red, her 13-year-old quarter horse.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s my favorite part of the weekend when there\u2019s a home game and I get to ride in it,\u201d Shroyer said. \u201cGetting to run that lap on the field as fast as I can is just so great \u2014 waving to the crowd is so great.\u201d<\/p>\n She competes in reining as part of the equestrian team, and said there will be at least one Saturday where she\u2019ll need to finish her own events, take a moment to cheer on her teammates, then hurry directly to UC Davis Health Stadium for the football game.<\/p>\n Her parents, who have horses in Novato, help prepare her horse, especially on those days when she\u2019s doing double-duty, she said. It helps that Red lives at the UC Davis Equestrian Center during the school year.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s very close to me,\u201d she said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t go with him being too far from me.\u201d<\/p>\n Red loves the attention from fans who ask to pet him and snap photos with the pair, Shroyer said.<\/p>\n She is set to graduate this year, so her second year as Maggie the Aggie will be her last. She said coming back to do it again was a no-brainer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s such an unreal feeling,\u201d Shroyer said. \u201cIt\u2019s so amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Cori back to retrieve tees<\/p>\n Also returning to the field this year will be Cori<\/a>, the labrador retriever who runs out on the field to pick up the tee after each Aggie kickoff.<\/p>\n Cori will be back to retrieve kickoff tees this season. (Gregory Urquiaga\/UC Davis)<\/p>\n Cori is owned by Veterinary Medicine Professor Lisa Tell \u201987, DVM \u201991. This year she is facing a uniquely canine challenge of working with a kicker whose preferred kickoff tee just happens to be the same color as the turf.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tee is green and the turf is green,\u201d Tell said. \u201cSince dogs are dichromatic they actually can’t see green and having a green tee on a green field is especially challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n The canine-human pair are working with the kicker to ensure Cori will be able to find the tee, and have posted videos to Instagram showing a blindfolded Cori<\/a> successfully retrieving it.<\/p>\n How to watch, listen to the games<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t get to UC Davis Health Stadium for the Aggies\u2019 home games, all will be broadcast on ESPN+. Audio streams are available online<\/a>, and KHTK 1140 AM<\/a> will broadcast the away games on Oct. 4, Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15. That Nov. 15 game, against the Montana State Bobcats, is scheduled to be shown on ESPN 2.<\/p>\n The season so far<\/p>\n The UC Davis football team will go into the home opener with a 1-1 record, having beaten Utah Tech 31-24 and fallen to Washington 10-70.\u00a0<\/p>\n The team\u2019s first game this season, a nationally televised matchup against Mercer in Montgomery, Alabama, was declared no contest<\/a> due to a lightning storm in the area.<\/p>\n Going into the season, the Aggies were ranked No. 8 by Stats Perform<\/a>, the team\u2019s highest preseason ranking since 2019.<\/p>\n