College football: No. 10 UC Davis plays No. 14 Weber State; Sac State visits Idaho State

Dan Hawkins is plotting a second home in Utah, or so he said Tuesday during a light moment in his weekly news conference.

The UC Davis football coach was sizing up this week’s premiere FCS game of nationally ranked teams as the No. 10 Aggies visit No. 14 Weber State on Saturday. The Big Sky Conference schedule has been kind to Weber State, which hosts the Aggies on Saturday after hosting them during the spring season, an 18-13 Wildcats win in Ogden.

“We go back to Weber,” Hawkins said of the defending Big Sky Conference champions. “I should’ve bought a condo there. There’s a law preventing Weber State from coming to California. We’re used to the hotels there and the field and the trip. We’ll be looking for real estate in Ogden.”

He added, “We’re excited to go. We know they’re a very good football team and we feel we’re a really good football team.”

UCD is 3-0 for the first time since 2004, with all elements clicking. Now the challenge looms to halt a five-game skid to Weber State. The only bonus of the pandemic was an NCAA ruling that allowed players to hold onto their 2020 eligibility, giving the Aggies a veteran lineup and rolling momentum from a promising spring campaign.

“We have more talent, more depth and more experience here than before,” Hawkins said. “With our offensive line maturing, that’s allowed us to run the ball better than we have in the past.”

The defense has been stout, too, including coming up with five interceptions in a 60-27 win over Dixie State in UCD’s home opener Saturday.

UCD has been balanced with quarterback Hunter Rodrigues and a ground game that includes Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., who rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns to go with one receiving against Dixie State. He is the fourth-leading rusher in program history with 2,830 yards.

Hornets at Bengals

Sacramento State hopes to even its record at 2-2 with its Big Sky opener in the Holt Arena at Idaho State, which is 0-2.

The Hornets opened the season with a 19-7 victory at Dixie State, lost their home opener to FCS powerhouse Northern Iowa 34-16 and fell at Cal on Saturday 42-30 despite being 25-point underdogs. Sac State outscored Cal 24-17 in the second half, including Cal returning the second-half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.

Sac State coach Troy Taylor said he likes the direction of his team and that the mistakes — penalties, missed field goals, allowing long gains — are correctable. Taylor has used two quarterbacks extensively in Asher O’Hara and Jake Dunniway, who passed for 370 yards against Cal, the most for a Hornet ever against an FBS program. Pierre Williams had eight catches for 121 yards, the most against an FBS program by any Hornet.

O’Hara rushed for two scores at Cal and Dunniway passed for two scores.

“We’re ready to show what we can do as a team in the Big Sky,” Dunniway said. “We’re getting better and better.”

Sacramento State (1-2) at Idaho State (0-2)

When: Saturday, noon

On air: ESPN 1320 AM; ESPN+

Of note: Idaho State opened with a 35-14 loss to North Dakota and then fell at Nevada 49-10. ... Bengals QB Tyler Vander Waal, a Christian Brothers High graduate, had great moments in the spring and this season but has been slowed by a sore non-throwing shoulder/arm. He knows Sac State coaches Taylor and Bobby Fresques from passing academies. ... Asher O’Hara leads Sac State in rushing with 169 yards and in passing with 486 with Jake Dunniway second at 455. ... Marcus Hawkins and Taylor Powell combined for 21 tackles at Cal...The Hornets are 5 of 7 on fourth-down conversions.

UC Davis (3-0) at Weber State (1-2)

When: Saturday, 5 p.m.

On air: Sports 1140 KHTK; ESPN+

Of note: UCD is 14 of 16 this season in red-zone scoring opportunities. ... UCD is tied for the national lead with a +8 turnover margin. ... UCD is 2-6 all time against Weber State. ... The Wildcats are 1-2, losing to FBS No. 24 Utah and to FCS No. 2 James Madison...Weber State features preseason All American RB Josh Davis, though the leading rusher is Dontae McMillan, who had 151 against Dixie State.