Sept. 3, 2015
Nevada's countdown to kickoff series will feature seven things you need to know for the upcoming football season, from information on the team and program to information about tickets and game day operations.
RENO, Nev. - The Nevada football team opens the 2015 season today against UC Davis at Mackay Stadium. Kickoff between the Wolf Pack (0-0) and Aggies (0-0) is slated for 7 p.m. PT while the game will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network powered by Campus Insiders.
UC Davis is Nevada's most frequent foe in program history, as this will be the 54th meeting between the two nearby schools. The Wolf Pack boasts a 29-21-3 advantage in the series history, while leading 20-11-2 when playing at Mackay. To learn more about Nevada's week one foe, check out the information below.
Know Thy Opponent: UC Davis
Name: UC Davis Aggies
Colors: Yale Blue & Gold
Conference: Big Sky Conference
Affiliation: NCAA Division I FCS
2014 Record: 2-9, 1-7
Letter winners Returning/Lost: 68/21
Starters Returning: 19
COACH: Just like Nevada, UC Davis' coach - Ron Gould - is entering his third season at the helm of the program. Gould boasts a 7-16 record in two season with the Aggies. He arrived to UC Davis after spending 16 seasons on Cal's coaching staff.
OFFENSE: In his weekly press conference, head coach Brian Polian likened UC Davis to Stanford in that you will frequently see the Aggies use two tight ends and a fullback. The Aggies return junior QB Ben Scott, who improved their offense when taking over the starting role midway through the season. Scott went on to throw for 1,734 yards and 19 touchdowns. His top target is junior WR Ramon Vargas, who caught 41 passes for 665 yards last season. The Aggies graduated its top two rushers from last year, when they averaged 144.9 yards on the ground per game. UC Davis averaged 26 points per game last season, which ranked 67th in FCS.
DEFENSE: UC Davis works out of a 4-3 front on defense. Coach Polian applauded UC Davis' defensive tackles Inoke Raikadroka and Kyle DeVaughn and junior safety Kaleen Culberson as their defensive players that most stood out on tape. The Aggies struggled on defense in 2014, ranking 11th in points allowed per game (37.8) and 113th in yards allowed per game (481.5).
LAST MEETING: The Wolf Pack defeated the Aggies 36-7 in the school's last meeting (Sept. 7, 2013), which was Brian Polian's first victory as a collegiate head coach. Junior QB Cody Fajardo completed 18 of 21 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Junior RB Kendall Brock added 116 rushing yards and two scores, and junior WR Richy Turner caught six passes for 136 yards and a score. Nevada scored the game's first 20 points and limited UC Davis to just 118 yards of total offens overall.
Countdown to Kickoff Archive
7 - Ticket Information
6 - Nevada game notes; depth chart
5 - Marketing and promotions schedule
4 - Game Information
3 - New features at Mackay Stadium
2 - What to know before you go
1 - Student information
