Game 10 - Aggies 30 - Sacramento State 16

DAVIS, Calif. -- Free safety Jonathan Barsi returned one of his three interceptions for a 44-yard touchdown at sold out Toomey Field on Saturday afternoon, and tight end Brad Bispo caught a 17-yard pass for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, as UC Davis beat rival Sacramento State for the seventh straight time with a 30-16 win in the 53rd Causeway Classic, delivered by AT&T.

UC Davis evened its record to 5-5 and kept alive its hopes for a 37th consecutive winning season heading into next Saturday's season finale against unbeaten University of San Diego (10-0). Sacramento State finished its season with a 4-7 overall record

Besides posting a career-high three interceptions, Barsi also had a 72-yard kickoff return that set up the Aggies' first touchdown early in the second quarter. Receiver Tony Kays had three catches for 53 yards, finishing the game with 197 for his career and breaking the previous UC Davis career record of 194 held by Charley Enos (1998-2001).

Receiver Chris Carter had a game-high 10 catches for 75 yards while running back Marcus Nolan broke the century mark for the second time this season, carrying the ball 24 times for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 24-yard jaunt that sealed the win with just over two minutes to go.

Sacramento State quarterback Marcel Maquez threw for 227 yards, completing six passes to receiver Jason Barnes for 173 yards, while kicker Juan Gamboa kicked three field goals.

The Aggie defense kept the Hornets out of the endzone four times after they had the ball inside the 10, forcing a trio of field goals and intercepting a pass.

Marquez's 1-yard run in the first quarter and Gamboa's second 22-yard field goal helped the Hornets take a 13-6 lead heading into the final minutes of the second quarter. After forcing the Aggies' third punt of the first half, Sacramento State took over on its own 6 with 2:42 left before halftime. On second down at the 10, Marquez's pass was intercepted by Barsi at the Hornets 44. Barsi circled back around toward the Aggie bench, picking up blockers along the way and going the distance for the game-tying touchdown.

"I was there luckily and caught the ball, and when I turned around I just looked to my left and saw nobody over there so I headed back that way," said Barsi.

"I thought that was a big momentum turn for us going into halftime," said UC Davis head coach Bob Biggs, who improved to 12-2 in the Causeway Classic.

The Hornets had kept the UC Davis offense in check for much of the first half, allowing the Aggies just 95 total yards while the Sacramento State offense had 222, including 163 through the air. But the UC Davis defense turned the tables in the second half, holding the Hornets to just 78 yards.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter as the Aggies' Emmanuel Benjamin converted a 20-yarder midway through the period for a 16-13 UC Davis lead before Gamboa's final field goal - a 21-yarder with 3:33 left in the quarter - tied the game for the second time.

But a 10-play, 70-yard drive spanning the end of the third quarter and the early parts of the fourth resulted in Aggie quarterback Jon Grant finding Bispo at the goal line for a 17-yard touchdown pass that gave UC Davis the lead for good, 23-16 with 13:22 to go. It was Bispo's first career score.

The Aggies got the ball back on a punt with 10:27 to play, driving 81 yards on 17 plays while chewing up more than eight minutes of clock time before Nolan broke through for his second touchdown, a 24-yard run that put UC Davis up 30-16 with 2:19 to play.

The win was a hard-fought one for the Aggies, whose defense forced a pair of field goals by Sacramento State in the second quarter after the Hornets had moved to the 5. In the second half, the Hornets managed just 20 plays with a majority of their offense coming on an 11-play, 71-yard drive that was stopped at the 4 and resulted in another field goal.

The Hornets took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter after driving 76 yards on 15 plays, including converting a third-and-16 play on an 18-yard pass from Marquez to Barnes that kept the drive alive near midfield. Marquez capped the drive with a 1-yard plunge with 1:52 to go in the quarter.

Sacramento State had threatened to take the lead earlier in the game, taking the opening kickoff deep into Aggie territory after a 46-yard pass play from Marquez to Barnes down to the 9. However, Barsi thwarted the threat by intercepting Marquez at the goal line.

After Marquez's touchdown dive, Barsi took the ensuing kickoff up the UC Davis sideline all the way down to the Hornets' 26. Grant's 14-yard pass to Carter pushed the ball down to the 2-yard line before Nolan carried it across. The extra point was missed, keeping Sacramento State in front, 7-6.

Nolan, who carried 24 times for 101 yards, also had 134 yards on Oct. 14 against Southern Utah. Grant completed 21 of 36 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown while also throwing two interceptions. He moved within four completions of J.T.O'Sullivan's career mark of 669.

Linebacker Mike Morales had eight total tackles while defensive tackle Naveen Daftari had two tackles-for-losses, including an 11-yard sack. Linebacker Mike Healey broke up a pair of passes. Tyson Butler had eight stops for Sacramento State while Jody Johnson had two breakups and an interception. Defensive end Mike Brannon also had an interception.

Barsi's three interceptions give him six for the season, tying him for fourth on the program's season list. He also has 11 for his career, tying him for fourth on that list as well. His 72-yard return is the eighth-longest in school history.

UC Davis is scheduled to host No. 14 San Diego at 1:05 p.m. at Toomey Field next Saturday, marking the final game to be played at the historic location. The Aggies, who have played at Toomey Field since the end of the 1949 season, will move into a new stadium on the west side of campus next fall.

Recap courtesy UC Davis Sports Information Media Relations

Sacramento State Game: Players Of The Week

• Offense - Marcus Nolan (RB)
• Defense - JJ Barsi (FS)
• Special Teams - Brady McClendon
• Offensive Scout - Mark Tos (OT)
• Defensive Scout - Marshall Congdon (LB)

Return to 2006 Game Summaries