No Pinnick, no problem: UC Davis downs Northern Colorado with starting QB out sick
Tim Plough said on the eve of the season that his UC Davis football team could win with Caden Pinnick or Grant Harper at quarterback.
The Aggies coach wasn’t kidding.
On Saturday afternoon in the Centennial State, Harper in his first start of the season dazzled in the first half with three touchdown passes, and the FCS No. 6-ranked Aggies defeated Northern Colorado 27-16 in Greeley to remain unbeaten in the Big Sky Conference contest.
Pinnick earned the starting job after an impressive spring and fall camp and has impressed this season in earning multiple Big Sky honors, but the redshirt freshman from Del Oro High School in Placer County did not make this road trip. Pinnick was sidelined with tonsillitis, the inflammation of the glands at the back of the throat.
A senior and the team’s primary backup in 2024, Harper directed four first-half scoring drives Saturday and passed for 216 yards. He also rushed nine times for 45 yards against the Bears, who are fielding their best team in years.
Harper had touchdown strikes to Samuel Gbatu Jr., Jordan Fisher and Laviel Pickett, Carter Vargas rushed for 90 yards, and the Aggies withstood an inspired second-half effort by the Bears to move to 6-1 on the season and 4-0 in the Big Sky. UCD moved to 6-1 all-time in Greeley and 11-3 overall in a series that dates back to 2003.
UCD led 17-0 after Harper hit Gbatu with a 34-yard touchdown and pushed it to 24-0 in the second quarter off Harper’s 18-yard scoring strike to Pickett. Northern Colorado (3-5 overall, 1-3 in the Big Sky) pulled to within 24-16 in the fourth quarter before UCD sealed it with 41-yard field goal by Hunter Ridley with 50 seconds left to play.
Gbatu had five catches for 108 yards for his third 100-yard effort of the season, and the Aggies rushed for 236 yards, the most in a Big Sky game this season for the team.
Nate Rutchena led UCD in tackles with a career-best 12, Sam Goligoski had two sacks and Khalani Riddick had an interception to pace the defense. On special teams for UCD, Rayne Mayo Jr. blocked a field goal and Jacob Psyk blocked an extra point.
UCD hosts Idaho State next Saturday, Nov. 1, with a 1 p.m. kickoff at UC Davis Health Stadium.