Cody Hawkins returns to UC Davis and celebrates 2025’s biggest upset in Big Sky
It was the biggest head-coaching victory for Cody Hawkins, who returned to UC Davis on Saturday afternoon and celebrated the biggest upset in the Big Sky Conference this season.
A longtime assistant coach with UCD, Hawkins in his third season as the Idaho State head coach engineered an inspired 38-36 victory over the No. 6-ranked Aggies in what surely registers as one of the thunderbolt outings in the FCS this season.
One of the top kickers in the FCS, Trajan Sinatra put the Bengals ahead 38-36 with a 50-yard field goal with 52 seconds remaining, and safety Nathan Reynolds sealed it with an interception with 15 seconds to play.
Special teams played a significant role in the game. UCD had a punt blocked that Idaho State recovered for a touchdown, and the Aggies missed a point-after touchdown as the Aggies dropped to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Sky.
Idaho State can relate to frustrating losses.
The Bengals came in at 2-6 and on a three-game losing streak, frustrated with a series of close setbacks, including to No. 3 Montana.
UCD’s hopes of winning the Big Sky championship took a crushing hit as only Montana and No. 4 Montana State remain unbeaten in conference play with three games to play. UCD’s FCS playoff hopes remain, though.
Also excited on the Idaho State sideline with a headset on Saturday: Bengals director of personnel Dan Hawkins.
The father of Cody Hawkins was a gritty fullback for UCD in the early 1980s, and he was the Aggies head coach for eight program-reviving seasons. Dan Hawkins stepped down following the 2023 season to join his son in Pocatello.
Cody Hawkins is a beloved son in the Potato State. He quarterbacked his high school team in Boise to a 40-0 career mark, winning two state championships and two state Player of the Year honors. He played at the University of Colorado when his father was the head coach. Dan Hawkins brought Cody into the UCD coaching fold in 2017, a role that grew to offensive coordinator.
Dason Brooks rushed 24 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns for Idaho State, including a 57-yard burst early in the game to open the scoring. Jordan Cooke passed for 252 yards and two scores for the Bengals, who came in 0-4 all-time facing the Aggies in Davis. UCD leads the all-time series 7-2 since it began in 2012.
Caden Pinnick passed for 325 yards and a touchdown in his return to action after missing last week’s win at Northern Colorado with tonsillitis, but the redshirt freshman was intercepted twice. Jordan Fisher rushed for 108 yards for UCD and Carter Vargas ran for two touchdowns.
UCD plays at Idaho in Moscow on Nov. 8, at defending Big Sky champion Montana State in Bozemon on Nov. 15 and hosts Sacramento State on Nov. 22 in the Causeway Classic.
This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 5:28 PM.