No. 20 UC Davis uses ‘Magic’ to run past Cal Poly in annual Golden Horseshoe rivalry game
Needing a boost in the running game, UC Davis turned to a player known as “Magic” on Saturday night on the Central Coast.
A receiver and special teams return specialist, Trent Tompkins started at running back. He rushed 12 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns while Miles Hastings passed for 242 yards and a score to lead FCS No. 20 UC Davis past Cal Poly 31-13 Big Sky Conference victory in the 19th Golden Horseshoe rivalry game.
UCD rushed 38 times for 188 yards, using five ball carriers to help offset the loss of Lan Larison, the Big Sky’s leading rusher who is sidelined with a knee strain suffered last week against Eastern Washington. Larison rushed for 255 yards in three quarters, the third most in program history, before suffering his injury on a tackle.
Among the five rushers for UCD on Saturday was C.J. Hutton, a receiver from Folsom High School. His 2-yard scoring run pushed the Aggies ahead 17-0 as they improved their record to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Sky.
UCD coach Dan Hawkins has long prided his program on versatile players. This includes Tompkins, whom he has called “Magic” since recruiting him and marveling at his ability to make plays. Tompkins is from Fresno, where he starred at quarterback for Central High School. He had a lot of family and friends who made the 2½ hour trip to Mustang Memorial Field to watch him compete against a team coached by Paul Wulff, a Davis High School graduate and former Aggies assistant coach.
Tompkins opened the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown and made it 24-0 with a 1-yard score. Hastings hit tight end Josh Gale for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 31-7 with 6:40 to play as the Aggies rolled to their seventh consecutive victory over their rivals.
UCD leads the all-time series 26-20-2. The first game between the programs was in 1939. The schools have met each season since 1978.
Cal Poly is 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big Sky.
UCD will play host to Montana at 4 p.m. Saturday.
This story was originally published October 1, 2023 at 9:01 AM.