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There is lots to look forward to on and off the field as Aggie football comes roaring back into UC Davis Health Stadium next week for the first of five regular season home games.

In addition to each game’s theme, fan favorites like Maggie the Aggie and Cori the kickoff tee retrieval dog will be back.

Here is an overview of what to expect, starting with the first home game on Sept. 20.

Themes: ‘Every game is a party’

Each home game in the lineup has activities to keep fans entertained during breaks in the on-field action.

“As always, we have a lot going on,” said Danielle Shank, senior associate athletics director for external relations, chief marketing officer and senior woman administrator. “Every game is a party.”

Sept. 20 vs Southern Utah, 7 p.m. kickoff: The home opener Sept. 20 is a matchup against Southern Utah. The Back to School Night game is a frequent sellout, officials with Intercollegiate Athletics said.

Sept. 27 vs Weber State 7 p.m. kickoff: Next up will be the Sept. 27 contest against Weber State, the Big Sky Conference opener and the second Salute to Ag Day. 

That event, , will include a 5 p.m. tailgate that will feature tractors, cattle, sheep, goats and more. Ashley Stokes, the new dean of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is scheduled to be on hand to meet attendees.

The Sept. 27 game will also feature the debut of the football team’s , which pay homage to the Tahoe Environmental Research Center. The game will also include the First Year Field Storm, youth cheer and dance camp performances as part of Jr. Aggiette Day, and organizations tabling and performing to celebrate Latinx heritage. 

Oct. 11 vs Northern Arizona, 4 p.m. kickoff:  culminates with the Homecoming football game. A “pair” of fan favorites will return this year: 200 pairs of tube socks will be thrown into the crowd, and this year will mark . Located in Tailgate Town on Bob Biggs Field, Brewfest, in partnership with the UC Davis Brewing Program, will feature more than 20 local breweries along with music and a large selection of food.

Get access to the pregame tailgate and the Aggies’ matchup against the Lumberjacks for as low as $45. Fans planning to attend Brewfest must have a ticket to the event — game-only tickets will not be accepted. Brewfest tickets are only available to those 21 and older.

The Oct. 11 contest will also include a tribute to the . The game will also promote breast cancer awareness and mental health awareness.

Nov. 1 vs Idaho State, 1 p.m. kickoff: The annual faculty and staff appreciation game will feature a tailgate hosted by Staff Assembly. All employees will receive a promo code via email for two free tickets, plus additional seats at a discount.

The Nov. 1 game will also feature a halftime performance by the UC Davis Marching Band and local high school bands, the culmination of the annual Band Day, where high school musicians spend the day learning from the UC Davis Marching Band. 

Entertainment will also come in the form of a mini Doxie Derby — this is the fifth time a dachshund race similar to the Picnic Day tradition will be held in between quarters at a football game.

The game is also part of .

Nov. 22 vs Sacramento State, 1 p.m. kickoff: The Causeway Classic returns to UC Davis Health Stadium this year, as the teams battle over the perpetual trophy. The Aggies will look to extend a against the Hornets.

The Nov. 22 game will also feature the Salute to Service, honoring first responders. Police and fire vehicles are scheduled to be on display during the game.

Student to return as Maggie the Aggie

Leading the charge onto the football field once again this year will be Maggie the Aggie, the student in blue and gold Western regalia who rides a horse onto the field to mark the start of each home game.

Nicole Shroyer, a communications major, will reprise her role as Maggie the Aggie, riding Red, her 13-year-old quarter horse.

“It’s my favorite part of the weekend when there’s a home game and I get to ride in it,” Shroyer said. “Getting to run that lap on the field as fast as I can is just so great — waving to the crowd is so great.”

She competes in reining as part of the equestrian team, and said there will be at least one Saturday where she’ll need to finish her own events, take a moment to cheer on her teammates, then hurry directly to UC Davis Health Stadium for the football game.

Her parents, who have horses in Novato, help prepare her horse, especially on those days when she’s doing double-duty, she said. It helps that Red lives at the UC Davis Equestrian Center during the school year.

“He’s very close to me,” she said. “I couldn’t go with him being too far from me.”

Red loves the attention from fans who ask to pet him and snap photos with the pair, Shroyer said.

She is set to graduate this year, so her second year as Maggie the Aggie will be her last. She said coming back to do it again was a no-brainer.

“It’s such an unreal feeling,” Shroyer said. “It’s so amazing.”

Cori back to retrieve tees

Also returning to the field this year will be Cori, the labrador retriever who runs out on the field to pick up the tee after each Aggie kickoff.

Cori is owned by Veterinary Medicine Professor Lisa Tell ’87, DVM ’91. This year she is facing a uniquely canine challenge of working with a kicker whose preferred kickoff tee just happens to be the same color as the turf.

“The tee is green and the turf is green,” Tell said. “Since dogs are dichromatic they actually can't see green and having a green tee on a green field is especially challenging.”

The canine-human pair are working with the kicker to ensure Cori will be able to find the tee, and have posted videos to Instagram successfully retrieving it.

How to watch, listen to the games

If you can’t get to UC Davis Health Stadium for the Aggies’ home games, all will be broadcast on ESPN+. Audio streams are , and will broadcast the away games on Oct. 4, Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15. That Nov. 15 game, against the Montana State Bobcats, is scheduled to be shown on ESPN 2.

The season so far

The UC Davis football team will go into the home opener with a 1-1 record, having beaten Utah Tech 31-24 and fallen to Washington 10-70. 

The team’s first game this season, a nationally televised matchup against Mercer in Montgomery, Alabama, due to a lightning storm in the area.

Going into the season, the Aggies were , the team’s highest preseason ranking since 2019.

The Aggies, who went 6-1 at home last year thanks to strong support from the Aggie fans, bring back All-American safety Rex Connors, who at Washington with his 291st career tackle. He is joined by his brother, All-American linebacker Porter Connors, and a large collection of experienced defenders that make up the UC Davis defense. Fans can also expect to see explosive plays from redshirt freshman quarterback Caden Pinnick and All-Conference wide receiver Samuel Gbatu, Jr., who play behind one of the more experienced offensive lines in the country.

This year the Aggies are poised to make a run at a Big Sky Championship and can't wait to play in front of the Aggie fans.