‘Go time’: Preseason MVP and Big Sky Conference projections for Sacramento State, UC Davis

Coaches and captains live for this, the dawn of fall football camp where optimism abounds and everyone has a shot at a championship.

That is the theme for Sacramento State and UC Davis, regional gridiron rivals since 1954 and both contenders to compete for 2024 Big Sky Conference honors and an FCS playoff berth.

“It’s definitely go time,” Sacramento State coach Andy Thompson told The Bee on Monday morning by phone before the start of Big Sky Media Day in Spokane, Washington, where coaches and team captains capped three days of activities. “It’s like a farmer with a good crop coming it. It’s exciting, our passion. This is what we do. It’s time to go to work.”

UCD coach Tim Plough echoed similar sentiments as he prepares for his first season in charge of the Aggies of Yolo County. Plough is big on his team motto of “Shredville,” meaning the Aggies’ offense aims to take defenses apart with a wide-open attack.

The Big Sky released its preseason coaches poll with UCD projected to finish fourth, receiving 88 total points, and Sac State fifth with 82 points.

Montana, Montana State and Idaho are projected to finish 1-2-3 in the Big Sky, considered by member coaches to be the deepest FCS conference in the land. Montana, Idaho, Montana State and Sacramento State represented the Big Sky in the 2023 playoffs. As many as five or six Big Sky teams could make the 2024 playoffs. It’s happened before.

Sacramento State seeks its fourth Big Sky championship since 2019 and UCD its second since 2018. The Hornets last fall were one of just four teams in the FCS to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The Aggies just missed out on the playoffs in 2024.

“We’d love to attack that again, a conference championship, and to make a run in the playoffs,” Thompson said.

The coach added that Plough “brings a lot” to the Big Sky as a head coach. The Big Sky also includes former Sacramento State and UCD assistant coach Paul Wulff, the head coach at Cal Poly, and former UCD offensive coordinator Cody Hawkins, who enteers his second season heading the Idaho State program.

Plough played quarterback at UCD and was a highly regarded assistant coach under Dan Hawkins, who guided the Aggies to six consecutive winning seasons before stepping down after last season (he is now on the coaching staff at Idaho State under his son, Cody).

Thompson and Plough are close friends. They are FCS products who believe in the product. The coaches were on the same flight to Washington for the Big Sky event and will cap the 2024 regular season in the annual Causeway Classic. But they haven’t had the time to break bread or even engage in a BBQ.

“He’s busy and I’m busy,” Thompson said with a laugh.

2024 All-Big Sky honors

UCD returns All-American running back candidate Lan Larison, the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 and the Big Sky’s 2024 preseason MVP.

Sacramento State had four offensive players make the preseason all-conference team in linemen Jackson Slater and Nathan Mejia, tight end Coleman Kuntz and receiver Jared Gipson. Linebacker Will Leota was named to the preseason defensive team.

The UCD players on the preseason 2024 All-Big Sky team: Larison at running back, defensive lineman Zach Kennedy and kicker Hunter Ridley. Larison rushed for 1,101 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023. He led the Big Sky in all-purpose yards with 1,299 despite missing three games with a knee strain.

Larison on Monday’s media day said he was fit and “ready to go,” adding that he expects to do “more of the same and hopefully more.” A rodeo enthusiast since his youth in Idaho, Larison said he will take the season “by the horns.” His breakaway speed makes him an NFL draft prospect.

Larison and Connors represented UCD for media day while Slater and quarterback Kaiden Bennett represented Sacramento State.

UCD and Sacramento State went 7-4 last season. Fall camp starts Aug. 1. Sacramento State is preseason ranked No. 8 in the HERO Sports FCS Top 25 and UCD 21st.

The Hornets open the season Aug. 28 at San Jose State, a Thursday night contest. UCD opens Aug. 31 at Cal, where Plough worked as a tight ends coach last season.

Big Sky preseason coaches poll

(with first-place votes and total points)

1. Montana (10) 120

2. Montana State (1) 110

3. Idaho 95

4. UC Davis (1) 88

5. Sacramento State (82)

6. Weber State 74

7. Northern Arizona 55

8. Eastern Washington 47

9. Portland State 45

10. Idaho State 31

11. Northern Colorado 23

12. Cal Poly 22