In a move that plants a flag for UC Davis in the landscape of college football, the Aggies have secured a spot to march onto the Rose Bowl turf, facing the UCLA Bruins in the seasons of 2027 and 2029. This development marks the team's Rose Bowl debut, a milestone in UC Davis football history that's been long in the making, finally materializing after nearly a century since their last confrontation with the Bruins.
Football fans, mark your calendars: UC Davis is set to play at the Rose Bowl on Aug. 28, 2027, and again on Sept. 1, 2029. As reported by FOX40, Athletic Director Rocko DeLuca expressed excitement for the series, stating, "We are thrilled to announce our series with UCLA and the opportunity to play in front of our many alumni and friends living in Southern California.” UC Davis is riding high on momentum, and this series against UCLA at one of football's most storied venues only adds to the anticipation. The Aggies, a team known to upset giants as seen in their 2005 victory over Stanford, are eager to showcase their might against a UCLA team transitioning to the Big Ten Conference in 2024.
History buffs will recall UC Davis' previous matchups with UCLA in 1932 and 1934, held at different locales in Los Angeles. In both instances, the Bruins had the upper hand. Nevertheless, times have changed, and the forthcoming encounters will serve as a calibrated measure of progress for the Aggies. Both matches are set to be a convergence of academia and athletics with UC Davis and UCLA ranking among the nation’s top six public universities.
According to CBS News Sacramento, DeLuca’s statement also highlighted the significance of the event, “UC Davis football is experiencing tremendous momentum, and we eagerly anticipate the matchup between two of the nation’s top six public universities at the Rose Bowl for multiple seasons.” The games certainly beckon as a highlight for former, current, and future Aggies, asserting UC Davis' place on the grand stage of college football – a platform where history, and sometimes, the unexpected, unfolds.
