Mercer, UC Davis set for FCS Kickoff

By BARRY ALLEN

Mercer and UC Davis, two FCS Quarterfinalists in 2024, will meet in the 2025 FCS Kickoff Classic Aug. 23, at Cramton Bowl to kick off the new season.
Game time, ticket information and television coverage will be announced at a later date.
Mercer will make its second appearance in three seasons, having used a swarming defense to knock off North Alabama, 17-7, in a lightning-altered game that opened the 2023 college football season. UC Davis is the first California-based school to play in the FCS Kickoff Classic.
Both schools wrapped up historic 2024 campaigns as national seeds in the quarterfinals round of the FCS Playoffs on Saturday. The fifth-seeded Aggies (11-3) dropped a tough 35-21 contest at fourth-seeded South Dakota, while the seventh-seeded Bears (11-3) fell 31-7 to second-seed North Dakota State.
Mercer opened its 2024 campaign with six-straight victories on the way to capturing the Southern Conference championship – the first league title in program history – on the way to securing its second-straight appearance in the NCAA postseason. The Bears led all 123 FCS teams in five defensive statistical categories, including a program-record 25 interceptions and a rushing defense that surrendered just 71.6 yards per game.
“I am so proud of all our accomplishments this past season, and I am excited that we continue to set our goals higher and higher each year,” said MU athletics director Jim Cole. “What better way to showcase the progression of our program than to compete against one of the elite programs in FCS football in UC Davis. We also have an opportunity to showcase our football program in front of a national television audience for the third time in as many years as well.”
The Aggies had the program's best season in terms of wins since making the move to Division I in 2007. First-year head coach Tim Plough led the Aggies to landmark wins over then-No. 5 Idaho and No. 7 Montana (in Missoula, Mont.) and helped guide the Aggies to a home playoff victory, the second in program history. Senior running back Lan Larison led the nation in all-purpose yards and senior quarterback Miles Hastings became the first Aggie to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season, both earning Walter Payton Award finalist nods.
"We have tremendous momentum with our football program and are excited to showcase Aggie Pride on a national stage in Montgomery, Ala., next year," said UC Davis Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca. "Competing in the FCS Kickoff during Week Zero at a historic venue not only amplifies our visibility but also highlights everything our remarkable student-athletes from this top 10 public university have to offer."
The Bears are set to return 11 starters for the 2025 season, including seven on the offensive side of the ball. Among the returners for the Orange & Black are a quartet of offensive linemen who logged a combined 42 starts during the 2024 campaign, as well as SoCon Freshman of the Year Andrew Zock who started all 14 games at defensive end and tallied 14-1/2 tackles for loss, including seven tacks, as well as a school record 15 quarterback hurries.
UC Davis will look to come into the 2025 season led by returning starters safety Rex Connors and wide receiver Samuel Gbatu, Jr. While it may be a new-look Aggie squad, Connors and Gbatu, Jr., were big contributors during the season, with Connors finishing with 115 total tackles and Gbatu, Jr., finishing second on the team with 779 receiving yards to lead all Aggie receivers in 2024.
This will be the 11th FCS Kickoff and the eighth played in Montgomery. SE Missouri defeated North Alabama, 37-15 in last year’s game.

FCS Kickoff Classic Results

Date                     Result of Game                                                                                        Location

Aug. 23, 2014   Eastern Washington 56, Sam Houston State 35                             Cheney, Washington

Aug. 29, 2015   Montana 36, North Dakota State 35                                     Missoula, Montana

Aug. 27, 2016   North Dakota State 24, Charleston Southern 17             Fargo, North Dakota

Aug. 26, 2017   Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 13                                                     Montgomery

Aug. 25, 2018   North Carolina A&T 20, Jacksonville State 17                    Montgomery

Aug. 24, 2019   Youngstown State 45, Samford 22                                          Montgomery

Aug. 29, 2020   Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 21                                                    Montgomery

Aug. 27, 2022   Jacksonville State 42, Stephen F. Austin 17                      Montgomery

Aug. 26, 2023   Mercer 17, North Alabama 7                                                                     Montgomery

Aug. 24, 2024   Southeast Missouri 37, North Alabama 15                                             Montgomery