No. 22 Weber State and No. 20 UC Davis meet Saturday afternoon at Stewart Stadium in a ranked Big Sky game that could sharpen both teams’ playoff resumes. Weber State enters at 5-4 and 4-2 in the conference, while UC Davis arrives at 5-3 and 3-2, with both still carrying the kind of record that can move a committee conversation if the final weeks break right.
The search interest around UC Davis vs Weber State is straightforward: this is not just a ranked matchup, it is a game with standings value attached. UC Davis has kept itself in position by averaging 30.4 points per game in Big Sky play and by rebounding from a 38-17 loss at Southern Utah with a 33-6 win over Northern Colorado last week. Treynor Cleeland has been the center of that push, starting all eight games at quarterback and completing 76% of his passes for 266 yards last week alone.
Cleeland’s season gives UC Davis a steady baseline. He averages 248 passing yards per game with a 60.5% completion rate, and he has 16 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also has help on the ground and in the passing game, with Sam Gbatu Jr. scoring five touchdowns and Jordan Fisher averaging 106 rushing yards per game on 6.7 yards per carry while adding 10 touchdowns. On defense, Porter Conners has 59 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, while Braydon Rosa leads the team with 62 tackles, one interception and three forced fumbles.
Weber State brings a different kind of profile into the game. The Wildcats are scoring 35.9 points per game and averaging 427.7 yards, but the numbers underneath that production are harder to trust. They have allowed 34.6 points per game and 461 yards, and their turnover margin sits at minus-nine after 21 giveaways and only 12 turnovers gained. That mix explains why a team ranked in the top 25 can still feel vulnerable in a game that may be decided by one or two possessions.
There is also history working against Weber State’s offense in this matchup. The Wildcats have not scored more than 18 points against UC Davis since 2019 and are 2-3 in the five meetings since then. That matters because even a productive season can run into a style problem, and Weber State has not solved this one often enough to make Saturday feel routine. Devin Brown has increased his practice reps and looks set to resume his role as the No. 2 quarterback behind Nate Dahle, while Marvin Session remains day-to-day with a hamstring injury, but the bigger issue is whether Weber State can turn yardage into a score total that finally clears that recent ceiling.
Special teams could be another factor if the game tightens late. Robert Meyer has gone 6 of 6 on field goals inside 33 yards but is 0 of 3 from 40-plus yards, and Zach Jones has averaged 24.8 yards per punt return with two return touchdowns. Weber State has also blocked six kicks and scored on kickoff return, punt return, blocked punt and blocked field goal this season, which gives it a path to hidden points even when the offense stalls.
The game is set up as a simple test with real stakes: which ranked team can impose its style long enough to strengthen its case beyond Saturday afternoon. UC Davis has been steadier on offense and cleaner in results over the past week, while Weber State has the higher volume attack but the sloppier margins. If the Wildcats protect the ball, their scoring numbers say they can pressure UC Davis; if they do not, the matchup may tilt toward the team that has been more efficient and more balanced through the conference stretch.
