COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team was downed 48-10 in its season opener by No. 17/16 ranked UC Davis Aggies on Thursday night inside Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium.
UC Davis came into the game being ranked No. 17 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 16 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 rankings. This was the first meeting between the two teams since 1999, the Aggies are 3-0 in the all-time series.
Thursday night marked the debut for Lion coach Clint Dolezel.
The Aggies scored the first 31 points of the game, the first Lion point of the game came as time expired in the first half on a 39-yard field goal kick from Emmanuel Adagbon (Mesquite Horn).
In the third quarter, the Aggies added a field goal and scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Lions scored their first touchdown of the season with less than nine minutes to go on a 65-yard touchdown catch by Keith Miller (The Colony), from Josh Magana (Dinuba, Calif.).
The Lions were outgained 529-285 in the game, but UC Davis committed four turnovers, while the Lions threw three interceptions.
Daryion Taylor (Humble – Atascocita) led the team with nine tackles, while also recording an interception. Max Epps (Spring – Dekaney) posted eight tackles and an interception, which he returned for 43 yards. Warren Robinson (Houston – Fort Bend Marshall) had the lone sack for the Lions, also forcing a fumble on the play, which was recovered by King Ambers (Pickering, Ontario).
Lions’ Peter Parrish (Phenix City, Ala.) started the game at quarterback for A&M-Commerce, going 6 for 12 with 54 yards, but threw three interceptions. Magana played most of the second half and went 5 for 7 for 89 yards with one touchdown.
Thursday night’s loss ends a streak of nine straight wins in season openers, the last time A&M-Commerce lost the season opener prior to this season was 2012.
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The Lions face another Big Sky Conference next week, when they head to reigning National Quarterfinalist, Sacramento State next Saturday, September 9. Kick-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. central, 7 p.m. pacific.
