SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In an exciting regular-season finale, Miles Hastings led UC Davis with three touchdown passes, while Lan Larinson’s impressive 59-yard touchdown run late in the game propelled the Aggies to a narrow 42-39 victory over Sacramento State.

The Aggies concluded their season with a record of 10-2 overall and 7-1 in the Big Sky Conference, solidifying their rank as No. 5 in the FCS coaches poll and earning a hopeful at-large bid for the playoffs. This victory came as they faced a determined Hornets team, who struggled throughout the season with a record of 3-9 and 1-7 in conference play. The Hornets recently experienced a tough loss to undefeated No. 2 Montana State, falling just short in a 30-28 game that was crucial for the conference championship.

Throughout the match, the score remained close, but Hastings extended the lead with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Winston Williams, bringing the score to 35-24 with 7:32 left in the fourth quarter. Sacramento State’s Carson Conklin quickly responded with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Tau-Tolliver, and he later connected with Anderson Grover for a successful 2-point conversion, bringing the Hornets within three points with just 4:21 remaining. Conklin’s late-game performance included a 30-yard TD toss to Danny Scudero, but the Aggies managed to control the clock, running the final minutes off with a solid defensive effort.

Hastings showcased his prowess, finishing the game with 398 passing yards on 27 completions out of 36 attempts, including one interception. His touchdown passes consisted of a 29-yard score to Samuel Gbatu Jr. in the first quarter and a 5-yard strike to Williams in the second quarter. Gbatu was a key player, catching five passes for a total of 143 yards.

On the ground, Larinson made significant contributions, accumulating 148 yards on 23 carries, coupled with a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 12-yard run that added to his impressive performance early in the fourth quarter.

For the Hornets, freshman quarterback Conklin had an outstanding outing, completing 32 of 44 attempts for 389 yards, accompanied by five touchdowns and one interception, marking season-high stats for him. Scudero made a notable impact with seven receptions for 140 yards, while Grover caught 10 passes totaling 102 yards. Jared Gipson was also relevant, with two touchdown receptions among his four catches for 53 yards. Unfortunately, the Hornets have not found victory since their thrilling 51-48 overtime win against Weber State back in mid-October.