DAVIS, Calif. - Emmanuel Benjamin tied a school-record with four field goals, Joshua Edwards returned a blocked field goal 54 yards for a touchdown and UC Davis led 20-7 at halftime as the Aggies picked up their first Great West Football Conference win with a 33-21 victory over Southern Utah before 6,365 fans at Toomey Field on Saturday night.
The Aggies evened their season record at 3-3 and their league mark at 1-1. Southern Utah dropped to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Wide receiver Jerome Eason caught a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter and had seven catches for 91 yards overall to lead the Thunderbirds.
Benjamin's field goals were the first for UC Davis this seaon and came from 28 and 38 yards in the first half and 19 and 40 yards in the second. They helped highlight a solid night by the Aggie special teams, which also got a touchdown from Edwards after defensive tackle John Faletoese blocked Brandon Perkin's 43-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter. Edwards scooped the ball up at the Aggies' 46 and raced 54 yards for the score.
Wide receivers Tony Kays and Blaise Smith caught touchdown passes of 23 and 19 yards, respectively, from quarterback Jon Grant, who threw for 202 yards on 17-of-30 passing. He was picked off once.
Linebacker Nolan de Graaf had 10 total tackles, including a 6-yard sack, to help highlight the UC Davis defense. Free safety Jonathan Barsi had nine total tackles along with a trio of pass break-ups. Ray Hill was the last Aggie to kick four field goals, doing so in 1997. It's now been accomplished five times.
