Must-Watch Plays from UC Davis’ Win Against Montana

Another week, another top-tier FCS showdown—this time featuring a #4 UC Davis team taking on #7 Montana. When the dust settled, UC Davis emerged with a 30-14 victory, though the final score doesn’t tell the whole story. Both the Aggies and Grizzlies brought some clever wrinkles on offense that kept this contest far closer than it appears on paper. In this article, we'll break down some of the standout play designs that both teams used to make their mark on the game.

Nod Concept

One of the most effective plays we saw from Montana was a well-designed "nod" concept out of an empty formation. The Grizzlies faced a UC Davis defense in a drop-8, Cover 3 look, and they exploited a seam weakness perfectly. A quick out fake by the slot receiver drew in the overhang defender, who bit on the route and lost his balance, leaving him on the turf. This created a wide-open window for an easy throw, resulting in UC Davis’ first touchdown of the night.

Y-Screen

In the next highlight, the Aggies showcase a well-executed Y-screen that capitalizes on misdirection. They start by sending the running back in push motion to set up a swing screen look, complete with the tight end releasing outside as if he’s blocking for it. But just as the defense commits to the flow, the tight end reverses course and works back underneath for the screen. This clever play call manipulates the defense’s momentum, catching them out of position and resulting in a solid gain.

Counter Shovel

On their first goal-line trip, the Aggies dialed up a creative counter shovel pass, blending counter action with "Bash" (back away) movement to the opposite side. This misdirection play had Grizzly defenders scrambling, many of them caught out of position and running in the wrong direction. By the time they realized the play had shifted back the other way, it was too late—an ideal example of how misdirection can dismantle defensive fits near the goal line.

R-Rail

On their second red-zone visit, the Grizzlies threw in a clever wrinkle: a play-action half-roll paired with a rail route. After faking the handoff, the quarterback rolled slightly, giving the look of a designed rollout. Meanwhile, the running back slipped through the line of scrimmage, positioning himself up the hash on a rail route. Although it was a well designed play, the Aggies were all over it causing the Montana quarterback to scramble for a short gain.

Tight End Leak

Late in the third quarter, the Aggies returned to the red zone and found success with a tight end "leak" concept for a touchdown. Once again using misdirection, they showed full flow to the field side, drawing the defense’s attention, only to throw back to the boundary where the tight end had slipped through unnoticed. He worked his way across the line of scrimmage and then wheeled up the hash, creating a clear lane for the score. This type of delayed release often disrupts coverage rules, and it’s the kind of design that’s good for a big play at least once per game.

Fast to the Flat

For their final red-zone appearance, the Aggies executed a well-timed sprint-out “fast to the flat” concept. The brilliance of this design lay in the condensed formation with a bunch set to the field side, which created natural leverage and space. This compression allowed UC Davis to gain a quick edge and beat the Grizzlies’ defenders to the flat, setting up an easy touchdown to seal a statement win over the #7 team in the country.

Conclusion

This was another standout FCS game that’s truly a must-watch for fans and coaches alike. For high school coaches across the country, FCS matchups like this offer a wealth of creative schemes and play designs that can serve as inspiration. Next week, UC Davis squares off against Montana State in a clash that could very well be the FCS game of the year. Unfortunately, it’ll be streaming on ESPN+, rather than on ESPN2 or ESPNU where it deserves a wider spotlight. For those who want a condensed recap of the UC Davis vs. Montana game, check out the link below.