DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis got a stellar performance from quarterback Jake Maier as the Aggies dealt visiting North Dakota a 48-24 setback in Big Sky play Saturday at Aggie Stadium. Maier got going early by throwing for a trio of first-half touchdown passes, helping the Aggies (3-2, 1-1 BSC) build a 38-17 lead on UND (1-4, 0-2 BSC) by halftime.

The JUCO transfer finished the game 33-for-38 for 415 yards and four touchdowns as UND fell for the third consecutive game.

Junior John Santiago took UND's second play from scrimmage 81 yards for a touchdown to jump-start the Fighting Hawks. He finished with 170 rushing yards to register the first 100-yard rushing game of his season and 14th of his career. Classmate Brady Oliveira added 107 rushing yards as UND racked up a season-high 294 yards on the ground.

Maier and the Aggies overmatched those efforts, however, outgaining the Fightings Hawks 651-451 in total offense.

"I thought we got here and were in a good frame of mind, but we gave up too many points and too many big plays early," UND head coach Bubba Schweigert said. "They put us on our heels tonight. We really need to rally and motivate the guys to stick with it. This is a program where the vision doesn't change. The belief in how we do things doesn't change, but we have to get better results." 

Wide receiver Keelan Doss was Maier's favorite target, hauling in 11 passes for a career-high 199 yards. He caught a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first play for the Aggies after Santiago's big run and the home team led 14-7 before three minutes had passed.

UC Davis would never trail again as Maier found Wesley Peerce for the next score on a 3-yard strike. It would be the first of three touchdown receptions for the Aggies' tight end, who finished with eight catches for 97 yards. The home team would convert a UND turnover into another touchdown and Preece's second score came after a three-and-out to push the advantage to 35-10 before the Fighting Hawks could regroup.

UND quarterback Keaton Studsrud trimmed the deficit to 35-17 with a 12-yard run late in the second quarter, but the Aggies tacked on three more points before the half thanks to a 21-yard field goal from Max O'Rourke.

UND opened the second half with the ball, but that drive stalled on a missed fourth-down conversion attempt and UC Davis would manage the only points of the third quarter on a 20-yard field goal by Max O'Rourke.

Both teams traded fourth-quarter touchdowns to bring the final spread to a 24-point margin. UND's score came on a 36-yard reception by Hunter Pinke, who scored the touchdown on his first career reception.

UND will return to action next Saturday for its Homecoming contest against Northern Colorado. Kickoff against the Bears is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Alerus Center.

GAME NOTES: Permanent captains for the season are seniors Jake Disterhaupt, Cole Reyes and Keaton Studsrud along with junior John Santiago … Reyes, the reigning Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year missed the game with an injury … Santiago rushed for a season-high … yards and his 81-yard touchdown run on UND's opening play from scrimmage equaled his career-long carry (vs. Northern Colorado in 2015) … The 100-yard rushing game was his first of the season and 14th of his career … Classmate Brady Oliveira also went over 100 yards, finishing with 107 yards on 13 carries … This is the second time the two All-Big Sky performers have eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the same game (vs. Montana State; 2015) … Redshirt freshman Hunter Pinke's first career catch went for a 36-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

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