DAVIS, Calif. – Idaho football suffered a 44-21 loss at UC Davis, Saturday in the Vandals' first Big Sky Conference game since 1995. The Aggies (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) totaled 512 yards of offense, split evenly between 256 rushing yards and 256 passing yards.
 
Senior running back Isaiah Saunders led the Vandals (1-2, 0-1 Big Sky) with 102 yards rushing. It was Saunders' first 100-yard game of the season and third of his career. Junior quarterback Mason Petrino finished 23-of-41 for 284 yards and three touchdowns.
 
UC Davis quarterback Jake Maier completed 25-of-37 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Tehran Thomas was the leading rusher at 119 yards on 15 carries, including one score.
 
Thomas' touchdown with less than a minute left in the first quarter gave the Aggies a 14-0 lead. UC Davis added a special teams touchdown in the second quarter, blocking an Idaho punt at the goal line and recovering it in the end zone.
 
The Vandals trailed 24-0 before Petrino found David Ungerer for a 14-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. Ungerer finished with a game-high 86 receiving yards on a career-high-tying nine catches.
 
UC Davis scored the next 20 points to take a 44-7 lead at the end of the third quarter. Jeff Cotton and Roshaun Johnson each caught touchdown passes from Petrino in the fourth to provide the final margin. Cotton hauled in a 46-yard score and has scored in each of the first three games. Johnson's 29-yard touchdown catch was his first-career visit to the end zone.
 
The Vandals return home Sept. 29, for its first home conference game against Portland State. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. PT.