The Clemson Tigers became the first team in modern college football history to finish a season 15-0, defeating Alabama 44-16 and have won the College Football Playoff National Championship for the second time in three years. 

This preview could have been written back in August before the season started. These two teams were ranked one and two in the preseason Associated Press college football rankings. Both teams finished their seasons 14-0 with convincing wins in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Now, for the third time in four years, the Alabama Crimson Tide meet the Clemson Tigers in the National Championship Game.

The College Football Playoff features some familiar faces and one new face. The four teams enter the playoff with a combined 50-1 record, the best combined record in the five-year history of the tournament. It is also the first time there are three undefeated teams in the field of four. 

Senior communication major TJ Shorts II and junior communication major Matt Neufeld led all scorers with 17 points in Saturday’s non-conference game at the Pavilion, junior communication major Rogers Printup came off the bench to score a season-high 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting overall, and freshman guard Caleb Fuller scored a career-high 12 points to help UC Davis defeat William Jessup, 83-65, in the final home game of 2018.

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has been named the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner. Murray beat out Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins for the honor.

The Aggies improve to 10-2 for the year and will face Big Sky Conference rival Eastern Washington in next Saturday's quarterfinal. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. PST at Roos Field.

By scoring 12 of the first 14 points in Thursday's non-conference home game at the Pavilion, a five minute and 35 second block of action that included a 10-0 scoring run, UC Davis held an early double-digit advantage, one that grew to a game-high 18 points, in its 73-57 wire-to-wire victory versus Northern Arizona.

"These awards are a result of working at a great place, with great leadership that facilitates success," said Hawkins. "We have an amazing staff and special student-athletes."

UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins is one of 15 coaches selected on Monday as finalists for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year.

Redshirt freshman biochemistry and molecular biology Ulonzo Gilliam extended a Big Sky program record by scoring his 13th touchdown of the season in Saturday's league road game at No. 5 Eastern Washington, and that scoring drive took place after junior communication major Max O'Rourke opened the afternoon with a 30-yard field goal.