Utah Tech football was doomed by four costly turnovers as the Trailblazers closed out their 2024 non-conference schedule with a 32-14 road loss at No. 12/15 UC Davis on Saturday night at UC Davis Health Stadium. 

The Trailblazers (0-4/0-0 UAC) got off to a good start defensively as they forced a punt four plays into UCD's opening possession.

However Utah Tech's offense was snake bitten by two early turnovers deep inside its own territory on consecutive possessions, which led to an Aggies touchdown and field goal, as the Blazers trailed 9-0 less than six minutes into play.

The offense struggled to get on track as the game progressed, as Utah Tech managed to gain just 50 total yards over the first 30 minutes of play. 
 
Meanwhile, the Trailblazer defense bent but did not break in limiting UC Davis to three second quarter field goals as the Aggies went into the halftime intermission up 18-0.  

Utah Tech received the second half kickoff, but again the Trailblazers were derailed by a fumble on their third play from scrimmage at their own 26 yard line.

The Aggies (3-1) cashed in the miscue six plays later with a 2-yard Miles Hastings screen pass to Lan Larison, which extended the UCD advantage to 25-0.

Utah Tech got up off the deck in its ensuing possession and put together its first sustained drive of the night.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Reggie Graff got the drive kick-started with a 17-yard completion to Bryce Parker to the Blazer 42 on second and 10. Then after a Jay McEuen 9-yard sweep around the left side, Graff rattled off a 37-yard scamper down the right sideline the UCD 12.

Graff then capped the drive one play later with a keeper up the middle to the end zone that made it a 25-7 game with 8:26 to play in the third quarter.

Unfortunately the newly established momentum was short-lived as UC Davis marched 75 yards in nine plays, which culminated with a Larison 7-yard touchdown run that upped the Aggie lead to 32-7. 

Utah Tech managed to get one of those turnovers back midway through the fourth quarter when Amari Pouncy stripped Larison at the Aggie 37, where it was recovered by Cody Carlson.

Though the Trailblazers could not turn that turnover into points, they managed to get one more touchdown on the board late in the frame when Graff hit Bryce Parker over the middle for a 48-yard catch-and-run score.  
 
Utah Tech was finished with 223 yards of offense, including a season-high 128 yards rushing, led by Graff who ran for 85 yards on 17 carries to go with his touchdown. The freshman signal caller also threw for 95 yards on 7-of-21 passing. 

Parker wound up with a game-high 65 yards on two catches, highlighted by his first touchdown grab of the year.   

On defense, freshman defensive back Quincy Lejay posted a career-best with nine stops with one TFL and two pass break-ups, while linebacker Spencer Rich tallied seven tackles (six solo). On special teams, senior punter Andy Day punted seven times for 297 yards, including a season-long 66-yard boot in the first quarter.

UCD amassed 417 yards of total offense, with Hastings throwing for 275 of those yards on 26-of-41 passing and one touchdown. 
 
Utah Tech opens its second season of United Athletic Conference play next Saturday night when the Trailblazers play host to No. 23/19 Abilene Christian in their annual Homecoming Game. Kickoff inside Greater Zion Stadium is set for 7 p.m. (MT).