Way back on January 24 UC Davis beat Chico State 18-15 in the first round of the Pacific Western conference - and it may well be that the conference ends with the same matchup.

That was, by a significant margin, the closest conference game of the year for Davis. No team got closer than 26 points (that would Stanford), and in fact Davis scored 363 points in their last four games (just under 91 points a game).

Meanwhile, Chico State would not lose another game in the conference. They had to work at it, but ended up 7-1. 

Chico started well in that game, with wing Jack Hazelhoffer scorning out wide. Then after being held up in-goal, Chico scored again in the corner, with wing Drew Parsons doing the honors. Flyhalf JP McKinley slotted the difficult kick from the sideline.

But after that, Sacramento State got the momentum, punishing a turnover and then capping off a nice set move from a scrum to go up 14-12.

CSU came back thanks to a series of Sac State penalties and center Matt Zarchin cantered over.

But against Sac State replied to take the lead 19-17, and while CSU re-took the lead with a Tommy Patton penalty goal, the Hornets answered on a pick-and-jams to lead 24-20.

But after that Chico State finished strong. Prop Ian McLens scored and then the try of the game, as CSU ran through seven phases from the restart. Zarchin faked a pass, ran through the gap he created, and chipped over the fullback to gather the ball on the bounce and score in the corner.

"The boys showed true sprit today against a hard playing Sac State, who were playing for their season,” said Chico State Coach Lucas Bradbury. "We went into the game with two of our starters out through injury and two coming off during the game, but the boys who came in, slotted in nicely and have done the club proud' under difficult conditions.”

That finished it off, and will set up an intriguing Pacific Western playoffs this weekend, with Chico State playing Stanford (CSO won the first game 41-28), and UC Davis taking on Sac State (Aggies won 61-5 earlier this season).