The 2025 FCS Kickoff between No. 7 UC Davis and No. 11 Mercer had all the makings of a classic... Until the skies opened up.
Lightning chaos wipes out UC Davis vs Mercer thriller with 7 minutes left
UC Davis was clinging to a 23-17 lead over Mercer when lightning and heavy rain forced a stoppage with just 7:30 to play in the fourth quarter. After a delay of nearly 90 minutes, officials made the call to abandon the game entirely.
Game erased from the books
The matchup was ruled a no-contest, meaning none of the stats or scoring plays will count toward either team’s season. It was a crushing blow for the Aggies, who had fought back to grab control late, and for the Bears, who were driving to retake the lead when play was halted.
“Mother Nature wins the day,” UC Davis posted after the decision. Mercer echoed the frustration, confirming that the 11th annual FCS Kickoff would go down as unfinished business.
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Lost opportunity for both teams
The contest was supposed to be a showcase for two of the top programs in the FCS ranks. UC Davis, a playoff team last fall, was looking to make a statement against a Mercer squad that also entered 2025 with high expectations. Instead, both leave Montgomery with nothing to show but soaked uniforms and erased box scores.
For fans, it was a rare ending: a ranked-on-ranked battle stopped dead in its tracks, with no winner and no final word.
For UC Davis, the Aggies will head out on the road for next week, as they are at Utah Tech. For Mercer, they are at home, as they take on Presbyterian.
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