Tim Plough and UC Davis have 30 players with no place to sleep the night before FCS quarterfinal game

Last weekend, Illinois State pulled off an incredibly improbable win over #1 seed and defending national champion North Dakota State in a 29-28 thriller in one of those types of games you wouldn't believe some of the box score numbers.

For example, the Redbirds (a 20+ point underdog heading into the matchup) outgained the Bison 422 yards to 179, moved the chains 23 times as opposed to just 6 for NDSU, and still found a way to win despite throwing five interceptions on the night.

Their reward to knocking off the top team in the country? A trip across the country to play at Aggie Stadium, the home of UC Davis and a program on the rise under second-year head coach Tim Plough.

Plough has led the Aggies program for two seasons now, had been there as the team's offensive coordinator for a few seasons previously and also has experience calling the offense at Boise State, and this fall marks his second straight trip to the national quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs.

Putting together a debut season with 11 wins, followed by a 9-win season this fall would normally be cause for some celebration this time of year. heading into this weekend's matchup, but instead Plough has much of his time and energy being devoted to sorting through a mess caused by his own campus. With campus closing down for break, they've typically had to do exams on the road, but that won't be the case this year and that in itself is a win in a lot of ways.

Instead, he and his staff are on the hunt for someplace for 30 freshman to sleep starting Friday night so they can be fully rested to perform Saturday's game.

"Where are we going to put them? Where are they going to stay? Are they going to sleep on the floor with a teammate, or do we have enough finances as a program to get them put up in a hotel room or find an apartment?"

"These are things that a lot of other programs don't have to deal with, but unfortunately right now we do and I think the only way it gets fixed is if we keep making it back to this game and then we'll start to have a better idea of how to get it done."

The solution? Well Plough suggests making it back to this stage year in and year out will - hopefully - force the UC Davis decision makers to make some adjustments.

"We have to keep getting back to this game, so it continues to be an issue. Then, hopefully, if we do it over and over and over again then we will start to have some more discussions about what can we do, not just for football players, but for all student athletes, to try and make this situation better. I don't think they deserve special treatment, but I do think they deserve the opportunity to be at the their best when their best is required."

"This is why this week has been so difficult for us over the years. There are a lot of things to overcome and it takes your focus away from just trying to win a football game."

2025 marks the fourth season since 2018 UC Davis has punched their ticket to the FCS playoffs, and in two of the three previous trips their run ended in the FCS quarterfinals - the lone outlier heading into this season being their 2021 exit which came in the first round against a powerhouse South Dakota State squad.

Hear Plough's full comments in the clip (and also, can we admire that glorious lip curtain for a moment!).