The Aggies and Hornets will face each other this weekend on the football field, but one Causeway Classic contest has already been decided.
UC Davis defeated Sacramento State in the 10th annual Causeway Classic Blood Drive, in which the university with the most participants in its on-campus blood drive and at donation centers around the region wins the perpetual trophy.
“Yes, Aggies, that means that UC Davis still holds the title as the Causeway Classic Blood Drive Champion and now leads this competition, 6-4,” Felicia LaMothe of BloodSource said in an email message.
Chancellor Gary S. May stopped by the campus blood drive to show his support.
In all, 1,423 Aggies participated in the blood drive, while 1,313 Hornets volunteered to give blood. UC Davis held its drive last week, Nov. 7-9, and people had the opportunity to credit UC Davis for donations made at other BloodSource locations through Nov. 10.
BloodSource reported a total collection of more than 2,000 lifesaving pints (this number is less than the total number of participants, because, as in all blood drives, some people who turn out are not able to complete the donation process).
“It is because of the generosity and dedication of our donors that patients will be granted another day,” LaMothe said. “While UC Davis won the competition title, it is the patients who are the true winners of this competition.”
There was one more winner: Alpha Phi Omega-Iota Phi Chapter, a coed community service fraternity, which captured the $500 prize in the student org competition, decided on the basis of the number of members who participated in the blood drive and-or as blood drive volunteers. Members of all clubs and organizations volunteered a total of 174 shifts.
The UC Davis and Sac State football teams will square off in the 64th Causeway Classic this Saturday (Nov. 18), with UC Davis leading the series, 45-18. (The teams have actually played each other 65 times, including a 1988 playoff game, won by Sac State.)
Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Hornet Stadium. UC Davis has a 5-5 record going into this last game of the season; a victory would give the Aggies their first winning record since 2010. Tickets are available online.