Cal Poly SLO’s first foray into the FCS college football playoffs since 2012 was a disappointing one on several levels for local fans. To start, Thanksgiving-weekend meant little at home student support and the wet, cold weather didn’t help.
Locals stayed away in droves with a sparse crowd of fewer than 3,500 in attendance at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
However, the scoreboard went haywire from the opening kick and the Mustangs followed suit, totally out of sync and lackluster during the University of San Diego’s initial drive of 75 yards to go on top 7-0.
Several hundred USD fans made the 325-mile trek to SLO to loudly voice their approval when their blue and white-clad squad quickly scored again to make it 14-0, before the bleacher seats had even dried.
It was a lead the Toreros would only relinquish once en route to a decisive 35-21 victory and a Dec. 3 date in frigid Fargo to face North Dakota State.
Poly tied the game to begin the second half after a spectacular 85-yard kick return by J.J. Koski. Yet Coach Tim Walsh’s boys never found their offensive groove, gaining only 195 total yards, by far their worst output of the 2016 season.
San Diego controlled the contest from the outset, amassing 473 yards, mostly through the air. Without their four sloppy turnovers, the game would have been a complete blow out.
The opportunistic Mustangs proved scrappy, as they managed to stay within striking distance and cut USD’s lead to 28-21 after a crazy pick-6 by senior defensive end Kelly Shepard, who intercepted USD quarterback Anthony Lawrence’s seemingly ill-advised third down pass with 8:07 remaining in the 4th quarter.
Still, Cal Poly fumbled away its best chance to tie the score with less than 5-minutes to play.
USD put the game away with an impressive, 65-yard drive, the key play being a beautiful long pass to receiver Brian Riley on third down into Mustang territory. A few downs later, running back Jonah Hodges scored his third rushing touchdown.
Cal Poly’s weak defense hung tight for most of the contest, getting little support from the triple option offense, which racked up 55 points the week before versus Northern Colorado to secure its playoff berth.
But Poly quarterback Dano Graves’ inability to pass for meaningful yardage, while playing catch up, ultimately cost them a home playoff win.
Overall, it was an exciting, successful year for the high-scoring, 7-5 Mustangs, who expect to contend in the Big Sky Conference again in 2017, Coach Walsh’s ninth season as head coach.
After the game Walsh said, “The reality of the situation is they played better football on offense and defense than we did and that usually ends up being the winner.”
Editor’s Note: Colin Jones was firmly in the middle of this one as a long time local who also happened to grow up in San Diego. As PIO for a State agency, his objectivity is much appreciated.
- Sports Editorial By Colin Jones – Special to the SLO City News
