What will it take for Cal Poly men’s soccer to make the Big West playoffs?

They can’t be worried about playoffs. Right now, Steve Sampson and company are trying to figure out how to win a Big West game. After netting zero point in their first road weekend in conference and getting just one point from two home games last weekend, the Mustangs have now only a tie and a single point to show for their first two weeks in conference play. This makes their path to a conference playoff birth a really tough one. Their record now stands at 2-7-2 overall and 0-3-1 in Big West Conference play.

Freshman Kenneth Higgins plays with what seems like unlimited energy, but the team hasn’t won in 2 weeks since beating UCLA. By Owen Main

The Good News

There is SOME good news. Maybe. If you turn the standings and schedule to hit the light just so. Wins will still play. With six games to go — home and away series with each of UCSB, Sacramento State, and UC Davis — Cal Poly can make up ground fast with wins. Home games against both UC Davis and UCSB this weekend would be a great place to start.

The Bad News

This Mustangs are sitting on one point, which is five points behind both Sac State and UC Davis — the teams tied for 2nd place in the North currently. To pass either of then would take, probably, some serious help.

What will it take?

Road points are tough in the Big West, so their play this weekend could either give Cal Poly a fighting chance or seal their fate. Thursday night vs. UC Davis is the first of these tough tasks. Win that game, and the UCSB game will loom as a really big opportunity to gain ground.

Last season, 11 points was not enough for Sacramento State to make the playoffs out of the Big West’s North Division, but this year’s a little different. If Sac State and UC Davis each win two of their remaining six games to get to 12 let’s put the target at 13 to make the playoffs. Less than that COULD garner a spot, but 13 will for sure do so.

The answer is that Cal Poly needs wins. Lots of them. With six games left, they’d get 18 points with six straight wins. That’s not likely, but 11 or 12 points will not come easily. The math says that four wins or three wins and 2-3 ties would get them where they need to be.

All this is pretty unlikely, but stranger things have happened — especially in soccer. A little change in mindset or a little change in luck can make a lasting difference. It’s not an easy task. Then again, nothing worthwhile ever was.

Click here for Photos from Cal Poly Men’s Soccer this year.

Click here for Photos from Cal Poly vs. CSUN.

Click here for Photos from Cal Poly vs. UCI.