Mustangs roll past Sac State 56-27

Roland Jackson Jr.’s first career touchdown catch proved to be a big momentum-swing in the second quarter. By Owen Main

For a moment, things looked pretty perilous for Cal Poly on Saturday night. The Mustangs found themselves struggling to find their offensive footing, down by ten points in the second quarter.

It was a moment for Cal Poly’s offense to re-establish something positive. Three plays later, they were seven points closer. After rushes of eight and seven yards, Cal Poly quarterback, Chris Brown, found receiver Roland Jackson, Jr. for a 52 yard bomb down the middle of the field. It was Jackson’s first touchdown catch of his career.

The Mustang offense never looked back, outscoring Sac State 42-3 over one stretch, silencing the Sac State homecoming crowd. They’d outscore the Hornets 49-10 to end the game.

Kori Garcia had the quietest 140-plus yard game ever. By Owen Main

The quietest 141 yard rushing performance ever

I don’t know why I was surprised, but somehow I was. Kori Garcia gained 141 yards on just 13 carries to lead Cal Poly in both categories on Saturday night.

Garcia, who scored one touchdown, averaged 10.8 yards per carry. Perhaps it was because he didn’t often run right at where I was standing on the field, but I wouldn’t have guessed he had that many yards. Garcia’s ability to be consistently efficient and effective as an option to break a long run is a really good thing going forward for Cal Poly.

Protheroe announces his presence — with authority

Freshman running back Joe Prothero had the best game of his young career. Backing-up Brandon Howe at fullback, Prothero gashed the Hornets for 72 yards on just four carries — and two touchdowns. His first score — a 62-yard dash to daylight — was the first touchdown of the second half, putting the Mustangs up 28-20. A 62-yard run from a fullback was a big momentum play.

Spreading the wealth

The Cal Poly offense once again racked-up 500-plus yards of total offense (504, to be exact), including 393 yards rushing. While Garcia was the only one to have more than 72 yards, six Mustangs ran for 40-plus yards, including two freshmen.

Over the past month, Brandon Howe and Chris Brown have taken a heavy load, which is why getting more players touches in a game like this might have been a really crucial thing. We know Montana and Montana State are going to be physical, so for Brown and Howe to get a somewhat lighter load (just 11 carries apiece) was good for Cal Poly.

Nick Dzubnar returns an interception on Saturday night. Dzubnar had 19 tackles in the game. By Owen Main

Defense wreaking havoc

While the offense has been humming for the past few weeks, Nick Dzubnar and the Cal Poly defense seem to be finally finding themselves. After holding Weber State to 24 points, Tim Walsh’s defense held a potent Sac State team to just 27.

For his part, Dzubnar — the team’s senior captain — had another monster game, tallying 19 tackles, a half-sack, one tackle for a loss, and an interception he returned 38 yards. Some of that yardage was mitigated by a 15-yard penalty for a celebration he calls the “Sasquatch,” but he should be in serious contention for Big Sky defensive player of the week this week.

Chris Fletcher also had a particularly solid game, with 11 tackles from his cornerback position. Jordan Williams also picked off a pass and was there to make a few key tackles. Sac State tried to break the Mustangs defense with a lot of wide receiver hitch and screen passes to the flat, but Cal Poly’s defense used improved tackling to keep the Hornets at bay.

Back in the mix

With the win, Cal Poly is now 3-1 in conference play and 4-3 overall, after a 1-3 start. When Cal Poly was 1-3 and 0-1 in conference play, lots of folks wrote them off. After three straight wins, they are in fourth place in the Big Sky Conference. Their next two opponents are the two teams directly above them in the standings — Montana and Montana State.

At the very least, Cal Poly has found their stride and given themselves a chance to compete — something hardcore fans would have given an arm and a leg for a month ago. With all the preseason distractions and early-season adjustments squarely in the rear view mirror, this is a team that believes.

IF they can somehow find a way to win the next two games (both at home), Cal Poly will vault themselves back into the national picture, the playoff picture, and definitely the Big Sky Conference picture. The road won’t be easy. Montana and Montana State were ranked 4th and 11th in the FCS Coaches Poll last week. Eastern Washington, who lost Vernon Adams to an injury, doesn’t seem to have missed a beat either. They definitely haven’t lost a conference game yet.

My point is this — Cal Poly is back in the conversation for a team that could legitimately win the Big Sky Conference this season. With a pair of wins over the next few weeks, the opportunity is there to prove that they belong.

It’s all any fan ever asks for.

Photos by Owen Main

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