Cal Poly Fighting for Their Postseason Lives

OK. So I’m going to make this post short and to the point, then give you a few more pictures from last week’s game.

Quarterback Andre Broadous and his decision-making ability will have a lot to do with whether the Mustangs earn an FCS playoff bid this weekend. By David Livingston

If the Mustangs win today, they’re in. If they lose, it’s possible, but not assured.

To win, they have to:

* Not stall drives early — Cal Poly’s defense does better at being opportunistic when it’s rested, so keep them off the field. Especially at elevation, it’s important for the Mustangs’ offense to control the ball and put Northern Arizona on its heels early.

* Win the turnover game. This goes without saying, in every game, but it’s especially true for a Mustangs team that lost two fumbles each at Sacramento State and Eastern Washington. If the Mustangs lose more than one fumble today, it will be really hard for them to win.

* Win the first quarter. While momentum seems to matter less at Spanos, it seems to matter a great deal to the Mustangs when they play on the road. They had the momentum at Wyoming from the outset and held on to win. Momentum-wise, this game will need to be similar.

* Need more Umoh. Cal Poly will need to establish inside runs early to set-up counter plays and pitches. If they get too cute with outside tosses early-on, Northern Arizona could seize the momentum from the outset by shutting off the edge.

* Deonte. However they do it, the Mustangs will have to continue riding Deonte Williams to the playoffs. Williams, a former Norther Arizona Lumberjack, has been their go-to guy all year and will need to remain a workhorse for Cal Poly.

* Big Plays? If Cal Poly hits big plays in the passing game, this one could be not as close as the experts think. Whether they go for those big plays has a lot to do with Andre Broadous’ decision-making and the amount of respect Northern Arizona gives to receivers like Cole Stanford and Willie Tucker.

Photos by David Livingston

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