3-2
Fresno State
3-1
No. 15 Cal Poly Falls to Fresno State, 38-17
10/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State of the Football Bowl Subdivision, ahead by just four points at halftime, scored 17 unanswered second-half points en route to a 38-17 non-conference victory over No. 15 (Football Championship Subdivision) Cal Poly before 37,069 in Bulldog Stadium on Saturday night.
Fresno State compiled a 459-221 advantage in total offense and 26-13 in first downs to improve to 3-1 on the year. Cal Poly fell to 3-2.
After Jake West kicked a 30-yard field goal for a 3-0 Mustang lead, Fresno State scored the next 21 points of the game.
Senior quarterback Ryan Colburn hit Isaiah Burse with a 58-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 remaining in the first quarter. Tracy Slocum followed with a 14-yard scoring run with 1:06 left in the opening period.
With 4:59 remaining before halftime, Burse blocked a Chris Pinto punt and Desia Dunn recovered the ball in the back of the end zone for a touchdown and a 21-3 Bulldog advantage.
Last team to block a Cal Poly punt and score was Southern Utah in 2006.
Cal Poly answered with two touchdowns in the final minute of the first half to close the gap to 21-17.
Sophomore quarterback Andre Broadous' first completion of the game, a 10-yard scoring pass to Dominique Johnson with 46 seconds remaining, trimmed the deficit to 21-10.
Defensive tackle James Chen recovered a Fresno State fumble at the Bulldog 1-yard line and, on second down, Mark Rodgers scooted around right end for another score with 24 seconds to play in the half.
Mustang defensive end Gavin cooper sacked Colburn, forced him to fumble and recovered the ball near midfield just before the half ended.
Fresno State opened the third quarter with a 30-yard field goal by Kevin Gosseling, then put together a 98-yard scoring drive to establish a 14-point cushion at 31-17. Robbie Rouse capped the 12-play drive with a nine-yard run with 1:18 to play in the period.
The Mustangs were held to 26 yards in total offense in the third quarter.
Cal Poly mounted a 60-yard drive midway through the second half. Rodgers ran 30 yards and a horse collar penalty on Fresno State moved the ball to the Bulldog 11-yard line, but the drive stalled at the six when Broadous, scrambling back to the 40 on fourth down, lost one yard on the play.
Fresno State made it a three-possession game with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Colburn to A.J. Johnson with 6:07 remaining, completing the scoring for the game.
Broadous rushed for 82 yards on 25 carries while Rodgers added 72 yards on 14 trips.
Broadous completed three of seven passes for 18 yards, with Johnson catching two of the passes for 13 yards. David Mahr had the other reception.
Safety Scottie Cordier led the Mustangs defensively with eight tackles while cornerback Asa Jackson made seven stops to go with his second interception of the season and sixth of his career. Cooper and Chen made fumble recoveries.
Rodgers returned six kickoffs 152 yards.
Colburn completed 12 of 17 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson was the top Bulldog receiver with four catches for 33 yards.
Slocum finished with 71 yards rushing while Rouse added 70 and Michael Harris 61.
Cal Poly's last win against a Football Championship Subdivision school was a 29-27 triumph at San Diego State in the 2008 season opener. The Mustangs also beat the Aztecs 16-14 in 2006, UTEP 34-13 in the 2003 opener and New Mexico State 38-35 in overtime in 1997.
Cal Poly is 4-21 against FBS (formerly Division I-A) schools since 1980.
Fresno State holds a 31-10-2 advantage in the series with Cal Poly dating back to 1922, including wins in the last six contests.
Cal Poly plays the fourth of five consecutive road games next Saturday, visiting Old Dominion for a 3 p.m. PDT kickoff in Norfolk, VA. The Mustangs, who started the road trip Sept. 18 at Texas State, followed by games at McNeese State and Fresno State, also visit Southern Utah on Oct. 16 before returning to Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Oct. 23 against North Dakota.
Old Dominion improved to 3-2 on the year with a 14-7 win over Gardner-Webb on Saturday.
Team Stats
CP 3, FS 0
CP - Jake West 30 yd field goal 7 plays, 31 yards, TOP 3:29
CP 3, FS 7
FS - Burse, Isaiah 58 yd pass from Colburn, Ryan (Goessling, kick) 3 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:25
CP 3, FS 14
FS - Slocum, Tracy 14 yd run (Goessling, kick), 2 plays, 58 yards, TOP 0:38
CP 3, FS 21
FS - Dunn, Desia 1 yd blocked punt return (Goessling, kick)
CP 10, FS 21
CP - Dmnque.Johnson 10 yd pass from Andre Broadous (Jake West kick) 11 plays, 73 yards, TOP 4:01
CP 17, FS 21
CP - Mark Rodgers 1 yd run (Jake West kick), 2 plays, 1 yards, TOP 0:10
CP 17, FS 24
FS - Goessling, 30 yd field goal 7 plays, 29 yards, TOP 2:52
CP 17, FS 31
FS - Rouse, Robbie 9 yd run (Goessling, kick), 12 plays, 98 yards, TOP 7:01
CP 17, FS 38
FS - Johnson, A.J. 11 yd pass from Colburn, Ryan (Goessling, kick) 13 plays, 94 yards, TOP 6:21
