Cal Poly Rallies to Defeat Division II Central Oklahoma, 44-25

Saturday, October 8

4:5 pm

2-3

Central Oklahoma

1-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Oklahoma

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Rallies to Defeat Division II Central Oklahoma, 44-25

10/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Junior quarterback Andre Broadous rushed for three touchdowns, senior fullback Jake Romanelli and senior slotback Mark Rodgers each cracked the 100-yard mark and senior cornerback Asa Jackson returned an interception for a touchdown for the second time this season as Cal Poly rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to beat Division II Central Oklahoma 44-25 in a non-conference football game Saturday night before 7,426 in Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

Cal Poly, 0-3 on the road, is now 2-0 at home and 2-3 for the year. Central Oklahoma fell to 1-5.

Broadous, who rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries, scored on runs of 1, 2 and 1 yards. He also completed 11 of 16 passes for 133 yards and one score, a 34-yarder to senior wide receiver Jarred Houston (pictured above) with six minutes to play.

Jackson's 52-yard interception return with 10:25 to play gave Cal Poly the lead for good at 30-25. Houston's touchdown catch and the final scoring run by Broadous completed the scoring.

Central Oklahoma built a 19-10 halftime lead on a pair of touchdown passes, a field goal and a safety.

Junior quarterback Ethan Sharp, who completed 30 of 50 passes for 290 yards, connected with Josh Birmingham on a seven-yard scoring pass late in the first quarter and Birmingham hit Bryce Davis with a two-yard touchdown pass in wildcat formation for the final points of the first half.

Chris Robbs opened the game with a 35-yard field goal and Aaron Fisher tackled Cal Poly punter Paul Hundley in the end zone for a safety after a high snap from center sailed over Hundley's head.

Cal Poly outscored Central Oklahoma 34-6 in the second half to turn the game around, giving the Mustangs nine straight wins over Division II schools. Cal Poly is 23-7 against Division II opposition since moving to Division I in 1994.

James Langford's 49-yard field goal in the first quarter gave Cal Poly a 10-3 lead and Deonte Williams ran 18 yards for a third-period Mustang score.

Romanelli netted 115 yards on 24 carries, his third straight 100-yard game and fourth of his collegiate career. In his last four games, the Templeton High School graduate has gained 98, 100, 101 and a career-high 115 yards.

Rodgers added a season-high 107 yards on 14 trips for his fourth career 100-yard game.

Broadous' favorite receivers were Rodgers and freshman wide receiver Lance Castaneda, each with three receptions.

In addition to his touchdown pass and catch, Birmingham rushed for 24 yards on 11 carries and caught six passes for 57 yards for Central Oklahoma. Travelle Pelkey added five catches and Davis had four.

Cal Poly's defensive leader was linebacker Johnny Millard with 12 tackles, including two for lost yardage. Playing his first game of the season following offseason foot surgery, defensive end Gavin Cooper recorded his first sack and a quarterback hurry.

Jackson's first interception return for a touchdown this season was a 100-yarder against South Dakota State on Sept. 17, also at home. Jackson now has eight career interceptions -- two in each of his four seasons at Cal Poly.

Keno Meadows recorded 11 tackles and Drake Ballew added 10 for Central Oklahoma.

At halftime, Cal Poly's five newest inductees to the Athletics Hall of Fame -- wrestler Ken Bos, football wide receiver Mike Amos, men's soccer standout Clay Harty, boxer Pete Godinez, Sr. and women's volleyball coach Mike Wilton – were honored.

Cal Poly football, presented by French Hospital Medical Center, hosts defending Great West Conference champion Southern Utah for its Homecoming Game next Saturday at 6:05 p.m. in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The Thunderbirds fell to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in Great West games Saturday, losing 24-19 at South Dakota.