2-3 , 1-1
Idaho State
1-4 , 0-2
Cal Poly Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak With 58-26 Victory
10/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
1990 CAL POLY FOOTBALL TEAM HONORED
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Junior slot back Kori Garcia rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns while senior quarterback Chris Brown ran for two scores and passed for two more as Cal Poly snapped a three-game losing streak with a 58-26 Big Sky Conference victory over Idaho State on Saturday night in Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
In rushing for 499 yards and compiling 605 yards in total offense, Coach Tim Walsh's Mustangs improved to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in Big Sky games. Idaho State suffered its fourth straight loss since a season-opening win over Black Hills State, falling to 1-4 and 0-2.
Garcia earned his second consecutive 100-yard game and seventh of his Mustang career, carrying the ball 18 times, averaging 8.1 yards per carry and scoring on runs of 5, 37 and 6 yards.
Brown (pictured above) added 132 yards on 19 trips, scoring twice on runs of 5 and 41 yards. He also completed five of seven passes for 95 yards, including scoring strikes of 8 and 59 yards to Willie Tucker (pictured at left).
For Brown, he has three 100-yard games this season and 10 in his Mustang career.
Cal Poly, which gave up the first 21 points of the game in each of its last two outings, this time jumped to a 28-7 advantage in the first 23 minutes of the game.
Idaho State battled back to within 28-20 on touchdown passes from Michael Sanders to Madison Mangum spanning 3 and 13 yards late in the second quarter.
In the third period, however, Cal Poly took advantage of two Idaho State fumbles to pull away.
Logan Mayes recovered a Bengal fumble on the first offensive play of the second half and, five plays later, Garcia scored from six yards out.
Idaho State fumbled the following kickoff, which was recovered by Aaryn Bouzos at the Bengal 11-yard line. On the third play after the miscue, Tucker caught an eight-yard scoring toss from Brown.
Less than four minutes later, Tucker's 59-yard reception from Brown made it 49-20 in favor of Cal Poly. Stephen Pyle added a 35-yard field goal late in the period, giving Cal Poly a 24-point third quarter, the most by the Mustangs since jumping to a 28-0 first-quarter lead against Idaho State three years ago.
Sophomore slot back Kyle Lewis completed the scoring with a 27-yard run around right end with 9:35 remaining in the game.
Cal Poly almost had three 100-yard rushers as sophomore fullback Jared Mohamed finished with 86 yards on 24 carries.
Idaho State was led offensively by running back Xavier Finney with 103 yards, including a one-yard run early in the second quarter. Sanders completed 19 of 29 passes for 285 yards and three scores and his favorite target was Mangum with six receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Mustang senior linebacker Tu'uta Inoke lifted his season total of forced fumbles to four, among the nation's leaders, and led Cal Poly defensively with eight tackles and a pass breakup. Team captain Kaulin Blair, a senior safety, notched his first career Mustang interception.
Idaho State linebacker Jake Pettit earned 12 tackles and four other Bengals recorded double-digit tackles. Cal Poly committed no turnovers for the second straight week.
Cal Poly compiled a huge 39:24 to 20:36 advantage in time of possession and converted on 11 of 19 third-down plays and four of five fourth-down plays. The Mustangs wore pink socks Saturday in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Day.
At halftime, the eight newest inductees to the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame were introduced to the crowd of 7,523. They are swimmer Jack Adam, baseball outfielder Tom Beyers, wrestler and coach Lennis Cowell, football players Damone Johnson and Craig Johnston, softball star Lisa Modglin, soccer player Gina Oceguera and track and field/women's soccer standout Sharon Day-Monroe.
Cal Poly's 1990 football team, which was the last Division II Mustang squad to earn a playoff berth before the university elevated its athletics program to Division I in 1994, was honored Saturday night as well. The Mustangs finished 10-2 under head coach Lyle Setencich and reached the semifinal round of the NCAA playoffs.
Cal Poly plays another Big Sky Conference game next Saturday at No. 9 Eastern Washington. The Eagles (2-2, 1-0 Big Sky) had a bye Saturday.
Photos above courtesy of Alexander Bohlen
Team Stats
ISU 0, CP 7
CP - Kori Garcia 5 yd run (Stephen Pyle kick), 11 plays, 78 yards, TOP 4:43
ISU 0, CP 14
CP - Chris Brown 5 yd run (Stephen Pyle kick), 15 plays, 80 yards, TOP 6:30
ISU 7, CP 14
ISU - Xavier Finney 1 yd run (Zak Johnson kick), 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 2:32
ISU 7, CP 21
CP - Kori Garcia 37 yd run (Stephen Pyle kick), 5 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:34
ISU 7, CP 28
CP - Chris Brown 41 yd run (Stephen Pyle kick), 8 plays, 70 yards, TOP 3:09
ISU 14, CP 28
ISU - Madison Mangum 3 yd pass from Michael Sanders (Zak Johnson kick) 11 plays, 86 yards, TOP 2:58
ISU 20, CP 28
ISU - Madison Mangum 13 yd pass from Michael Sanders (Zak Johnson kickfailed) 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:11
ISU 20, CP 35
CP - Kori Garcia 6 yd run (Stephen Pyle kick), 6 plays, 22 yards, TOP 2:42
ISU 20, CP 42
CP - Willie Tucker 8 yd pass from Chris Brown (Stephen Pyle kick) 3 plays, 11 yards, TOP 1:04
ISU 20, CP 49
CP - Willie Tucker 59 yd pass from Chris Brown (Stephen Pyle kick) 1 plays, 59 yards, TOP 0:08
ISU 26, CP 49
ISU - KW Williams 60 yd pass from Michael Sanders (Michael Sanders passfailed) 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:10
ISU 26, CP 52
CP - Stephen Pyle 35 yd field goal 15 plays, 62 yards, TOP 6:38
ISU 26, CP 58
CP - Kyle Lewis 27 yd run (Stephen Pyle kickfailed), 11 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:37
