3-6 , 2-4
Sacramento State
2-7 , 1-5
Cal Poly Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak With 36-14 Victory
11/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Five different Mustangs scored touchdowns and Cal Poly led all the way, snapping a three-game losing streak with a 36-14 Big Sky Conference football victory over Sacramento State on Saturday night in Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
Joe Protheroe, Jared Mohamed and Reagan Enger rushed for touchdowns and Jordan Hines and Kyle Lewis caught touchdown passes from Chris Brown as Coach Tim Walsh's Mustangs, who had lost six of their last seven since a season-opening victory at Montana, improved to 3-6 on the year and 2-4 in Big Sky games.
Sacramento State, despite a 25-22 advantage in first downs and a two-minute edge in time of possession, fell to 2-7 and 1-5.
Brown hit Hines with a 13-yard scoring pass in the first quarter and Lewis with a 29-yarder early in the second period for a 14-0 Cal Poly lead.
Protheroe ran one yard and Mohamed scampered seven yards for scores and a 26-0 Mustang advantage in the third quarter.
Sacramento State finally got on the scoreboard late in the third period on a two-yard run by Jordan Robinson, but Cal Poly answered with a 23-yard field goal by Alex Vega and a 70-yard romp up the middle by Enger to put the game away.
The visiting Hornets scored the final touchdown of the game on a three-yard pass from Nate Ketteringham to Shane Harrison with 1:43 to play.
In a 54-37 loss last week at Southern Utah, Cal Poly produced four 100-yard rushers. The Mustangs had none Saturday night for the first time this season, but prevailed over the Hornets with a 461-395 advantage in total offense. Cal Poly rushed for 366 yards and passed for 95 yards.
Sacramento State was held to just 35 yards on the ground, the lowest total given up by the Mustang defense since Oct. 8, 2011, when Central Oklahoma managed just 10 rushing yards. Three weeks earlier, South Dakota State rushed for only 28 yards.
Enger led the Mustang rushing attack with 91 yards on just six carries. Protheroe added 73 yards on 17 trips while Mohamed finished with 67 yards on nine carries.
Brown completed six of seven passes for 95 yards, equaling his season high for passing yards set against Idaho State in early October. Lewis caught three passes for 34 yards and one score.
For Sacramento State, Ketteringham completed his first seven passes and finished 33 of 42 for 335 yards and one score. Harrison caught 12 passes for 128 yards and Jaelin Ratliff added nine receptions for 116 yards.
Cal Poly's defense recorded four sacks, equalling a season high. End Kelly Shepard was in on two of them while linebacker Tu'uta Inoke logged a team-high 10 tackles. Cornerback Karlton Dennis added seven tackles and two pass breakups while tackle Marcus Paige-Allen blocked a Sacramento State field goal attempt.
Big Sky leader Darnell Sankey had 13 tackles for Sacramento State and Manny Scott-Anderson added 10.
Cal Poly plays its final road game of the 2015 season next Saturday, visiting UC Davis in the annual Battle for the Golden Horseshoe. Kickoff in Aggie Stadium is set fort 2 p.m. The Aggies fell to Weber State 23-3 in Ogden, Utah, on Saturday, dropping to 1-8 and 1-5.
Photos of Willie Tucker at top of page and Kori Garcia at left courtesy of Ray Ambler | RA Photos
Team Stats
SAC 0, CP 7
CP - Jordan Hines 13 yd pass from Chris Brown (Stephen Pyle kick) 11 plays, 85 yards, TOP 4:10
SAC 0, CP 14
CP - Kyle Lewis 29 yd pass from Chris Brown (Stephen Pyle kick) 12 plays, 84 yards, TOP 4:49
SAC 0, CP 20
CP - Joe Protheroe 1 yd run (Stephen Pyle kickfailed), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:37
SAC 0, CP 26
CP - Jared Mohamed 7 yd run (Stephen Pyle kickfailed), 9 plays, 46 yards, TOP 3:58
SAC 7, CP 26
SAC - Jordan Robinson 2 yd run (Brad Cornish kick), 9 plays, 83 yards, TOP 3:02
SAC 7, CP 29
CP - Alex Vega 23 yd field goal 15 plays, 69 yards, TOP 6:26
SAC 7, CP 36
CP - Reagan Enger 70 yd run (Alex Vega kick), 1 plays, 70 yards, TOP 0:10
SAC 14, CP 36
SAC - Shane Harrison 3 yd pass from N. Ketteringham (Brad Cornish kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:36
