From left, Ian Masterson, Andrew Gardner, Jarred Houston and Brandon Williamson celebrate Cal Poly's season-opening victory over San Diego State in 2008.
Throwback Team Thursday: Mustang Football Team Ranked No. 3
10/8/2020 10:45:00 AM | Football
EDITOR'S NOTE: Each Thursday from September through mid-December, Cal Poly Athletics will revisit a notable program from the department's history in the Throwback Team Thursday series presented by CalPortland.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Twelve years ago this week, the Cal Poly football team equalled its highest national ranking since moving to the NCAA's Division I in 1994.
Coach Rich Ellerson's Mustangs had improved to 8-1 with its seventh straight victory, a 51-28 rout of arch-rival UC Davis, in the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe, and was rewarded with a No. 3 national ranking for the second time in program history.
That accomplishment is this week's entry in the Throwback Team Thursday series presented by CalPortland.
Cal Poly also was No. 3 in 2005 after a 37-6 thrashing of North Dakota State boosted the Mustangs' record to 5-1. Back-to-back losses to Montana and UC Davis dropped Cal Poly in the polls and the Mustangs finished 9-4 overall for a No. 6 national ranking.
Both the 2005 and 2008 squads earned NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berths.
Cal Poly opened the 2008 season in convincing fashion, knocking off San Diego State 29-27 at Qualcomm Stadium. Andrew Gardner booted a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
After a 30-28 loss at home to No. 5 Montana, the Mustangs stayed home for a week while Hurricane Ike rolled through Louisiana. The game at McNeese State was never made up.
Cal Poly then reeled off consecutive wins over Northwestern State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, Idaho State, North Carolina Central and UC Davis for an 8-1 mark and the Great West Football Conference title.
The Mustangs closed out the regular season at Wisconsin of the Big Ten Conference and nearly came away with the upset of the year. Before over 80,000 fans in Camp Randall Stadium, the Badgers escaped with a 36-35 overtime victory.
Cal Poly remained No. 3 in the FCS Coaches Poll for the final seven weeks of the regular season and was rewarded with a first-round game in the FCS playoffs at home against Weber State. The Wildcats snapped a 21-21 tie with a pair of passing touchdowns and maintained a one-to-two-touchdown lead the rest of the way in a 49-35 triumph.
The Mustangs finished the year 8-3 and ranked No., 8 in the coaches poll and No. 10 in the media poll. Less than a month later, Ellerson left San Luis Obispo after eight seasons to accept the head coaching position at Army West Point.
Cal Poly was ranked as high as No. 5 in 2004. The 2006 Mustangs were in the top 10 for the first eight weeks prior to late-season losses to Montana and North Dakota State.
The 2009 squad was ranked as high as No. 12 and the 2012 Mustangs closed out the year ranked No. 11 by the coaches and No. 12 by the media. Cal Poly has not been ranked higher than No. 14 since.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Twelve years ago this week, the Cal Poly football team equalled its highest national ranking since moving to the NCAA's Division I in 1994.
Coach Rich Ellerson's Mustangs had improved to 8-1 with its seventh straight victory, a 51-28 rout of arch-rival UC Davis, in the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe, and was rewarded with a No. 3 national ranking for the second time in program history.
That accomplishment is this week's entry in the Throwback Team Thursday series presented by CalPortland.
Cal Poly also was No. 3 in 2005 after a 37-6 thrashing of North Dakota State boosted the Mustangs' record to 5-1. Back-to-back losses to Montana and UC Davis dropped Cal Poly in the polls and the Mustangs finished 9-4 overall for a No. 6 national ranking.
Both the 2005 and 2008 squads earned NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berths.
Cal Poly opened the 2008 season in convincing fashion, knocking off San Diego State 29-27 at Qualcomm Stadium. Andrew Gardner booted a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
After a 30-28 loss at home to No. 5 Montana, the Mustangs stayed home for a week while Hurricane Ike rolled through Louisiana. The game at McNeese State was never made up.
Cal Poly then reeled off consecutive wins over Northwestern State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, Idaho State, North Carolina Central and UC Davis for an 8-1 mark and the Great West Football Conference title.
The Mustangs closed out the regular season at Wisconsin of the Big Ten Conference and nearly came away with the upset of the year. Before over 80,000 fans in Camp Randall Stadium, the Badgers escaped with a 36-35 overtime victory.
Cal Poly remained No. 3 in the FCS Coaches Poll for the final seven weeks of the regular season and was rewarded with a first-round game in the FCS playoffs at home against Weber State. The Wildcats snapped a 21-21 tie with a pair of passing touchdowns and maintained a one-to-two-touchdown lead the rest of the way in a 49-35 triumph.
The Mustangs finished the year 8-3 and ranked No., 8 in the coaches poll and No. 10 in the media poll. Less than a month later, Ellerson left San Luis Obispo after eight seasons to accept the head coaching position at Army West Point.
Cal Poly was ranked as high as No. 5 in 2004. The 2006 Mustangs were in the top 10 for the first eight weeks prior to late-season losses to Montana and North Dakota State.
The 2009 squad was ranked as high as No. 12 and the 2012 Mustangs closed out the year ranked No. 11 by the coaches and No. 12 by the media. Cal Poly has not been ranked higher than No. 14 since.
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