Cal Poly, Big Sky Release 2021 Fall Football Schedules
2/17/2021 12:48:00 PM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly and the Big Sky Conference have released schedules for the 2021 fall football season, with the Mustangs playing at Fresno State and hosting five home games.
The Mustangs and Bulldogs will meet Sept. 11 in Bulldog Stadium for the first time since 2013 and will play four Big Sky Conference games at home, hosting Weber State, UC Davis, Idaho State and Northern Arizona.
The 2021 Cal Poly football schedule, released Wednesday by Director of Athletics Don Oberhelman, Big Sky commissioner Tom Wistrcill and head football coach Beau Baldwin, also includes a home date with South Dakota and conference games on the road at Montana, Montana State, Portland State and Sacramento State.
"It's an extremely challenging schedule, but we're excited about the opportunity to play," said Baldwin, hired in December 2019 as Cal Poly's 17th head football coach and still waiting to coach his first Mustang game. "There are some really competitive games at Spanos Stadium and we're going to some tough places on the road as well.
"We're going to have our hands full," Baldwin added.
Cal Poly and Fresno State once were fierce rivals in the California Collegiate Athletic Association from the 1940s through 1970s before the Bulldogs elevated their athletics program to Division I. The Bulldogs lead the series, 32-10 with two ties, including a 41-25 triumph eight years ago.
San Diego, from the Pioneer Football League, and Cal Poly have played five times since and including the 2012 season, counting an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff game in 2016. The Mustangs enjoy a 5-1 advantage in the series entering the season opener Sept. 4 in San Diego.
South Dakota, which visits San Luis Obispo on Sept. 18, is on the Cal Poly schedule for the first time since the final year of the Great West Football Conference in 2011. The Mustangs won three of the four conference games against the Coyotes.
Cal Poly opens Big Sky play Sept. 25 at Montana and also will visit Montana State two weeks later on Oct. 9, Portland State on Oct. 30 and Sacramento State on Nov. 6.
The Mustangs will host Weber State on Oct. 2, UC Davis in the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe on Oct. 23, Idaho State on Nov. 13 and Northern Arizona on Nov. 20. Cal Poly plays four of its first six Big Sky games on the road before closing with two home contests.
Excluding the 2020 season in which Cal Poly was to play at Cal prior to the suspension of the campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mustangs have played an FBS school in 14 of the last 15 seasons, including two FBS teams in a year seven times, the last in 2013 versus Colorado State and Fresno State. The Mustangs have won five games against FBS schools — New Mexico State in 1997, UTEP in 2003, San Diego State in both 2006 and 2008 and Wyoming in 2012.
The Mustangs will have a bye on Oct. 16.
Montana State, Sacramento State, Montana State, San Diego and Weber State were 2019 Football Championship Subdivision playoff qualifiers.
Cal Poly will not play Big Sky members Idaho, Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington and Southern Utah in 2021. Heading into its six-game spring season, the Mustangs are 30-26 in their first seven seasons in the Big Sky, capturing the conference crown in 2012.
Join The Stampede Club to support Cal Poly athletics. Call (805) 756-6382 for more information or click here for benefits and membership information.
2021 Cal Poly Football Schedule
Sept. 4 at U. San Diego
Sept. 11 at Fresno State
Sept. 18 vs. South Dakota
Sept. 25 at Montana*
Oct. 2 vs. Weber State*
Oct. 9 at Montana State *
Oct. 16 bye
Oct. 23 vs. UC Davis*
Oct. 30 at Portland State*
Nov. 6 at Sacramento State*
Nov. 13 vs. Idaho State*
Nov. 20 vs. Northern Arizona*
*Big Sky Conference game
The Mustangs and Bulldogs will meet Sept. 11 in Bulldog Stadium for the first time since 2013 and will play four Big Sky Conference games at home, hosting Weber State, UC Davis, Idaho State and Northern Arizona.
The 2021 Cal Poly football schedule, released Wednesday by Director of Athletics Don Oberhelman, Big Sky commissioner Tom Wistrcill and head football coach Beau Baldwin, also includes a home date with South Dakota and conference games on the road at Montana, Montana State, Portland State and Sacramento State.
"It's an extremely challenging schedule, but we're excited about the opportunity to play," said Baldwin, hired in December 2019 as Cal Poly's 17th head football coach and still waiting to coach his first Mustang game. "There are some really competitive games at Spanos Stadium and we're going to some tough places on the road as well.
"We're going to have our hands full," Baldwin added.
Cal Poly and Fresno State once were fierce rivals in the California Collegiate Athletic Association from the 1940s through 1970s before the Bulldogs elevated their athletics program to Division I. The Bulldogs lead the series, 32-10 with two ties, including a 41-25 triumph eight years ago.
San Diego, from the Pioneer Football League, and Cal Poly have played five times since and including the 2012 season, counting an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff game in 2016. The Mustangs enjoy a 5-1 advantage in the series entering the season opener Sept. 4 in San Diego.
South Dakota, which visits San Luis Obispo on Sept. 18, is on the Cal Poly schedule for the first time since the final year of the Great West Football Conference in 2011. The Mustangs won three of the four conference games against the Coyotes.
Cal Poly opens Big Sky play Sept. 25 at Montana and also will visit Montana State two weeks later on Oct. 9, Portland State on Oct. 30 and Sacramento State on Nov. 6.
The Mustangs will host Weber State on Oct. 2, UC Davis in the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe on Oct. 23, Idaho State on Nov. 13 and Northern Arizona on Nov. 20. Cal Poly plays four of its first six Big Sky games on the road before closing with two home contests.
Excluding the 2020 season in which Cal Poly was to play at Cal prior to the suspension of the campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mustangs have played an FBS school in 14 of the last 15 seasons, including two FBS teams in a year seven times, the last in 2013 versus Colorado State and Fresno State. The Mustangs have won five games against FBS schools — New Mexico State in 1997, UTEP in 2003, San Diego State in both 2006 and 2008 and Wyoming in 2012.
The Mustangs will have a bye on Oct. 16.
Montana State, Sacramento State, Montana State, San Diego and Weber State were 2019 Football Championship Subdivision playoff qualifiers.
Cal Poly will not play Big Sky members Idaho, Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington and Southern Utah in 2021. Heading into its six-game spring season, the Mustangs are 30-26 in their first seven seasons in the Big Sky, capturing the conference crown in 2012.
Join The Stampede Club to support Cal Poly athletics. Call (805) 756-6382 for more information or click here for benefits and membership information.
2021 Cal Poly Football Schedule
Sept. 4 at U. San Diego
Sept. 11 at Fresno State
Sept. 18 vs. South Dakota
Sept. 25 at Montana*
Oct. 2 vs. Weber State*
Oct. 9 at Montana State *
Oct. 16 bye
Oct. 23 vs. UC Davis*
Oct. 30 at Portland State*
Nov. 6 at Sacramento State*
Nov. 13 vs. Idaho State*
Nov. 20 vs. Northern Arizona*
*Big Sky Conference game
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