Mustangs Fall at Home to Portland State

Saturday, November 1

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

2 P.M.

3-6 , 1-4

Portland State

1-8 , 1-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Portland St.

Cal Poly

Mustangs Fall at Home to Portland State

11/1/2025 6:47:00 PM | Football

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Cal Poly put up 450 yards of total offense, but three turnovers and 490 yards allowed on defense saw the Mustangs (3-6, 1-4 Big Sky) fall at home Saturday to Portland State, 40-35.

Mustang quarterback Ty Dieffenbach was 14-23 for 207 yards and three total touchdowns. Running back Kendric Sanders rushed for a career-high 121 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Misa Paiau came in on offense twice and scored two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Defensively, safety Jeremiah Bernard and defensive end Victory Johnson each had interceptions for the Mustangs.

On the first play of the game, Cal Poly’s defense came up with an interception as safety Jeremiah Bernard picked off a wide receiver pass. However, Cal Poly tried the same thing as wide receiver Michael Briscoe’s pass was intercepted on the first pass of the Mustangs’ drive to give Portland State the ball back.

A muffed punt by Cal Poly returner Carson Kuhl was recovered by Portland State at the Mustang 20 yard to give them the ball back in the red zone. That mistake resulted in a Viking touchdown two plays later, a 30-yard pass to give Portland State a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Following a 42-yard kick return by Kuhl, Cal Poly responded with a seven play, 49-yard touchdown drive. Ty Dieffenbach, who came in a quarterback to start the drive, finished it off with a 16-yard touchdown scamper through the Viking defense to tie the game 7-7. Portland State then came back with a seven-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in a two-yard rushing touchdown by Viking running back Delon Thompson to give the Vikings a 14-7 lead after the first quarter.

Portland State extended the lead to 21-7 early in the second quarter following a four-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. It was once again Viking running back Delon Thompson running it in for a one-yard touchdown. Cal Poly got back in the game with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that was finished off by running back Kendric Sanders’ four-yard touchdown run to make it 21-14. Portland State got a field goal later in the quarter to make it 24-14 at halftime.

Portland State opened the second half by forcing a Mustang three-and-out and then a 77-yard rushing touchdown by Thompson to push their lead up to 31-14. Cal Poly answered back with a touchdown of its own, a one-yard run by Misa Paiau, his first career touchdown, which finished off an eight-play, 76-yard drive. After a turnover on downs forced by the Mustang defense, it was once again Paiau who drew Cal Poly closer with a one-yard touchdown reception from Dieffenbach to make it 31-28 with five minutes left in the third.

A 37-yard field goal by Portland State at the end of the third made it 34-28 in favor of the Vikings. An interception thrown by Dieffenbach on Cal Poly’s next drive resulted in a six-yard touchdown run by the Viking offense made it 40-28 after a failed two point conversion.

Cal Poly scored a late touchdown, a one-yard rush by Dieffenbach, with just under a minute left in the fourth to make it 40-35. However, the Mustangs couldn’t recover the onside kick.

The Mustangs will go back on the road next week to face Idaho State Saturday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. PT.