1-0 , 1-0
Idaho
0-1 , 0-1
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 3 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 34 |
| Cal Poly | 7 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 38 |
Mustangs Stun Idaho on Final Drive for 38-34 Season-Opening Victory
8/29/2026 12:25:00 AM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Quarterback Anthony Grigsby, Jr. threw for 319 yards, finishing 26-for-35 and finding wide receiver Tayvion McCoy for his fourth and final touchdown pass with nine seconds remaining Friday evening as the Cal Poly football program opened the 2026 season and Big Sky Conference action with a 38-34 victory against Idaho at Mustang Memorial Field.
During an evening when Cal Poly retired the No. 74 of Pro Football Hall of Fame legend and Mustang alum John Madden at halftime and set a new program attendance record with 11,186 fans, Cal Poly fell behind, 34-31, with 63 seconds remaining after Vandals kicker Owen Forsman converted a 40-yard field goal attempt.
With Cal Poly starting its final drive on its own 23-yard line, Grigsby completed a 41-yard pass to McCoy before another completion brought the Mustangs to the Idaho 36. On fourth-and-eight, Grigsby found McCoy from 34 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
McCoy finished with 10 catches for 170 yards in his Cal Poly debut.
Behind three first-half Grigsby touchdown passes to tight end Alek Marshall (17 yards), running back Misa Paiau (one) and wide receiver Fidel Pitts (16), Cal Poly led at halftime, 21-10.
The Mustangs still led 24-16 with 11-and-a-half minutes to play before a pair of touchdown passes from Vandals quarterback Joshua Woods inside three-and-a-half minutes provided Idaho a 31-24 edge.
Grigsby helped Cal Poly tie the matchup with a 15-yard rushing touchdown with two minutes to go before Forsman’s field goal provided the visitors with their brief late lead.
Cal Poly Noteworthy (versus Idaho)
- Up Next: Playing three of its initial four games at home to start the year, Cal Poly hosts Division II Central Washington on Saturday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is 5 p.m.
- Friday’s halftime jersey retirement of John Madden’s No. 74 marked just the second retired jersey in Cal Poly football program history. The first was No. 45, retired in honor of All-America linebacker Osbaldo Orozco, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2003 while serving as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
- One-for-one as first-year head coach Tim Skipper earned the victory in his debut.
- Friday’s win was Cal Poly’s first against Idaho in six attempts since transitioning to FCS prior to the 1994 season.
- The Mustangs earned a share of first place atop the Big Sky standings alongside Weber State, who opened its season Friday with a 30-29 win at Northern Colorado.
Team Stats
IDA 0, CPM 7
CPM - Marshall,Alek 17 yd pass from Grigsby Jr.,Anthony (Thayer,Noah kick) 7 plays, 48 yards, TOP 03:05
IDA 3, CPM 7
IDA - Forsman,Owen 23 yd field goal 11 plays, 81 yards, TOP 05:53
IDA 3, CPM 14
CPM - Paiau,Misa 1 yd pass from Grigsby Jr.,Anthony (Thayer,Noah kick) 16 plays, 75 yards, TOP 07:58
IDA 10, CPM 14
IDA - Miller,Ferrari 7 yd run (Forsman,Owen kick), 11 plays, 86 yards, TOP 04:57
IDA 10, CPM 21
CPM - Pitts,Fidel 16 yd pass from Grigsby Jr.,Anthony (Thayer,Noah kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:52
IDA 13, CPM 21
IDA - Forsman,Owen 40 yd field goal 9 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:58
IDA 16, CPM 21
IDA - Forsman,Owen 44 yd field goal 12 plays, 40 yards, TOP 06:15
IDA 16, CPM 24
CPM - Thayer,Noah 28 yd field goal 12 plays, 56 yards, TOP 05:02
IDA 24, CPM 24
IDA - Harste,Tony 5 yd pass from Wood,Joshua (West-Baranco,Noah pass) 3 plays, 73 yards, TOP 01:38
IDA 31, CPM 24
IDA - Harste,Tony 75 yd pass from Wood,Joshua (Forsman,Owen kick) 3 plays, 78 yards, TOP 01:00
IDA 31, CPM 31
CPM - Grigsby Jr.,Anthony 15 yd run (Thayer,Noah kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 03:54
IDA 34, CPM 31
IDA - Forsman,Owen 40 yd field goal 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 01:13
IDA 34, CPM 38
CPM - McCoy,Tayvion 34 yd pass from Grigsby Jr.,Anthony (Thayer,Noah kick) 5 plays, 77 yards, TOP 00:48
