With the Central Oklahoma Bronchos up one point in the fourth quarter and looking for more, Asa Jackson turned the game in the blink of an eye. Broncho quarterback Ethan Sharp dropped back to pass and tested Jackson on the sideline.
The Mustang cornerback read it all the way, intercepting the pass, and sprinted 52 yards into the end zone, putting Cal Poly ahead for good.
“(Making a big play) is something I pride myself on,” Jackson said. “This far into the season, I haven’t gotten as many chances to get my hands on the ball because teams have been throwing away from me. But when I get a chance, I have to take advantage of it.”
The final score was 44-25 in favor of the Mustangs, but that does not show how much the Division II Bronchos tested Cal Poly on Saturday afternoon at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
Cal Poly defensive lineman Gavin Cooper returned to the field on Saturday with two crucial sacks, putting the game out of reach. On the Broncho drive following the Jackson interception, Cooper rushed up the middle on third down and brought Sharp to the ground.
Four plays later, the Mustangs secured a 12-point lead when quarterback Andre Broadous found Jarred Houston in the end zone on a 34-yard pass play.
“Cooper plays six plays and has two sacks. You tell me how valuable he is,” head coach Tim Walsh said. “He’s a great football player, and it’s great to have him back.”
The Mustangs added their final touchdown on a 50-yard drive that concluded with a 1-yard rush by Broadous.
The first half was a different story.
The Bronchos opened clicking on all cylinders and jumped out to a 19-10 halftime lead. Sharp passed for 202 yards and one touchdown against the Mustang secondary through two quarters.
“Give (the Bronchos) a lot of credit,” Walsh said. “They knew they were going to have trouble throwing the ball so they got rid of the ball quick. Then in the second half, we played more like Mustangs.”
With the game tied at 10 in the second quarter, the snap to Mustang punter Paul Hundley went over his head and into the end zone where he fell on the ball for a safety. The Bronchos capitalized on the ensuing possession as they marched 68 yards on 10 plays for another touchdown.
Broncho running back Josh Birmingham took the snap in a wildcat formation and executed a jump-pass, finding Bryce Davis for the touchdown that put the Bronchos up by nine.
The Cal Poly offense came out of the halftime break and worked their way steadily down the field for another score. The 87-yard, 12-play drive took 4:46 off the clock and ended when Broadous snuck into the end zone on fourth down for the second time that afternoon.
The Mustangs were 3-of-4 on fourth down conversions on Saturday, something Walsh said was a product of both trust and necessity.
“We had to do some things to create momentum,” Walsh said. “We have a lot of faith with Andre Broadous and the ball in his hands. He is an awesome fourth down ball-carrier. He knows where to find the seams, and our offensive line did a good job too.”
Broadous completed 11 of 16 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in addition to 71 yards on the ground.
The Mustangs had two 100-yard rushers as Jake Romanelli and Mark Rodgers brought a power and speed combination that wore down the Broncho defense as the game progressed.
Though Walsh said Rodgers fell short of his promise of 200 yards rushing, the senior transfer from West Virginia still had 110 yards on just 14 attempts.
Rodgers gashed the Broncho defense in the beginning of the game and then turned the workload over to Romanelli as Central Oklahoma wore down.
The Mustangs open Great West conference play next Saturday in a homecoming match-up with Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds defeated Cal Poly last season 20-7 and went on to win the Great West title.
“We’re looking forward to another week to go out and show what Mustang football is all about,” Jackson said. “Southern Utah is a good team. They’ve always been a good team. They’ve always played us tough. I’m sure they’re not going to be intimidated making that trip. I’m excited because they beat us last year at their house, and we have payback on our minds.”
Kickoff is set for 6:05 p.m. on Saturday.