Cal Poly football takes on UC Davis Saturday for a key matchup in the 2013 installment of the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe.
In anticipation of Saturday’s Cal Poly football game at UC Davis, Mustang News and the UC Davis student newspaper, The California Aggie, exchanged questions about the opposing schools’ football team and the upcoming game. Mustang News sports editor Stephan Teodosescu spoke with The Aggie’s sports editor Kenneth Ling.
Stephan Teodosescu (ST): Both Cal Poly and UC Davis are middle of the pack in the Big Sky Conference. What can we expect from the Aggies in the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe this weekend?
Kenneth Ling (KL): We can expect the Aggies to run the ball. As simple as it sounds, the Aggies’ offense is predicated on controlling the clock and making sure Gabe Manzanares gets the ball as much as possible. The more touches he gets, the better the Aggies’ chances are to come out with a win on Saturday. They have had trouble scoring this year, especially when the running game has been shut down. Defensively, the Aggies struggle to stop the run. If Kristaan Ivory gets going, it could be a rough day for UC Davis.
ST: Who are some UC Davis players to watch for on Saturday?
KL: The main UC Davis offensive threat is junior Gabe Manzanares. He is practically the offense, averaging 111.2 yards per game and having scored six rushing touchdowns this year. The offense goes where Manzanares drags it. On defense, senior defensive end Nick King has been the best pass rusher for UC Davis. With 6.5 sacks this season, he has been a consistent threat to sack the quarterback. His pressure is key for the defensive performance of the Aggies.
ST: The Battle for the Golden Horseshoe is Cal Poly’s fiercest rivalry when it comes to football. For UC Davis, how does it compare to the Causeway Classic?
KL: The Battle for the Golden Horseshoe is definitely an exciting matchup for the Aggies. However, I feel that the Causeway Classic holds a larger place in the average UC Davis fan’s heart. Sac State is so close to Davis that there tends to be this natural rivalry between the two teams. That and the fact that there are a lot of players from the Sacramento area who choose one school over another and there tends to be a sense of rivalry between players.
ST: What’s your prediction of who wins this game?
KL: I think this will be a close game. If the Aggies manage to get their running game going, they will be a tough team to stop. However, if the Aggies struggle to run the ball and are forced to air out the ball, I think UC Davis will be in big trouble. Also, if UC Davis can stop Kristaan Ivory from running amuck on the Aggies’ defense, it will be a good night for the Aggies. I predict a close game with the Mustangs edging out the Aggies, 24-21.
KL: I’ll ask the same question. Who is the key threat for the Mustangs?
ST: The Mustangs’ key threat will be slotback Kristaan Ivory. With former Folsom High quarterback Dano Graves questionable for Saturday’s game due to a leg injury, Ivory will provide much of the Mustangs’ offense. He’s third in the Big Sky averaging 101 yards per game, but only ran the ball once last week as he was recovering from an ankle injury suffered against Montana. Cal Poly has been hampered by injuries all season, Ivory included, so it will be interesting to see if the offense can put points on the board. After scoring 47 against Weber State three weeks ago, the Mustangs have only managed 27 points in their last two games combined.
KL: What are the keys for a Mustangs’ victory?
ST: The keys for a Mustangs victory include getting Ivory and the rest of the run game going early, stopping Manzanares on defense and eliminating mistakes on special teams. With the QB choice still up in the air Cal Poly will have to look to its strength on offense: the run game. Manzanares is clearly the Aggies’ top threat, so if Cal Poly can neutralize him the Mustangs will have a good shot at halting their two-game slide. Finally, it seems that every week a new special teams blunder leads to scores for the opposing team, so Cal Poly will have to minimize those to get back in the hunt for the conference title.
KL: I know that the Mustangs’ passing game is fairly inconsistent. Has the coaching staff sorted out the situation and how one-dimensional are the Mustang’s attack?
ST: Cal Poly has already seen three different starting quarterbacks so far this season and each had a unique approach to the position. Chris Brown, originally a third-stringer, may get the nod this weekend meaning that you can expect a lot of scrambling from him and a lot of running from the offense as a whole. Brown has been inconsistent with him arm in his few starts, but is quite explosive when he finds room to run. Overall, I expect Cal Poly to stick with the run option portion of the triple option.