Jacob Lauing
jacoblauing.md@gmail.com
The Cal Poly football team has slowly climbed up the national rankings with every win this season. And after last week’s 37-25 victory over Portland State, the Mustangs (7-0, 5-0 Big Sky Conference) reached No. 11 in both the media and coaches polls, and sit tied for first place in the Big Sky.
“You want to be the team that’s sitting at the top,” head coach Tim Walsh said. “The true test of your character is how well you do when that mark is on your chest.”
The Mustangs will test that character on the road this weekend as Cal Poly travels to Sacramento State (5-3, 3-2 Big Sky) on Saturday.
The Hornets, despite their record, have had an impressive season thus far, beating Football Bowl Subdivision-foe Colorado and coming within three points of upsetting No. 1 Eastern Washington (6-1, 5-0 Big Sky).
“I don’t like to underestimate anybody,” running back Cole Stanford said. “The confidence I have with our team, I’ve never felt it before. I’m going into the game confident, but still respecting my opponent.”
Defensively, the Mustangs will have to stop Sacramento State’s quarterback Garrett Safron, who is averaging 207.9 passing yards per game this season.
“They’re a big, physical football team up front on offense, and we’re going to have to be able to match that,” Walsh said. “They play very hard. It will be an interesting first quarter, I’ll put it that way.”
As usual, the Mustangs will look for senior quarterback Andre Broadous to spark Cal Poly’s offense, which ranks first in the Big Sky in both rushing offense and pass efficiency. Against the Vikings last weekend, Broadous passed for 117 yards, completing 73 percent of his passes and also rushing for 73 yards.
“Every single week, he’s a warrior,” Stanford said. “He wants to win, and we all feed off that. It’s contagious for the rest of the team.”
Broadous and the Mustangs offense will battle a Sacramento State defense that ranks second in the Big Sky in sacks, with 24 in eight games so far this season.
“They’re pretty fast on the defensive side of the ball,” Broadous said. “We don’t go into it thinking that we have to change our whole game plan based of off their defense. We know they’re a good defense, so we have to practice extra hard this week.”
Broadous, however, will not have right tackle Mike Freeman on his offensive line to block the Sacramento State rushing defense, which ranks third in the Big Sky. The junior lineman suffered a broken fibula and multiple torn ligaments in his ankle joint last week against Portland State.
Freeman underwent surgery this past weekend, and is expected to miss three to three and a half months. With right tackle Karl Winkelman also on the shelf, Walsh said redshirt freshman Weston Walker will likely start.
“Freeman was a great player for us,” Broadous said. “He stepped in big for us this year, and we’re obviously going to miss him. Hopefully (Walker) can come in and fill this void. “
Undefeated halfway through their first season in the Big Sky, the Mustangs look to take matters one game at a time from here on out.
“As of right now, we are trying to focus on 1-0,” Walsh said. “If we can be 1-0 again this week, that makes us 8-0. And then we will worry about the ninth one after that. We have the ability to control our destiny.”
Jefferson P. Nolan contributed to this article.