Box Score
Boxscore

San Luis Obispo, CA - Quarterback Andre Broadous accounted for all four Cal Poly touchdowns as he led the 14th-ranked Mustangs to a 37-25 win over Portland State at Alex Spanos Stadium. Broadous threw for two touchdowns and ran for two as Cal Poly improved to 7-0. Portland State dropped to 2-5 on the season.

The Mustangs dominated time of possession, running 91 plays and using up 36:58 on the clock. The Vikings ran just 57 plays and had the ball for 23:02. Cal Poly out-gained the Vikings, 458-344.

The teams traded scores in the first period. The Vikings opened with a two-play, 75-yard drive. Kieran McDonagh found Justin Monahan on a 32-yard pass to give PSU an early lead. The Mustangs responded with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Broadous to Cole Stanford.

PSU linebacker Ian Sluss picked up a Mustang fumble and returned it 57 yards to give the Vikings the lead back at 14-7. Cal Poly's answer was an eight-play, 93-yard drive highlighted by a 58-yard run by Deonte Williams. Broadous scored on a 13-yard run to tie it at 14-14 before the first period ran out.

The Mustangs triple-option offense that had them averaging 310 rushing yards per game went for 341 on the ground in this one. However, the Vikings limited their scoring. The Mustangs managed only a field in the second quarter. A 49-yard kick by Bobby Zalud gave them a brief 17-14 lead.

PSU's Zach Brown, just back from injury, made his first field goal of the season to tie it at 17-17 just before halftime. Brown's kick, the 61st of his career, came from 35 yards.

An 11-play drive by Cal Poly to open the second half resulted in another Zalud field goal from 41 yards. The Mustangs led 20-17 with 11:20 left in the third.

Monahan caught his second touchdown pass a moment later. His 35-yard reception and a two-point conversion gave the Vikings a 25-20 advantage.

Following another long drive, the Vikings held Cal Poly on third-and-goal at the five-yard line. Zalud's short field goal closed the score to 25-23.

The Mustangs got the lead back after a failed fourth down play by the Vikings. Broadous led a nine-play, 60-yard drive. He hit Willie Tucker on a 10-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. The extra point put Cal Poly back ahead for good, 30-25.

Cal Poly's defense got a key three-and-out, then ground out another touchdown to put the game away. When Broadous scored on a one-yard plunge with 5:39 to play it was 37-25 and the Mustangs had it sealed.

"I thought our guys played hard to the end," said Vikings Coach Nigel Burton. "We needed to do a little bit better job controlling the line of scrimmage. We just need to do a better job on third down, making plays and getting off the field."

Cal Poly gained 341 on the ground, but also got 117 through the air and two passing scores.

"The thing about their offense, if you get a tackle for loss, it definitely slows them down. They get out of their comfort zone," said Burton. "It was a credit to them, they were able to make some plays. We just made too many mistakes at critical moments when we had momentum, fumbling the football, some mistakes on special teams, some third downs…"

Broadous rushed for 73 yards and two scores, and completed 8-11 passes for 117 yards and two scores. Williams added 169 yards on 27 carries.

For the Vikings, Kieran McDonagh was 15-26 for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Monahan caught both scores and had 129 yards on four catches.

Defensively, Jaycob Shoemaker had a terrific game with 17 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. Sluss made eight stops with two for losses, a sack, an interception and a pass breakup. Khalil Bass also had 13 tackles and forced a fumble.

GAME NOTES: Cal Poly has now won eight straight games… the Vikings have lost 14 in a row to nationally-ranked teams, dating to 2007… the Mustangs are coached by former PSU Head Coach Tim Walsh. He got his 141st career win (90 of which came at PSU) and 24th win in four seasons as the Cal Poly Head Coach… Shaq Richard (53 yards) led the Viking rushing game… Sluss scored his second touchdown of the season. He also had one against Idaho State… PSU is now 1-3 in Big Sky Conference games. CP is now 5-0… the Vikings play at UC Davis next Saturday in a 2 p.m. game.