After honoring 17 seniors and graduate students pregame, Cal Poly Football defeated Sacramento State 26-23, in a game that went down to the final drive.
The Mustangs (3-8, 2-5 Big Sky), needing a win after five straight losses, honored their seniors appropriately in their last home game with a nail-biting victory over the Hornets (3-7, 1-5).
This win marks the first time since 2019 that the Mustangs have won multiple conference matchups.
Sophomore quarterback Jackson Akins started his second consecutive game for the Mustangs, throwing for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Akins re-established his own record for passing yards thrown by a Mustang quarterback this season, besting his total from last week.
After throwing two interceptions last week, Akins was much more in control of the air attack, tallying an efficient 64% completion percentage.
“Last game, I think I made a couple of sloppy mistakes and I definitely built off it this game,” Akins said. “I was cleaner through the air.”
After scoring 20 first-half points, the Mustang offense stalled in the second half but could string together scoring drives when needed. Redshirt sophomore kicker Noah Serna was perfect on four field goal attempts, including the game-winner, with just over five minutes to play.
The Mustang defense contributed with timely plays when needed, forcing two fumbles on the day. The first came on a strip sack by junior defensive lineman Soni Finau, which ultimately led to the aforementioned game-winning field goal. The second forced fumble came at the end of the game, forced by freshman safety Jeremiah Bernard, and ultimately recovered by the Mustangs on their own one-yard line.
Senior sendoff
Senior night, occurring on the last home game of each season, always holds some extra weight to it. Sending off the seniors to their future endeavors on a win is a special moment for everyone involved. Akins, a transfer from the University of Mount Union, especially appreciates the seniors’ dedication.
“The way that [the seniors] operate, how they prepare, it’s huge to the rest of the program,” Akins said. “We’re so thankful for those guys.”
Relentless pressure
Cal Poly’s defensive line came through all game, controlling the line of scrimmage. Along with Finau, redshirt senior Elijah Ponder contributed a sack of his own, which came on a crucial second-quarter drive for the Hornets. The unit also registered four tackles for loss and held a prominent rushing team to just 39 rushing yards.
“The d-line was very, very good today,” head coach Paul Wulff said. “[I’m] proud of those guys for how they came out.”
Offensive weapons shine
Both of Akins’ passing touchdowns went to junior receiver Logan Booher, including an acrobatic adjustment to reel a ball in facing the sun, which put Cal Poly up 17-10 at the time.
Booher was far from the only offensive contributor, however, with 10 different Mustangs recording a reception, showcasing the trust that Akins has in his weapons.
The running back group totaled 79 receiving yards as a unit, constantly flashing open for check-downs when Akins was under pressure. For a quarterback making his second start in a system, the availability of the running back unit out of the backfield played a key role in the stability of the offense.
“It was [important] for [Akins] to see [the running backs] and looking for them,” Wulff said. “Jackson made some really nice plays.”
Late game heroics
With the game in the balance and the Mustangs clinging on to a 26-23 lead with under two minutes to play, the Hornets offense found themselves deep into Cal Poly territory, looking to tie or take the lead.
Needing a miracle to seal the game at this point in the drive, the Mustangs got one. A quarterback scramble seemed destined to yield six points for the Hornets, but Bernard met the runner just before the goalline, punching the ball loose.
Bernard anticipated a slide but when the quarterback stayed on his feet, he knew he had to make a play.
“He didn’t slide so I took my shot,” Bernard said. “I turned around and the ball was out.”
After redshirt sophomore safety Mason Rivera made the recovery, Cal Poly entered victory formation to secure the win.
The Mustangs will travel to Weber State for the final game of the season on Saturday, November 23.