Cal Poly Football played its opening Big Sky game on the road Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium, suffering a loss to Portland State by the score of 21-59.
The Vikings (2-2, 1-0 Big Sky) started the game off with a bang, as they took the opening kickoff 99 yards to make the score 7-0 early.
The Mustangs (2-2, 0-1 Big Sky) came right back with a score of their own, as sophomore Sam Huard connected on a 49-yard pass to redshirt senior Bryson Allen to tie up things early at a touchdown a piece
This score would be Huard’s only one of the game, as he would leave the game in the second quarter due to an illness according to Cal Poly Athletics. He finished the game as the second-leading passer on the day, going 5-12 with 103 yards and a score along with an interception.
Freshman running back Aiden Ramos was a bright spot on offense for the Mustangs, carrying the ball 15 times for 93 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was Ramos’ first of his collegiate career.
Redshirt Freshman Bo Kelly came in to complete the game in Huard’s absence. He finished the game going 9-16 for 63 yards and a score of his own, his first collegiate touchdown pass.
Aidan Scott, a freshman from Santa Ynez, caught his first touchdown pass in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard pass from Bo Kelly.
On the Vikings’ first offensive possession, Portland State quarterback Dante Chachere ran it 51 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7. This would begin the scoring flurry for Portland State, as they went up 21-7 with 6:17 in the first quarter after Jobi Malary took a run 56 yards to the house.
After the first half concluded, the score was 52-14 Portland State after they put up 31 points in the second quarter alone as quarterback Dante Chachere notched his second rushing touchdown to start the second quarter with a 50-yard run.
Cal Poly looks to bounce back from the loss as they will have their next two games at home as they return to Mustang Memorial Field, starting next Saturday against FCS No. 15 UC Davis at 5 p.m. in the Battle of the Golden Horseshoe.