The Central Coast will host one of college soccer’s biggest rivalries this week. Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara will meet in the Blue-Green game, a matchup that has become one of the most anticipated games on both teams’ schedules for years.
The history between Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara dates back to the football field in 1921, when both teams had football programs.
More than a century later, that competition lives on through one of college soccer’s biggest rivalries, and both the Gauchos and the Mustangs will take the pitch once again this Friday at Spanos Stadium.
“It is the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve had a night game, so I’m excited,” head coach Oige Kennedy said. “The atmosphere has always been electric, every game we’ve had, whether it’s home or away.”
Friday’s 7 p.m. matchup will be Kennedy’s first Blue-Green rivalry night game during his four-year tenure and, for the first time in years, the result won’t count toward either team’s conference standings.
Cal Poly is now an affiliate of the Pac-12 conference, while UC Santa Barbara remains in the Big West until July 2027, when the school departs for the West Coast Conference (WCC).
The two teams meet twice a year, with each team getting a turn to host. In the rivalry’s history, UC Santa Barbara has 16 wins, Cal Poly has 13, and the teams have played to nine draws.
Their most recent meeting came last October at Spanos Stadium, where the Mustangs fell 1-0.
“I think when you look at the game in general, no matter where the teams are and how they’re doing in a season, those games have always been close,” Kennedy said. “So you always expect a close game.”
For junior forward Devin Bening, Friday will be his first time playing in the Blue-Green rivalry. Bening transferred to Cal Poly from Division III Occidental College, but says he already knew about the rivalry and just how big it was long before arriving in San Luis Obispo.
“I’ve seen videos, and it’s just the sound, the atmosphere; just it looks unreal,” Bening said. “The biggest crowd I’ve played for was when we played against Indiana. Like it’s going to be adrenaline running through my system like I’ve never felt before.”
Cal Poly will look to bounce back after last year’s loss at home, but much of the pressure will fall on its defense. The Gauchos have scored in every match they’ve played this season.
“We need to play our identity, our culture, our style. We can’t let them do what they want,” Bening said. “It’s going to be hard, but we should have at least a fighting chance. I just want to be out there with the team, and I want to win.”
