Cal Poly visits No. 16 Idaho State on Saturday, Oct. 10, at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. PT, 4 p.m. MT. The Cal Poly vs Idaho State matchup opens a challenging stretch for the Mustangs, who face four ranked opponents in their final six regular-season games.
Both teams enter at 3-3, and both are coming off losses. Cal Poly dropped a 42-34 double-overtime game at home against Weber State last weekend, while Idaho State fell 38-31 at home to Northern Arizona. For Cal Poly, the game also offers a chance to build on a season that has already included several strong individual performances and a victory against a ranked opponent earlier in the year.
Cal Poly's key production has come from several places
Junior running back Jaden Green enters the game as the national FCS leader in all-purpose yards per game at 183.5. He has rushed for touchdowns in Cal Poly's last two games, adding to a season that has included 130.5 rushing yards per game and a 269-yard outing at Eastern Washington on Sept. 26.
Quarterback Anthony Grigsby, Jr. has also been central to the offense. He accounted for all five touchdowns and threw for 319 yards in Cal Poly's 38-34 season-opening victory against Idaho on Aug. 28. He later passed for 249 yards at San Jose State on Sept. 12. Overall, Cal Poly has scored 185 points, and Grigsby has accounted for 96 of them.
The Mustangs have also gotten important production from Tayvion McCoy, who had a game-winning touchdown reception in the final minute at Eastern Washington, and from the defense, where RL Miller and Kenny Olson have helped fill out a strong tackling group. Cal Poly has three of the Big Sky's top seven tacklers, with Miller posting 61 total tackles and Olson adding 48. Miller, an offseason transfer from Fresno State, also had a career-high 12 tackles at San Jose State, while Olson had a career-best 16 tackles at Eastern Washington.
What the game means
Idaho State enters with one of the league's sturdier defenses, allowing 21.2 points per game, which is second fewest in the Big Sky Conference. Cal Poly will need another efficient offensive performance if it wants to leave Pocatello with a result that keeps its postseason push on track.
More broadly, this is the first game in a difficult closing run. With four of Cal Poly's final six regular-season games coming against ranked opponents, the Mustangs are entering a stretch that could define their place in the Big Sky Conference standings. A road win over No. 16 Idaho State would give Cal Poly a second consecutive victory against a ranked foe and provide real momentum entering the final month of the regular season.
