Quarterback Leads Cal Poly Past SDSU

Saturday, September 24

Brookings, S.D.

7 p.m.

South Dakota State University

2-2 , 0-1

Cal Poly

3-1 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Cal Poly	14	3	7	0	24
South Dakota State	7	6	0	3	16

1/1/1970 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

BROOKINGS, SD - Cal Poly quarterback Anthony Garnett rushed for three touchdowns and completed nine passes for 182 yards leading the Mustangs to a 24-16 victory over South Dakota State in the 2005 Great West Footballl Conference opener for both teams Saturday night at Coughlin Alumni Stadium.

Cal Poly used quick drives to score on its first two possessions of the game, then had another scoring burst to start the second half, and the Mustang defense held when it had to.

Statistically, SDSU had some huge advantages, like 38:37 to 21:23 in time of possession. Or 79 offensive players to 47 Cal Poly. Or 22 first downs to 11. But it added up to just a 344-322 advantage in total offense.

SDSU’s first possession of the game resulted in a punt on a fourth and 25 play from the five yard line. The ball went out of bounds at the Jackrabbit 30. On first down, Garnett hooked up with Jonah Russell for a 29 yard gain, and Garnett ran it in from the one on the next play. Two plays, 30 yards, 26 seconds possession time.

SDSU’s second possession ended with a fourth and 12 punt from the Jackrabbit 18. Cal Poly needed four plays to cover 50 yards, scoring on another one yard run by Garnett, and it was 14-0 with the game less than seven minutes old. That drive took one minute, 46 seconds.

From that point, it was a slugfest. SDSU closed within 17-13 at halftime, getting a 33-yard scoring run by Cory Koenig, and two field goals by Parker Douglass, the second a school-record-tying 52 yarder on the last play of the half.

Again, Cal Poly struck quick to start the second half, taking the kickoff and marching 69 yards on six plays, scoring on a three-yard run by Garnett to cap a drive which took just 2:18.

Douglass kicked his third field goal of the game, from 32 yards, early in the fourth quarter, making it 24-16. Then, the Jackrabbit defense came up with two straight interceptions, but the offense couldn’t take advantage.

After the field goal by Douglass, John Perry intercepted a first-down pass by Garnett at the Cal Poly 40. But the Mustang defense stopped two rushes for no gains and a third down pass went incomplete, forcing a Jackrabbit punt, which was returned 26 yards by Kenny Chicoine.

Again on first down, SDSU intercepted a Garnett pass, this time by James Epps, at the SDSU eight yard line. That drive produced one first down, but on a third and ten play, Matt Chachere and Chris Gocong combined for a sack, putting the Jacks in a fourth and 18 play, forcing a punt.

For the game, Garnett rushed 17 times for 63 yards and completed 9-of-15 passes for 182 yards.

Koenig, who started at running back, rushed 24 times for a career high 126 yards. Jackrabbit quarterback Andy Kardoes completed 14-of-34 passes for 174 but was sacked three times as the Cal Poly defense put pressure on him all night.

Josh Davis caught eight passes for 115 yards to lead the Jackrabbit receivers.

Cal Poly, now 3-1, continues GWFC play next week facing Northern Colorado at Greeley. SDSU, 2-2, will face its third straight ranked opponent, Texas State, at San Marcos Saturday night.