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Football
at Youngstown State
South Dakota State University Athletics
Saturday, October 21
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
4 p.m. PT
South Dakota State University
4-3 , 1-0
29
at
28
Cal Poly
5-2 , 2-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
South Dakota State
0
3
3
23
29
Cal Poly
7
7
14
0
28
Fourth-quarter blitz stuns No. 4 Cal Poly
10/21/2006 4:00:00 PM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Andy Kardoes and JaRon Harris hooked up for three touchdown passes in the final eight minutes as South Dakota State outscored fourth-ranked Cal Poly 23-0 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 29-28 upset victory Saturday night.
The Jackrabbits, playing their Great West Football Conference opener, won their fourth game in a row to improve to 4-3 overall. Cal Poly dropped to 5-2 overall, 2-1 in conference play.
SDSU returns to action Oct. 28, hosting 18th-ranked UC Davis in the 93rd Hobo Day game. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Trailing 28-6 entering the fourth quarter, the Jackrabbits got the passing game going. Kardoes pulled the Jacks to with 28-14 as he found Harris from 14 yards out for a score and later connected with tight end Chris Wagner on a two-point conversion.
The Jackrabbits got the ball back with 5:41 remaining and proceeded to march 59 yards on five plays to close the gap to one touchdown. Kardoes found Harris for 45 yards on the first play of the drive, but the senior quarterback was shaken up after taking a late hit. With the drive in danger of stalling, Kardoes re-entered the game on fourth and goal from the Cal Poly 12 and threw a strike to Harris with 3:45 remaining.
The Jackrabbit defense again held firm, giving up one first down before forcing the Mustangs to punt. SDSU pressured the kick, forcing just a 17-yard punt that put the ball back in SDSU's possession at the Cal Poly 45 with 2:16 remaining.
Kardoes started the drive by finding Micah Johnson for an 11-yard gain, and the Jacks picked up 15 more yards on a pass interference penalty. Two plays later, Kardoes and Harris hooked up for the third and final time, this time from 19 yards out with 1:05 remaining.
Still trailing by one, SDSU made the decision to not play for overtime and go for the two-point conversion. Kardoes took the snap from center and scored on a quarterback draw to give the Jackrabbits their first -- and only -- lead of the game.
Cal Poly moved into SDSU territory in the closing seconds as Matt Brennan hooked up with Ramses Barden on a 45-yard pass play that put the ball at the Jackrabbit 37. However, Brennan's pass on the next play was picked off in the end zone by Tyler Koch to seal SDSU's first victory over a top-five Division I-AA team.
The Mustangs drew first blood as James Noble scored on a nine-yard run in the first quarter.
SDSU got on the board with a 38-yard field goal by Parker Douglass early in the second quarter.
Cal Poly then took advantage of a Jackrabbit turnover, covering 19 yards on four plays, capped by an Ernie Cooper five-yard run that built the lead to 14-3 at halftime.
Following Douglass' second field goal of the game on SDSU's first possession of the second half, the Mustangs scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to go up 28-6. Noble broke off a 74-yard TD run at the 10:22 mark of the quarter, and Fred Hives followed with a one-yard run late in the quarter.
Noble led the Cal Poly rushing attack with 168 yards on 26 carries, with Brennan adding 40 yards on 12 ties. Brennan struggled in the passing game, completing just 4-of-13 attempts for 84 yards.
Kardoes finished the game 14-of-27 passing for 250 yards and the three touchdowns. Harris caught six passes for 133 yards, with Johnson adding another six receptions for 97 yards.
The SDSU running game, which was without leading rusher Cory Koenig, was held in check throughout the game. Anthony Watson gained 28 yards on nine carries, with Kardoes adding 23 yards on 13 carries as SDSU finished the game with 59 net yards rushing, compared to 238 by the Mustangs.
Penalties hurt Cal Poly as the Mustangs were penalized 10 times for 76 yards. SDSU was flagged seven times for 45 yards.
Defensively, Scott Breyfogle led the Jackrabbit defense with a career-high 10 tackles. Marty Kranz and Justin Kubesh each made seven stops.
Kenny Chicoine and Kyle Shotwell were credited with 11 tackles each for Cal Poly.
Notes: SDSU has outscored its opponents 43-7 in the fourth quarter in its last three games, including 14-0 Sept. 30 in a win at then-No. 17 McNeese State (La.) ... The Jackrabbits are now 3-for-3 on two-point conversion attempts this season ... Douglass topped the 200-point plateau, upping his career total to 206 with two field goals and an extra point ... Douglass is 11-of-13 on field goals and 9-for-9 on extra points this season ... SDSU's 29-point outburst was the most by the Jackrabbits this season and came against a Cal Poly team that was allowing an average of 9.7 points per game ... SDSU's current three-game road winning streak is its longest since the 1995 season, when the Jackrabbits defeated South Dakota, Morningside (Iowa) and Mankato State (Minn.) in succession ... SDSU overcame its biggest deficit since rallying for a 30-24 victory over St. Cloud State (Minn.) in 2001, after trailing 24-0 at halftime
Game Statistics
The Jackrabbits, playing their Great West Football Conference opener, won their fourth game in a row to improve to 4-3 overall. Cal Poly dropped to 5-2 overall, 2-1 in conference play.
SDSU returns to action Oct. 28, hosting 18th-ranked UC Davis in the 93rd Hobo Day game. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Trailing 28-6 entering the fourth quarter, the Jackrabbits got the passing game going. Kardoes pulled the Jacks to with 28-14 as he found Harris from 14 yards out for a score and later connected with tight end Chris Wagner on a two-point conversion.
The Jackrabbits got the ball back with 5:41 remaining and proceeded to march 59 yards on five plays to close the gap to one touchdown. Kardoes found Harris for 45 yards on the first play of the drive, but the senior quarterback was shaken up after taking a late hit. With the drive in danger of stalling, Kardoes re-entered the game on fourth and goal from the Cal Poly 12 and threw a strike to Harris with 3:45 remaining.
The Jackrabbit defense again held firm, giving up one first down before forcing the Mustangs to punt. SDSU pressured the kick, forcing just a 17-yard punt that put the ball back in SDSU's possession at the Cal Poly 45 with 2:16 remaining.
Kardoes started the drive by finding Micah Johnson for an 11-yard gain, and the Jacks picked up 15 more yards on a pass interference penalty. Two plays later, Kardoes and Harris hooked up for the third and final time, this time from 19 yards out with 1:05 remaining.
Still trailing by one, SDSU made the decision to not play for overtime and go for the two-point conversion. Kardoes took the snap from center and scored on a quarterback draw to give the Jackrabbits their first -- and only -- lead of the game.
Cal Poly moved into SDSU territory in the closing seconds as Matt Brennan hooked up with Ramses Barden on a 45-yard pass play that put the ball at the Jackrabbit 37. However, Brennan's pass on the next play was picked off in the end zone by Tyler Koch to seal SDSU's first victory over a top-five Division I-AA team.
The Mustangs drew first blood as James Noble scored on a nine-yard run in the first quarter.
SDSU got on the board with a 38-yard field goal by Parker Douglass early in the second quarter.
Cal Poly then took advantage of a Jackrabbit turnover, covering 19 yards on four plays, capped by an Ernie Cooper five-yard run that built the lead to 14-3 at halftime.
Following Douglass' second field goal of the game on SDSU's first possession of the second half, the Mustangs scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to go up 28-6. Noble broke off a 74-yard TD run at the 10:22 mark of the quarter, and Fred Hives followed with a one-yard run late in the quarter.
Noble led the Cal Poly rushing attack with 168 yards on 26 carries, with Brennan adding 40 yards on 12 ties. Brennan struggled in the passing game, completing just 4-of-13 attempts for 84 yards.
Kardoes finished the game 14-of-27 passing for 250 yards and the three touchdowns. Harris caught six passes for 133 yards, with Johnson adding another six receptions for 97 yards.
The SDSU running game, which was without leading rusher Cory Koenig, was held in check throughout the game. Anthony Watson gained 28 yards on nine carries, with Kardoes adding 23 yards on 13 carries as SDSU finished the game with 59 net yards rushing, compared to 238 by the Mustangs.
Penalties hurt Cal Poly as the Mustangs were penalized 10 times for 76 yards. SDSU was flagged seven times for 45 yards.
Defensively, Scott Breyfogle led the Jackrabbit defense with a career-high 10 tackles. Marty Kranz and Justin Kubesh each made seven stops.
Kenny Chicoine and Kyle Shotwell were credited with 11 tackles each for Cal Poly.
Notes: SDSU has outscored its opponents 43-7 in the fourth quarter in its last three games, including 14-0 Sept. 30 in a win at then-No. 17 McNeese State (La.) ... The Jackrabbits are now 3-for-3 on two-point conversion attempts this season ... Douglass topped the 200-point plateau, upping his career total to 206 with two field goals and an extra point ... Douglass is 11-of-13 on field goals and 9-for-9 on extra points this season ... SDSU's 29-point outburst was the most by the Jackrabbits this season and came against a Cal Poly team that was allowing an average of 9.7 points per game ... SDSU's current three-game road winning streak is its longest since the 1995 season, when the Jackrabbits defeated South Dakota, Morningside (Iowa) and Mankato State (Minn.) in succession ... SDSU overcame its biggest deficit since rallying for a 30-24 victory over St. Cloud State (Minn.) in 2001, after trailing 24-0 at halftime
Game Statistics
Team Stats
SDSU
CP
Total Yards
309
322
Pass Yards
250
84
Rushing Yards
59
238
Penalty Yards
45
76
1st Downs
16
14
3rd Downs
1
5
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
26:38
33:22
1st Quarter
SDSU 0, CP 7
CP - James Noble 9 yd run (Nick Coromelas kick), 11 plays, 51 yards, TOP 5:49
2nd Quarter
SDSU 3, CP 7
SDSU - Parker Douglass 38 yd field goal 10 plays, 44 yards, TOP 4:40
SDSU 3, CP 14
CP - Ernie Cooper 5 yd run (Nick Coromelas kick), 4 plays, 19 yards, TOP 2:13
3rd Quarter
SDSU 6, CP 14
SDSU - Parker Douglass 40 yd field goal 8 plays, 59 yards, TOP 3:30
SDSU 6, CP 21
CP - James Noble 74 yd run (Nick Coromelas kick), 2 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:54
SDSU 6, CP 28
CP - Fred Hives 1 yd run (Nick Coromelas kick), 11 plays, 48 yards, TOP 7:03
4th Quarter
SDSU 14, CP 28
SDSU - JaRon Harris 14 yd pass from Andy Kardoes (Chris Wagner pass) 5 plays, 70 yards, TOP 1:42
SDSU 21, CP 28
SDSU - JaRon Harris 12 yd pass from Andy Kardoes (Parker Douglass kick) 5 plays, 59 yards, TOP 1:56
SDSU 29, CP 28
SDSU - JaRon Harris 19 yd pass from Andy Kardoes (Andy Kardoes rush) 6 plays, 45 yards, TOP 1:11
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