Cal-Poly

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Cal-Poly

I agree with OK Jackrabbit. I dont think he meant to put down the mighty Bison by any means. The Bison are on the schedule and that is what makes this year special.

[IowaBison]

Re: Cal-Poly

that was my fault i should have put a smiley face by it

i hope we stay on each other's schedule and develop a rivalry, enter the Big Sky together, and so on and that kind of thing

[Jacks99]

Re: Cal-Poly

Agreed, look forward to a good rivalry every year.

I also expect it to be a more respectable rivalry than our last ones with the U and Augie.

AKA - throwing the animals on the court. Because man, Bison are Darn heavy!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Cal-Poly

Sounds like Cal-Pol is going to shut down the run, no questions asked. If Brad can strecth the field it should open up the run. What's the story with their defense. It sounds better darn good. Do their linebackers blitz all the time, or what? I see that Beck has 4 sacks and 3 or 4 int's. If the do blitz, Davis, Solo, etc should get single coverage and I like our chances with that. Let's hope our O-line protects Brad and then he makes good decisions. Like Chris and everybody is saying we need to win the turnover battle. After the way we played last week, I feel we have a better shot that what everyone thinks.

[BHSSDSUFAN]

Re: Cal-Poly

The Jacks are heading for another tough road game ???.

I am happy for the Jacks win in LA. But I don't see them sneaking up on Poly our any other team for NOW.

Seems to me Stig coached teams always gets big wins every year, but what they haven't done is get back to back wins against good teams. They seem to have trouble winning the tough games consistantly. So until they prove me wrong Cal Poly 42 Jacks 18.

Go Jacks!

[89rabbit]

Re: Cal-Poly

I'm not going to be so bold as to predict a win over the #13 team in the nation at their place. However one thing that gives me hope is that Cal-Poly likes to run the ball and Coach Stig loves to stop the run and the Rabbits have done a good job of that so far this year. If our offense can play up to form, we could surprise more people this week. Good luck gentlemen.

Go Jackrabbits, beat the Mustangs! ;D

[jackmd]

Re: Cal-Poly

This game is not about coming away with a W. We need to show up ready to play. Our offense must execute at a high level as they did at SU. Minimal turnover and penalties. Special teams (especially kick coverage) must show improvement. Finally, our defense needs to take the momentum of a 2nd half shoutout against SU and carry that into the 1st half vs Poly.

All that said, they are a better team right now. Especially on their home field. Best case, Jacks lead or it tied at the half. Final score in favor of Poly.

Give me 10 points and I'll take the Jacks.

[IowaBison]

Re: Cal-Poly

i think playing a solid game of football is the best the jack's can hope for, i'll pick 'em if somebody spots me 24.

[89rabbit]

Re: Cal-Poly

Story coming out of Cal-Poly:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/san...ts/9809234.htm

Jackrabbits hoping to be golden

Brian Milne

The Tribune


It's not like the South Dakota State football team is dreading its trip to California.

The Jackrabbits don't have any Californians on their roster, so the players like the idea of spending a weekend near the beach.

Before this season, South Dakota had visited California just once in the last four decades. South Dakota State enjoyed that trip, beating UC Davis 17-7 in John Stiegelmeier's first year at the helm in 1997.

But the Jackrabbits' last trip to Golden State was anything but, well, golden.

UC Davis drilled South Dakota State 52-0 earlier this season in the Great West Conference opener for both schools.

On Saturday, South Dakota State (3-1 and 0-1 in conference) makes its return to California to face No. 13 Cal Poly (3-0) at 6 p.m. in Mustang Stadium.

It is the first meeting between the two Great West schools, and the Mustangs' first conference game at the Division I-AA level.

"We have an ugly memory of that state," said Stiegelmeier, 45-34 in his eight seasons at South Dakota State. "This is one of those times where you really try to preach to play in the present and forget about the past."

The Jackrabbits don't want to disregard the past entirely, at least the last three weeks. After their opening day drumming in Davis, South Dakota State responded with three straight victories, including their first win over a Division I-AA school last week at Southern (Louisiana). They've also beaten Division II schools Winona State (45-20) and Western Oregon (38-3).

"They've matured a lot," said Cal Poly coach Rich Ellerson. "Some of the things they were doing wrong (at UC Davis), they're not doing that anymore. They aren't wasting plays. The number of miscues are down. ... They're executing so much better now." . . .

But on Saturday, the Jackrabbits face a Cal Poly team that is ranked seventh among Division I-AA teams in the Jeff Sagarin power ratings, based on schedule strength and results against Division I teams. The Mustangs (5-0 after a bye in Ellerson's four years) also are coming off a bye week and rank in the top 20 in a handful of offensive and defensive categories. Cal Poly, trying to go 4-0 for the first time since 1997, is ranked second nationally in rushing defense (53.3 yards per game), ninth in rushing offense (253.7), 10th in total offense (445.4) and 11th in total defense (256.3).

"We really do think Cal Poly is an excellent football team," Stiegelmeier said. "They're definitely the team to beat in the Great West."

Not that South Dakota State isn't putting up some solid numbers in its first year of transition to Division I-AA after competing in the North Central Conference since 1922.

While the Mustangs have run the ball more than 70 percent of the time this season, the Jackrabbits utilize a balanced attack that has passed 135 times and rushed 143 times.

Quarterback Brad Nelson, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior, leads the South Dakota State offense, having completed 63 of 111 passes for 814 yards. He's thrown for 10 touchdowns, has been intercepted three times and has an efficiency rating of 142.68.

"He's really come along," Stiegelmeier said. "In the last game, he showed more grit and competitive desire than I've seen from him in any other game this year."

Josh Davis is Nelson's No. 1 target this season. The junior receiver has caught 24 balls for 377 yards and has five touchdown receptions.

"They use a lot of motion, which we haven't seen a whole lot of," Cal Poly free safety Kenny Chicoine. "They'll put (Davis) in the backfield. They'll line him up at flanker and all this other stuff. So they're going to be giving us all sorts of looks."

Anthony Watson, a 5-foot-10, 220-pound running back, is the team's rushing leader with 381 yards on 69 carries (5.5 yards per carry).

"They're a physically tough, hard-playing outfit," Ellerson said. "They're a team that's on a huge roll, so they're going to be a team that's hard to outhit and outhustle on Saturday."


Go Jackrabbits, beat the Mustangs! ;D

[89rabbit]

Re: Cal-Poly

Preview from the Argus:

http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Sa...article8.shtml

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (3-1, 0-1) at CAL POLY (3-0, 0-0)


WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m. CDT, Mustang Stadium, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

RADIO: WNAX-AM 570

COACHES: SDSU, John Stiegelmeier (8th year, 45-34); Cal Poly, Rich Ellerson (4th year, 19-17).

LAST WEEK: Brad Nelson's 10-yard TD pass to Greg Peitz with less than five minutes to play gave SDSU a 31-24 road victory at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. Cal Poly had a bye week.

RANKINGS: Cal Poly is ranked No. 13 in both the ESPN/USA Today and The Sports Network I-AA Top 25s. SDSU is unranked but received votes in both polls.

SERIES: First meeting.

ABOUT SDSU: How can you top beating the defending Black College national champs? The Jackrabbits hope it's by sustaining the momentum that has led them to three straight wins.

QB Nelson has continued to thrive, throwing for 223 yards and four touchdowns against Southern for SDSU's first win against a I-AA opponent. Take out a 3-for-13 performance for 21 yards against California-Davis in the Jacks' first game, and Nelson is averaging 264.3 yards a game, completing 60 of 98 passes (61.2 percent) in the last three games. He has thrown for 793 yards and all 10 TDs in those contests.

Nelson found WR Josh Davis 12 times for 138 yards last week, including a pair of scores. The junior from Omaha needs just 17 more catches to pass Jeff Tiefenthaler (173) for the SDSU career record and could reach the mark in the next two weeks.

Though Davis has again risen to the top of Nelson's target list, one of the quarterback's best attributes is that he spreads the ball to all his receivers. One needn't look any further than senior WR Solomon Johnson, who last week became only the 16th player in school history to reach the 100-catch mark for his career.

"They're on a roll," Ellerson said. "I respect how proficient they are. They know their system, they know their jobs. Their quarterback makes good decisions, and they run a variety of offensive sets."

Since being dismantled 52-0 at Cal Davis a month ago, the Jacks' defense has shown signs of improvement. SDSU trails only Cal Poly in stopping the run in the Great West, giving up just 66.5 per game, and its 304.8 yards a contest allowed is third-best in the new league.

"I think our defense has come along," Stiegelmeier said.

ABOUT CAL POLY: The Mustangs' option offense revolves around three interchangeable quarterbacks -- Cordel Webb, John Mende and Anthony Garnett.

Webb and Mende see most of the action and have combined 30-for-54 with four TDs and 528 yards. Sophomore Webb is more of a running threat, gaining 138 yards on 27 carries as the Mustangs average 253.7 yards a game on the ground.

"I don't know their leadership," Stiegelmeier said, "but it doesn't seem like they lose anything when they change quarterbacks."

However, the unbeaten Mustangs' Achilles heel could be turning the ball over. They have lost five of nine fumbles this year, and the top two QBs have thrown four interceptions combined.

"If we're going to be a good football team, we have to take care of the football," Ellerson said. "We've put our defense in some tough spots."

Even still, Cal Poly's defense -- led by linebacker Jordan Beck -- has responded. The Mustangs' 10 interceptions are tops in the Great West, and they have run four of those back. Beck is a 6-foot-2, 231-pound senior who is a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award for I-AA's best defensive player, and he has two INT returns for scores.

Cal Poly is allowing just 53.3 yards a game rushing and 256.3 yards a game, but the Mustangs give up 34.7 points a contest.

- Chris Solari



Go State! ;D

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Cal-Poly

One bad game at the beginning of the season with our Quarterback hurt and you girls have written off the team for the entire year! Give me a break!


SDSU 28

Cal Poly 20



Go Jacks!!!!


JBNJBQ

[89rabbit]

Re: Cal-Poly

It's just about game time. Let's go Rabbits!

Go State! ;D

[jackmd]

Re: Cal-Poly

I picked up a bottle of the J Lohr 7 Oaks Cabernet. Its very good (everyone should try it). Ready for kickoff, lets "git er done" (I really am a redneck at heart).

[jackmd]

Re: Cal-Poly

Listening to WNAX, are they playing Quiet Riot "*** on Feel the Noise"? Are we in the 70's?

[89rabbit]

Re: Cal-Poly

Hey don't make me any older then I am. Quite Riot is from the '80s. I remember listening to that on the Bobcat team bus during football season. Good stuff.

Go State! ;D