SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – Outscoring the Toreros 14-3 in the fourth quarter, Cal Poly escaped the University of San Diego football team, 28-27.
 
San Diego jumped out to a 17-0 lead, including two trick-play touchdown passes from Re-al Mitchell. Cal Poly scored touchdowns at the end of the first half and on the first possession of the second half to quickly get back into it.
 
USD later took a 27-14 lead with just over 12 minutes remaining in the fourth, and the Mustangs once again answered with two touchdowns.
 
USD drops to 1-1 on the season, and will travel to UC Davis next Saturday.    
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Diego took an early lead with a double pass, as Re-al Mitchell found Dylan Lawson wide open from 22 yards for the 7-0 advantage.
• Cal Poly connected on a 66-yard pass on the next drive, but Hunter Nichols chased down the receiver and punched the ball out to give USD possession once again.  
• Early in the second quarter, Muhindo Kapapa came around the edge and forced a fumble on a sack. Jagger Pagano recovered, and Aidan Lehman later knocked through a 30-yard field goal to make it 10-0.
• After a running into the kicker penalty, Erickson quickly got USD back into Cal Poly territory with a 15-yard pass to Rashaan Ward and a 23-yard pass to Ja'seem Reed. On another double pass, Mitchell found Erickson in the corner of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown. San Diego led 17-0 with 2:03 left in the first half.
• The Mustangs cut the deficit just before halftime, compiling a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in 58 seconds to make it 17-7.
• On the first possession of the second half, Cal Poly threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to cut its deficit to three.
• With time running down in the third quarter on a second-and-16, Erickson hit TJ Roelen on the left sideline. On his first career catch, Roelen turned up field and scored on a 40-yard play to increase USD's lead to 24-14.
• A huge open field tackle from Hunter Nichols and a 52-yard punt return from Amir Wallace set up San Diego at Cal Poly's 8. Lehman later hit a 29-yard field goal to make it 27-14 with 12:11 left in the fourth.
• The Mustangs answered with a 14-play, 56-yard touchdown drive, chopping the USD lead to six. After an interception in the end zone, Cal Poly registered a 9-play, 80-yard drive to take a 28-27 lead with 2:20 left.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• Kapapa registered the third forced fumble of his career and ended with eight tackles and two sacks. Nichols notched his second forced fumble.
• David Ambagtsheer led USD with 10 tackles (seven solo).
• Erickson ended 19-for-34, 209 yards, two total touchdowns, and three interceptions.
• Mitchell completed 2-of-3 pass attempts for 30 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 21 yards.
• Two out of five punts from Aidan Lehman were inside the 20 (42.6 average). Lehman made both field goal attempts as well.
• Ja'seem Reed led all USD receivers with six catches for 58 yards.
• Dylan Lawson has two touchdowns in his first two career games.
• Roelen's 40-yard touchdown came on his first career catch.
• Cal Poly outgained USD 460 yards to 342.
• Jacob Saewitz registered two sacks.

 
UP NEXT
USD continues its road swing at #25 UC Davis on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 PM PT. The Aggies hold an 8-1 lead in the all-time series, including six straight wins. Last season, #12 UC Davis earned a 53-7 win at Torero Stadium.