More exciting FCS (I-AA) football for the league. The Mustangs are a pretty solid FCS team who went 7-4 last year in the Great West Conference. Wide receiver Ramses Barden and offensive lineman Stephen Field, both seniors, have earned preseason All-America honors and the Cal Poly football team is ranked as high as sixth in preseason Football Championship Subdivision national polls. This team is one of the better FCS teams which the Aztecs can not take lightly.
Offense: The offense is potent for the Mustangs by averaging 39 points per game, with returning all of their key skill position players. The leader of the offense is quarterback Jonathan Dally who had 29 touchdowns to five picks, and the leading target for Dally is Ramses Barden who accumulated the most amazing stats by catching 51 pass for an amazing 1,467 yards which is 25 yards per catch, plus he had 18 touchdowns. The only other receiver of note on the team is Tredale Tolver who had 31 receptions and five touchdowns.
The running game is also potent since the Mustangs run the triple option so many players get a chance to run the ball and pile up yards. Jonathan Dally is the top of the list at the running game with 763 yards and 12 touchdowns, while the team scored 25 total touchdowns on the road.
The offense overall should actually put up better numbers from last year, because the Mustangs only lose one player who is an offensive lineman.
Defense: The defense is where Cal Poly is vulnerable, because they return five defensive starters. The defensive unit gave up 25 points and hoped that the offense would just out score the other team, while the defense would try to limit big time plays. The defense will do the same this year by trying to defend the big plays.
Early Prediction: San Diego State should be able to win since this is an FCS team, but with NFL calliber wide receiver Ramses Barden who will be tough to cover. Expect this game to come close and be an exciting game which could could go either way, but I am not picking a FCS team to defeat a FBS team. I would not be surprised if Cal Poly were to get the win.