Sports

Sunday, Nov. 02, 2008

Cal Poly football recap: It takes a while, but Barden extends his TD catching streak

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Cal Poly receiver Ramses Barden has been a part of so many records this season that his prolific achievements have been announced like clockwork at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

In this season alone, Barden has broken Cal Poly career records for receptions, receiving yards and 100-yard games. Plus, the 6-foot-6, 227-pounder from Altadena surpassed Jerry Rice’s career NCAA record for most games with a receiving touchdown.

But the clock almost seemed to be running behind this week, feared broken.

Heading into the Mustangs’ 49-10 win over Idaho State on Saturday, Barden needed touchdown catches in the next two games to tie Rice atop the NCAA list for consecutive games with touchdown catch (17).

Through 28 minutes in the first half, Barden had one catch for 5 yards, and the closest he’d come to catching a touchdown before halftime was on a Hail Mary that he stretched for but couldn’t haul in.

More than midway through the third quarter, people in the press box began to wonder whether the touchdown streak might be coming to an end.

And Barden — who’s said all year he’s saving his outward pleasure with the records until after the season — was feeling a little antsy. “I usually don’t think about (records),” Barden said, “but you know me, I always want to be used. Anything I can do to help score some points is always exciting, whether it be the Jerry Rice deal or not.”

The No. 4 Mustangs (6-1) were busy rolling up a school Division I record with 459 rushing yards, the most Idaho State (0-9) has allowed since 2000.

Their first five touchdowns were scored on the ground, and quarterback Jonathan Dally, who’d spent time on the sideline in practice with a sore arm last week, wasn’t passing as much as usual in the rainy conditions.

“He said he could still throw fine,” said running back Ryan Mole, who rushed for a game-high 141 yards and three touchdowns and was named Great West Football Conference offensive player of the week Sunday. “But a couple throws, I saw the wind and rain kind of played an effect on (the ball) and curved it.”

Going into the game, Barden also had a chance to remain on pace to pass Randy Moss’ single-season NCAA record for consecutive games with a touchdown catch.

He’ll have to score through the air in each of the Mustangs’ remaining three regular season games and do the same in at least two playoff games to pass Moss’ mark of 11.

Mustangs head coach Rich Ellerson said the streak never entered his mind.

“No, I’m not thinking about that,” he said after the game. “Did he catch a touchdown pass? I don’t even know. We’re not trying to do that.”

Almost as soon as anyone dared to raise the question aloud in the press box, Barden grabbed a 27-yard pass from Dally and got into the end zone to put Cal Poly ahead 42-7 with 6:39 left in the third quarter.

Mustangs sports information director for football Eric Burdick announced the accomplishment to the working media, public address announcer Mike Moreno did the same over the stadium speakers and Barden now stands one game away from tying Rice.

With four catches for 77 yards, it was his second-lowest output of the season but got a touchdown catch. Will Barden be able to keep it up? It likely won’t be a topic of conversation in the Cal Poly locker room.

“It’s not something you really think about,” Mole said. “Of course, it’s probably in the back of his head and the coach’s head a little bit, but it’s not something we think about like, ‘We’ve gotta go get this record.’

“We have to go out there and play our game, and if it happens, it happens. And with him, it’s bound to happen. He’s an awesome receiver.”