Cal Poly falls to UC Davis in annual Battle for the Golden Horseshoe
Cal Poly lost the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe to UC Davis 24-13 on Saturday evening at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
While the defeat marks the Mustangs’ sixth-straight loss, the contest was closer than every game since the September season opener at the University of San Diego.
It also marked the return of starting quarterback Spencer Brasch, who was sidelined for four games with a broken hand.
Head Coach Beau Baldwin said the game “felt right” as the team took a step forward after a string of lopsided losses.
“I was just really happy that we got into a dogfight because we had been in a couple games that didn’t feel like dogfights,” Baldwin said.
Cal Poly earned season highs on total yards and first downs. The Mustangs totaled 384 yards and 24 first downs, while UC Davis tallied 395 total yards and 25 first downs.
The Mustangs (1-6, 0-4 Big Sky) scored more points against the Aggies (7-1, 4-1 Big Sky) than in any Big Sky contest this season. Cal Poly also held UC Davis to under 25 points, a significant improvement from previous contests.
Brasch’s return provided “a bit of a spark” as the offensive develops, Baldwin said.
Brasch, a transfer from Cal, completed 23 of 44 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown.
Cal Poly’s Sam Stewart rushed for 50 yards on nine carries. Zedakiah Centers and Chris Coleman collected seven and six catches respectively for the Mustangs.
Coleman said as Brasch conducted the offense, the Mustangs felt “like every time we might just break one and score, just with the tone of his voice.”
“There’s more consistency, he knows the offense and we’re able to expand the playbook,” Coleman said. “I could look at him and know that we’re looking at the same thing. We’re on the same page.”
Linebacker Matt Shotwell tallied 14 tackles, and defensive lineman Myles Cecil recorded a sack and an interception. Elijah Ponder added two sacks as well.
Cal Poly took its first lead since the opening game of season
After a scoreless first quarter, the Aggies’ Isaiah Gomez kicked a 34-yard field goal to give UC Davis a 3-0 lead.
Cal Poly answered when Spencer Brasch hit Evan Burkhart with a 14-yard score, giving the Mustangs a lead for the first time since the September season opener at the University of San Diego.
The Aggies responded immediately with an 84-second drive spanning 75 yards. Hastings passed to C.J. Hutton for a touchdown to regain the lead 10-7 heading into the locker room.
UC Davis extended the lead with a 30-yard touchdown less than a minute into the second half. Cal Poly’s Matthew Hoffman kicked two field goals, bringing the contest to 17-13. The Aggies finished with a 1-yard touchdown.
While Cal Poly made drives to the 17-, 19- and 24-yard lines in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs could not score, and the Aggies held on to win the Battle of the Golden Horseshoe.
UC Davis now holds an 11-7 edge in the annual rivalry game. The horseshoe-shaped trophy, which pays tribute to the two universities’ agricultural emphasis, was established in 2004 as a perpetual award that is retained by the winner of each year’s game.
Cal Poly will play its next two games on the road, with the first on Oct. 30 at Portland State at 2:05 p.m.
This story was originally published October 23, 2021 at 11:28 PM with the headline "Cal Poly falls to UC Davis in annual Battle for the Golden Horseshoe."
