Cal Poly football preview: Mustangs bring experience, high hopes to new season

After finishing last season with three wins — its highest total since 2018 when they last reached five victories — Cal Poly football is set to open the season this weekend with high hopes following months of work in spring and summer camps.

Like many programs across the country, the Mustangs saw various roster changes through the transfer portal this offseason, a now-constant reality in college sports these days.

Adding to that shifting landscape is the approval of the NCAA House Ssettlement, which now allows Division I schools that opted in — including Cal Poly — to share revenue directly with athletes within a capped amount. The approval is signaling a new era for college athletics.

Being a mid-major school, Cal Poly faces the challenge of adapting to these sweeping changes with more limited resources than the power conference schools, balancing the need to remain competitive while managing the financial realities of revenue sharing and roster caps.

Head Coach Paul Wulff, now entering his third season at the helm, is tasked with guiding Cal Poly football through a season with greater expectations than the 3-8, 2-6 Big Sky finish last season.

Mustangs hope to build on experience

Consistency on the offensive end was one of the areas that plagued the Mustangs last season.

In almost every offensive category, the Mustangs were at or near the bottom of the Big Sky Conference with the exception of passing. In 2024, their passing game was ranked No. 4.

Wulff says that for the past few years, the team has been young and inexperienced, if not the youngest team showing up on Saturday nights.

“We have way more experience than we’ve ever had, and our talent levels have improved dramatically,” Wulff said. “Those are the ingredients for us to be a lot better, but now we’ve gotta go make it happen.”

With a large core of players returning, the Mustangs kicked off spring camp two months earlier than usual, adopting a “sooner the better” mentality to maximize time in the weight room and enter the season more prepared.

“Getting them in the position to add the muscle and strength we need has been vital,” Wulff said at the Big Sky media conference on July 20. “It’s shown up so far.”

A key takeaway from summer camp, Wulff noted, was the emergence of significant depth across the roster, creating more competition and flexibility at every position.

That depth not only allows players the chance to recover without being overworked, but also raises the standard for earning playing time. In past years, Wulff said, opportunities often went to whoever was left standing.

“That’s just not going to be enough for who we’re going to face every Saturday,” Wulff said. “You have to compete to earn the right to play.”

Mustang players to watch this year

Take the quarterback room, for instance.

Wulff said he feels confident in multiple players’ ability to operate an offense — Bo Kelly, Jackson Atkins, Anthony Grigsby Jr. and Ty Dieffenbach, who can all step in and effectively run the offense.

Having multiple capable options not only provides stability but also ensures the Mustangs won’t be defined by just one player under center.

Michael Briscoe returns as Cal Poly’s reliable target at wide receiver after posting 25 catches for 538 yards and four touchdowns last season, ranking among the FCS leaders with 21.5 yards per reception.

At tight end, sophomore Alek Marshall brings valuable experience from a freshman year in which he played all 11 games and scored twice.

And the backfield adds a new dimension with junior-college transfer Tyrei Washington, who looks to make an immediate impact.

Wulff noted that, for the first time in several years, the Mustangs return meaningful experience on defense. He said the unit returns a strong core of experienced players, giving Cal Poly a foundation to build on and a chance to make a bigger impact on that side of the ball.

“We expect guys like Mikey D’Amato, Kenny Olson and Ethan Calvert to play very well for us,” Wulff said. “On the defensive line, Ethan Rodriguez should have a spectacular leak year, along with Victory Johnson.”

Cal Poly football faces tough conference schedule

With four of their first five matchups away from San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs will have to lean on their depth and preparation to navigate the grind of early-season travel. Their home opener is in the middle of that stretch, against Western Oregon on Sept. 13.

Cal Poly’s eight-game conference schedule will pose some real tests.

It includes matchups with four of the top five teams last year: conference champ Montana State (8-0 Big Sky), UC Davis (7-1), Northern Arizona (6-2) and Montana (5-3).

The Mustangs open conference play on the road at Sacramento State (1-7) on Sept. 27.

Rounding out the schedule are games against Portland State (3-5), Idaho State (3-5) and the season finale against Eastern Washington (3-5).

The Mustangs will face the University of San Diego in their season opener on Saturday at Torero Stadium at 5 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

This story was originally published August 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM.