Cal Poly runs up a 56-7 win before packed house at its home opener
In a packed home opener at Spanos Stadium, Cal Poly fans got to witness a dominant 56-7 Mustang win against Division II Western Oregon.
The Mustangs (2-1) are already off to a stronger start compared to recent seasons, including last year when they won only three games after dropping their first two.
It didn’t take long for the offense to make noise on Saturday.
On the very first play, quarterback Ty Dieffenbach connected with wide receiver Michael Briscoe for a 70-yard touchdown strike. From there, the Mustangs kept the Wolves’ defense on its heels.
Briscoe went on to score three more times in the opening half, accounting for four of Cal Poly’s five first-half touchdowns. The other came from backup quarterback Anthony Grigsby Jr., who kept it himself for a 4-yard rushing score. That drive was set up by Briscoe’s 41-yard reception on the play before.
By halftime, Briscoe sat just one touchdown shy of breaking the program’s single-game record. The redshirt senior, however, did not record another touch after his explosive opening half.
“Last year they played a lot of corners,” Briscoe said. “So we just planned to attack that corner’s coverage.”
That approach proved lethal.
With Western Oregon’s corners frequently left in one-on-one coverage, Cal Poly made it a priority to exploit those matchups, targeting Briscoe early and often. The result was four touchdowns and more than a hundred yards before the Wolves’ defense could adjust.
With a rotation of quarterbacks in the mix throughout the game, Briscoe found success with both Dieffenbach and Grigsby under center.
“We practice with both of them so the connection is there,” Briscoe said. “Communicating what we see as wide receivers, and then what they see — kinda just being on the same page, regardless of who the quarterback is.”
That chemistry translated seamlessly to the field.
Dieffenbach hit Briscoe on explosive plays to set the tone early, while Grigsby capitalized on shorter drives to keep the offense moving. Even with different styles under center, Briscoe’s timing and trust with both quarterbacks ensured the offense never lost rhythm.
On top of the offense dominating the throwing game, Cal Poly’s defense held firm and disciplined, led by linebacker Mikey D’Amato.
“Our goal is to go 50% in the red zone, and that’s something we practice every day,” D’Amato said, crediting defensive coordinator Cody vonAppen’s emphasis on situational execution throughout the week.
Western Oregon — known for leaning on its ground game, which produced the majority of its offense in a win over Southern Oregon the week before — found no such success against the Mustangs.
Cal Poly limited the Wolves to just 68 rushing yards, shutting down their primary offensive weapon and forcing them into uncomfortable passing downs.
“We take pride in being good against the run,” Head Coach Paul Wullff said. “It’s (what’s) important to win football games, and I thought for the most part we did a good job tonight on that for sure.”
Trey Wilson added his first career touchdown, while Kendric Sanders powered in a rushing score.
On defense, Kresean Kizzy sealed the night with a 74-yard interception return, capping off the Mustangs’ scoring.
Cal Poly’s defense gave up just one touchdown all game, a 29-yard reception in the third quarter, before closing out the 56-7 win.
Last season, Western Oregon kept things closer in a 31-14 loss to the Mustangs, but Saturday’s rematch looked much different.
“We are a lot better football team than we’ve been,” Wulff said. “We’re still not where we could be or where we need to be, but we’re definitely growing. We’re more explosive and scoring more points than we have in the past, too, so all those things factor in.”
The Mustangs will now look to carry that momentum on the road against Stephen F. Austin next Saturday, Sept. 20, at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
This story was originally published September 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM.