Nov. 16, 2002
box score
Pocatello, ID---Idaho State got a solid 122-yard, two-touchdown effort from Isaac Mitchell to defeat Cal Poly 24-14 at Holt Arena to run ISU's record to 7-3, and a perfect 6-0 at home, but Weber State, Idaho State's arch-nemesis, couldn't hold a 12-point lead with two minutes to go, and further clouded ISU's playoff prospects.
Desapite ISU's win, their playoff fate, even with a win, is out of their hands. The combination of Saturday's win by Montana State, and losses by Montana and Weber State means that the conference title comes down to next week's showdown between Montana and Montana State. Whoever wins that game will win earn the automatic berth to the NCAA I-AA playoffs, despite Montana owning a 10-1 record, and Montana State sitting at just 6-5. An MSU win would mean Montana would most likely get an at-large berth, and ISU would be on the outside as the third Big Sky team, despite earning a share of their first conference title since 1981.
Idaho State gained just 309 yards of offense, over 100 yards below their average, but had more than enough to win. The Bengals scored first on a Jeremy Hershey 28-yard field goal, and then Audie Attar blocked a Gilbert Rocha punt, and Eugene Mirador fell on the ball in the end zone for a 9-0 lead.
Cal Poly then attempted to fake a punt deep in their own territory, but they fumbled the ball, and ended up with a 12-yard loss that turned into a 2-yard run for Isaac Mitchell.
Cal Poly got on the board late with a 1 yard run by Chris Peterson, but ISU scored to open the second half on another 2-yard Mitchell run, one play after a 60-yard burst down deep into Mustang territory. Cal Poly closed the scoring with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Jones.
Cal Poly was stuck in horrid field position due to the exploits of Johnson, who obliterated Harold Alexander's former record of 55.7 yards per punt. Johnson averaged 61.5 yards per kick on punts of 80, 51, 49, 52, 67, and 70 yards. Emery Beckles also had another good night with 111 yards on his returns.
