San Luis Obispo, Calif.- A fourth quarter rally by the Idaho State football team fell just short as Cal Poly defeated the Bengals 32-29 on Saturday evening.
The Bengals trailed 26-14 going into the fourth quarter and tied the game at 29 with 58 seconds remaining in the game.
ISU got within five points at 26-21 after
Shane Dailey Jr. returned a punt 35 yards to the Cal Poly-13 yard line.
Tyevin Ford then punched it in on the first play from 13-yards out to cut the Idaho State deficit to 26-21 with 7:56 left in the game.
Cal Poly extended its lead to 29-21 on a 36-yard field goal with 3:56 left in the game. The Bengals then drove 79 yards down the field and cut the Mustang lead to 29-27 when
Jared Scott caught a four-yard touchdown pass on a fourth and goal from the four yard line. Dailey converted the two-point conversion on a reception from
Sagan Gronauer to tie the game at 29 with 58 seconds left.
The Bengals forced Cal Poly to punt the ball on the succeeding possession but during the play, the live ball hit a Bengal player, returning possession to Cal Poly and allowing the Mustangs to set up what would be the game-winning field goal from 41-yards out.
Cal Poly took a 7-0 lead with 4:17 left in the first quarter but the Bengals later responded when
Tanner Conner scored on a 21-yard reception from Gronauer to tie the game at seven with 45 seconds left in the first.
Cal Poly took a 14-7 lead with 10:59 left in the first half. The Bengals then responded by taking advantage of two 15-yard penalties on Cal Poly to tie the game at 14 thanks to a Ford seven-yard touchdown run with 6:38 left until halftime.
Cal Poly scored 12 third quarter points and the Bengal turned the ball over twice in the second half to allow the Mustangs take a 26-14 lead. Ford scored his second touchdown of the game on a 13-yard run with 7:56 left. The score was set up by a Dailey 35-yard punt return to the 13-yard line.
Idaho State had 500 total yards and held Cal Poly to 351. The Bengals rushed for 227 yards and threw for 273.
Gronauer threw for 273 yards. He was 23-38 with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ford rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.
Scott had nine receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown while Dailey had six receptions for 95 yards and a two-point conversion. Conner caught six balls for 83 yards and one touchdown.
Jacob Jones led the defense with eight tackles
Idaho State closes out the 2021 regular season with its final game at home vs. Idaho in the ICCU Battle of the Domes. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. It will be the final home game for
David Allish,
Tanner Conner,
Jacob Jones,
Jared Scott,
Manase Time,
Oshea Trujillo and
Rasheed Williams.
Nate Shubert and
Colton Belnap, who finished their playing career in the spring will also be honored.
