POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State Bengals 3-3 (1-1 BSC) completed an exciting walk-off win in San Luis Obispo, defeating the Cal Poly Mustangs 41-38 with a game-winning kick by Gabe Panikowski as time expired.
Press Conference
How it Happened
Last week, the score in the fourth quarter of the Bengals and Bobcats game was 17-10 in the fourth quarter. Trying to avoid that this week in San Luis Obispo, the Bengals and Cal Poly Mustangs combined for 45 first half points and 484 yards of total offense as the Bengals took a 24-21 lead into halftime.
The Mustangs scored first in the game on the first drive of the game. The Bengals responded with a 10 play drive that was capped by a field goal by Gabe Panikowski to cut the lead to 7-3.
The next Cal Poly drive, the Bengal defense stepped up as Kris Sanchez forced a fumble on the Mustang quarterback and the Bengals recovered, diving on the ball.
ISU QB Kobe Tracy then marched down the field with passes to Jeff Weimer and Ian Duarte before finding Christian Fredericksen with a dart to the middle of the endzone for the Bengal score.
The next drive, Weimer went off, snagging a pass on the 40, fighting off the Mustang defenders and sprinting down the sideline to the endzone and putting the Bengals up 17-7.
The Mustangs scored again to cut the lead to 17-14. Cal Poly scored again on an interception and looked to take a 24-17 lead into the locker room.
The Bengal defense wasn't having it and Mason Young laid a hit on the Cal Poly QB, knocking the ball loose and giving Hunter Hays the change to scamper into the endzone for his 10th career rushing touchdown.
In the 2nd half, Cal Poly scored first to go up 28-24 before Tracy and the Bengal offense came back on the field.
Chipping away, the Bengals put together a 10 play, 75 yard drive capped by a 21 yard touchdown pass to Christian Fredericksen, who fought his way into the endzone and move the Bengals up 31-28 with 3:08 to play in the 3rd.
The fourth quarter was a complete back and forth battle which seemed as if the final team to hold possession would win the match.
When it mattered most, the Bengal defense held firm. With a 4th and 1 on the 24 yard line, the Bengal linebackers left it all on the field and stuffed the dominant Cal Poly Run game for a turnover on downs.
The Bengal offense did what it does best and chewed its way down the field to set Gabe Panikowski up to drill the game winning field goal through the uprights.
BENGAL BITES
· This is the Bengals' first win in San Luis Obispo since the 2003 season when the Bengals fought in the rain to a 38-31 victory over the Mustangs.
· This is now the 2nd game in a row in San Luis Obispo that has been decided by a game-winning field goal.
· The Bengal offensive line has now only given up 1 sack in the past three games, all against top pass rushing teams in the FCS
· The Bengals had 425 passing yards, a high against a DI opponent this season and the most since the win over EWU in 2023
· Jeff Weimer's 84 yard touchdown reception from Kobe Tracy is the 4th longest offensive play of the past 15 years.
· Weimer had 236 receiving yards on 12 receptions both of which are career highs for the Bengal. This was the first 200+ yard game for a Bengal in a year.
· Christian Fredericksen broke the 100 yard mark for the first time this season, with 120 yards on nine receptions and two TDs
· Kobe Tracy's 425 passing yards is the first 400+ game for a Bengal in 3 years. Since Tyler VanDer Waal against Eastern Washington in 2021.
· Nathan Reynolds had a season-high and career-high 14 tackles
· Cal Poly had only given up 2 sacks this season, the Bengals tacked on another with a huge hit from Logan George.
· ISU had 5 tackles for loss in the game.
· The Bengals had a season-high yards per play mark against the Mustangs averaging 7.8 per play during the game
NEXT UP
Idaho State is back home next week hosting the Portland State Vikings with a 4:00 PM Kickoff in the ICCU Dome
