Game 5 - Aggies 13 - Cal Poly 20

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- James Noble rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown while No. 5 Cal Poly overcame a 10-3 halftime deficit to beat No. 16 UC Davis 23-17 in a Great West Football Conference game played Saturday night before 8,435 fans at Alex G. Spanos Stradium.

UC Davis, which is 2-3 after playing its first five games on the road, is 0-1 in league play. Cal Poly, which snapped a two-game losing streak to the Aggies, is 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the GWFC. The Mustangs also ended a four-game losing streak at home to UC Davis.

The Aggies, who played their first five games on the road to start the 2006 season, will play their home-opener next Saturday against Central Arkansas.

UC Davis beat Cal Poly on its final possession in its last visit to San Luis Obispo two years ago and had a chance to repeat the feat when it took over at its own 18 with 1 minute, 57 seconds remaining on Saturday. However, the Mustangs sacked Aggie quarterback Jon Grant for the third time to force a fourth-and-23 and UC Davis wasn't able to convert as Cal Poly took over and ran out the clock.

"It's a disappointing loss, obviously," said Aggie coach Bob Biggs. "Anytime you play a rivalry game like this emotions run so high and the kids play so hard (that) you just feel for them. Hats off to Cal Poly. They made plays when they had to and they got the win."

The UC Davis defense held Cal Poly to just 211 yards of total offense, including just 59 in the first half. The Aggies finished with 290 yards of offense with Grant completing 18 of 40 passes for 231 yards and a pair of scores. Receiver Tony Kays had six catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.

The Mustangs took control of the game in the third quarter after coming out of halftime with a 10-3 deficit. Cal Poly twice pinned the Aggies deep in their own territory early in the quarter. The first time resulted in a safety less than two minutes into the third quarter when the Mustangs' Wes Pryor blocked Gabe Ellis' punt attempt from the back of the endzone.

Nick Coromelas' punt went out of bounds at the 2 on Cal Poly's next possession, once again forcing the Aggies to start deep in their own end. The Mustangs subsequently took over at the Aggies' 34 after a punt and quickly strung together a 5-play, 34-yard drive that was culminated in a two-yard touchdown run by Noble that gave them a 13-10 lead with 7:53 left in the third.

UC Davis' next two possessions of the quarter started at its own 17- and 9-yard lines, the latter one ending when Grant was intercepted by Kenny Chicoine at the 27 which Chicoine returned to the 4. Cal Poly quarterback Matt Brennan later edged in from a yard out on the last play of the quarter, giving the Mustangs a 20-13 lead. Coromelas had a 45-yard field goal with 6:23 left in the game, giving Cal Poly a 23-10 advantage.

The Aggies made a run at catching Cal Poly late in the fourth quarter by putting together a 6-play, 66-yard drive that was highlighted by Grant's 10-yard run, an 18-yard completion to Kays and a 22-yard touchdown pass to receiver Chris Carter in the corner of the endzone with 4:53 to play.

But Noble, who had a 40-yard run earlier in the quarter, added a 36-yard run to the outside that put the Mustangs into UC Davis territory on their next drive. The Aggies held Cal Poly from getting another first down but Coromelas' punt to the 18 with less than two minutes to play led to the final series.

UC Davis had just eight yards of offense in the first quarter as Cal Poly took an early 3-0 lead on Coromelas' 18-yard field goal. But the Aggies found their stride early in the second quarter as Grant directed a 67-yard drive that culminated in him finding a diving Kays for a 23-yard touchdown pass and a 7-3 lead. It was the third straight game with a touchdown reception for Kays.

A 14-play, 79-yard drive that featured a 23-yard pass to Kays, a 14-yard pass to Carter, and a 15-yard rush by running back Alex Garfio led to a 22-yard field goal from Emmanuel Benjamin with 3:14 left before half that put UC Davis in front 10-3 at the break.

Garfio had a team-high 39 yards rushing for UC Davis while Carter had six catches for 65 yards. Noble carried 23 times for his 121 yards while Brennan completed six passes for 90 yards. He was sacked twice by UC Davis. Receiver Ramses Barden had three grabs for 71 yards.

Linebacker David Heckman had a team-high eight tackles for the Aggies while defensive tackle John Faletoese and linebacker Chris Buck each had sacks. Cornerback Adam Cook had an interception. Linebacker Kyle Shotwell had 10 tackles to lead Cal Poly.

Saturday's game against Central Arkansas begins at 1:05 p.m. at Toomey Field.

Recap courtesy UC Davis Sports Information Media Relations

Cal Poly Game: Players Of The Week

• Offense - Tony Kays (WR)
• Defense - Adam Cook (CB)
• Special Teams - Tyler Pringle
• Offensive Scout - Brandon Tucker
• Defensive Scout - Dozie Amajoyi

Return to 2006 Game Summaries