SAN
LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Oct. 17 - Tysson
Poots caught a 15-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds to play to pull Southern
Utah to within 24-23 but one of the most reliable kickers in the country, Ryan
Griffith, pulled the extra point wide left, leaving the Thunderbirds on the
short end at Cal Poly once again.
After
a late Cal Poly field goal staked the Mustangs to a 24-17 lead with 1:51 to
play, Cooper directed a 10-play, 65-yard drive that ended with the touchdown
pass to Tysson Poots, who went up between two Mustangs to catch the pass.
The
real difference in the game, however, were the turnovers.
Despite
out-gaining Cal Poly by 81 yards, 200-to-119, in the first half, the
Thunderbirds trailed at break, 14-7, largely because the Mustangs got both turnovers
in the first 30 minutes.
With
the game tied 7-7, Cade Cooper fumbled and the Mustangs recovered at the SUU
19. Five plays later Jon Hall ran two yards to stake the Mustangs to the 14-7
lead.
Late
in the half SUU drove inside the Mustang 20 but David Fullerton stepped in
front of a pass intended for Fesi Sitake in the end zone to thwart an SUU
drive.
Cal
Poly drew first blood with a 23-yard Jake Romanelli run up the middle at the
6:35 mark of the first period but the Thunderbirds answered right back with a
12-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a 14-yard Cooper-to-Jared Ursua
touchdown pass.
Southern
Utah scored on its first possession of the second half on a one-yard pass from
Cooper to Abbel Aiono to tie it at 14-14 but Cal Poly was able to answer.
Quarterback Tony Smith ran the option to perfection and capped an eight-play,
63-yard drive with a run around the left end for a touchdown and a 21-14
Mustang lead.
Griffith
pulled SU to within 21-17 with a 34-yard field goal before Chris Pinto hit the
one late for Cal Poly.
Cooper
completed 27-of-40 passes for 263 yards, his fouth straight game over 250 yards
as the Thunderbirds out-gamed Cal Poly 385 yards to 250. SUU had 122 rushing
yards and Cal Poly had 228 and just 22 passing yards. Poots caught 12 passes for 170 yards.
"We
lost those turnovers and those negated an outstanding performance by both our
offense and our defense tonight," SUU Coach Ed Lamb said.
-- SUU --
