2023 Cal Poly Mustangs football team explained

Year:2023
Team:Cal Poly Mustangs
Sport:football
Conference:Big Sky Conference
Short Conf:Big Sky
Record:3–8
Conf Record:1–7
Head Coach:Paul Wulff
Hc Year:1st
Off Coach:Sheldon Cross
Oc Year:1st
Codef Coach1:Will Plemons
Codc1 Year:2nd
Codef Coach2:Cody Von Appen
Codc2 Year:2nd
Stadium:Alex G. Spanos Stadium

The 2023 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic State University as a member of the Big Sky Conference the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Mustangs were led by first-year head coach Paul Wulff and now played their home games at Mustang Memorial Field in San Luis Obispo, California.

Preseason

Polls

On July 23, 2023, during the virtual Big Sky Kickoff, the Mustangs were predicted to finish eleventh in the Big Sky by both the coaches and media.[1]

Coaches poll
1Montana State120 (10)
2UC Davis96 (1)
3Sacramento State94 (1)
4Weber State91
5Idaho89
6Montana84
7Eastern Washington52
8Portland State45
9Northern Arizona44
10Northern Colorado37
11Cal Poly25
12Idaho State15
Media poll
1Montana State447 (26)
2Idaho410 (8)
3Montana359 (2)
4Sacramento State334 (3)
5UC Davis330
6Weber State320
7Eastern Washington216
8Northern Arizona178
9Portland State167
10Northern Colorado109
11Cal Poly103
12Idaho State69

Preseason All–Big Sky team

The Mustangs had one player selected to the preseason all-Big Sky team.[2]

Defense

David Meyer – LB

Schedule

[3]

Conference opponents not scheduled this season: Idaho State, Montana, Northern Arizona

Game summaries

At San Jose State

See also: 2023 San Jose State Spartans football team.

style=Pregame line!style=Over/under!style=Win prob.
SJSU -23.5 60 SJSU 88.4%
Statistics CPSJSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Cal Poly Passing
Rushing
Receiving
SJSU Passing
Rushing
Receiving

No. 3 Idaho

See also: 2023 Idaho Vandals football team.

At No. 9 Sacramento State

See also: 2023 Sacramento State Hornets football team.

Statistics CPSAC
First downs 24 23
Total yards 539 538
Rushing yards 45 225
Passing yards 494 313
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 38–59–2 17–26–1
Time of possession 29:37 30:23
Team Category Player Statistics
Cal Poly Passing 37/58, 483 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing Paul Holyfield Jr. 7 carries, 27 yards, TD
Receiving Michael Briscoe 3 receptions, 124 yards, 2 TD
Sacramento State Passing Carson Conklin 17/26, 313 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing Marcus Fulcher 20 carries, 121 yards
Receiving Jared Gipson 5 receptions, 154 yards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Montana State Tabbed Preseason Football Favorites. July 25, 2021. July 26, 2023.
  2. Web site: Meyer Selected to Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team. July 24, 2023. July 26, 2023.
  3. Web site: 2023 Cal Poly Football Schedule . gopoly.com . April 17, 2022.