0-1
San Diego State
1-0
Cal Poly Falls to San Diego State, 49-21, in Season Opener
9/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Senior quarterback Ryan Lindley threw four touchdown passes and sophomore running back Ronnie Hillman rushed for 189 yards and two more scores as San Diego State defeated Cal Poly 49-21 in a season-opening non-conference football game Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium.
Lindley completed 15 of 27 passes for 203 yards, including two scoring tosses to Dylan Denso and one each to Gavin Escobar and Colin Lockett as the Aztecs snapped a two-game losing streak against the Mustangs, avenging 16-14 and 29-27 setbacks in 2006 and 2008, respectively.
San Diego State scored the first two touchdowns of the game and never looked back. Cal Poly closed the gap to 14-7 and 21-14 before the Aztecs scored three unanswered touchdowns to pull away.
Lockett capped the scoring with a 94-yard kickoff return with 6:30 to play in the game, the first kickoff return for a touchdown given up by Cal Poly since 2007.
Trailing 14-0 after one quarter, Cal Poly put together an 80-yard nine-play drive, getting on the scoreboard on the first play of the second quarter on a three-yard run around left end by senior slotback Mark Rodgers.
After San Diego State rebuilt its 14-point cushion, Cal Poly answered with a 17-yard run by senior fullback Jake Romanelli with 6:20 to go in the second quarter.
Key play in that 74-yard drive was a 52-yard halfback pass from Rodgers to freshman wide receiver Lance Castaneda. The Mustangs trailed 21-14.
San Diego State, winner of the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl, responded with three straight touchdowns to pull away.
Cal Poly's final score was a two-yard run by junior quarterback Andre Broadous with 6:43 to play in the game. Broadous hit junior wide receiver Brandon Michalkiewicz with a 49-yard pass to set up the score.
San Diego State produced a 492-284 advantage in total offense and 22-12 in first downs.
Broadous completed six of 13 passes for 95 yards and Castaneda, Michalkiewicz and Chris Nicholls each caught two passes for the Mustangs. Rodgers finished with 51 yards on 12 carries while Romanelli had 35 yards on seven trips and Broadous 20 yards on 13 carries.
With his 189 yards, Hillman was the first opponent to crack the 100-yard mark in rushing against Cal Poly since the 2009 season.
Cal Poly remains on the road for its second game, visiting Montana for a 12:05 p.m. non-conference game next Saturday in Missoula, Mont. Montana fell 42-16 to Tennessee on Saturday.
Team Stats
CP 0, SDSU 7
SDSU - HILLMAN, Ronnie 2 yd run (PEREZ, Abelardo kick), 6 plays, 81 yards, TOP 2:59
CP 0, SDSU 14
SDSU - ESCOBAR, Gavin 4 yd pass from LINDLEY, Ryan (PEREZ, Abelardo kick) 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:09
CP 7, SDSU 14
CP - Mark Rodgers 3 yd run (James Langford kick), 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:35
CP 7, SDSU 21
SDSU - DENSO, Dylan 3 yd pass from LINDLEY, Ryan (PEREZ, Abelardo kick) 14 plays, 73 yards, TOP 6:26
CP 14, SDSU 21
CP - Jake Romanelli 17 yd run (James Langford kick), 5 plays, 74 yards, TOP 2:10
CP 14, SDSU 28
SDSU - DENSO, Dylan 33 yd pass from LINDLEY, Ryan (PEREZ, Abelardo kick) 7 plays, 79 yards, TOP 2:51
CP 14, SDSU 35
SDSU - LOCKETT, Colin 18 yd pass from LINDLEY, Ryan (PEREZ, Abelardo kick) 9 plays, 88 yards, TOP 4:47
CP 14, SDSU 42
SDSU - HILLMAN, Ronnie 27 yd run (PEREZ, Abelardo kick), 4 plays, 36 yards, TOP 2:13
CP 21, SDSU 42
CP - Andre Broadous 2 yd run (James Langford kick), 6 plays, 70 yards, TOP 2:02
CP 21, SDSU 49
SDSU - LOCKETT, Colin 94 yd kickoff return (PEREZ, Abelardo kick)
