American college football season
The 2016 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo as member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Tim Walsh, Cal Poly compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the Big Sky. The Mustangs received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they lost to San Diego in the first round. The team played home games at Mustang Stadium in San Luis Obispo, California.
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 3 | 6:30 pm | at Nevada* | | | Campus Insiders | L 27–30 OT | 19,138 |
September 10 | 6:05 pm | San Diego* | | | GoPoly | W 38–16 | 6,251 |
September 17 | 4:00 pm | at No. 9 South Dakota State* | | | ESPN3 | W 38–31 | 16,887 |
September 24 | 12:00 pm | No. 6 Montana | | - Alex G. Spanos Stadium
- San Luis Obispo, CA
| RTNW | W 42–41 | 8,156 |
October 1 | 11:00 am | at North Dakota | No. 16 | | Midco SN | L 24–31 | 10,097 |
October 15 | 2:30 pm | at Portland State | No. 19 | | GoPoly | W 55–35 | 4,019 |
October 22 | 6:05 pm | UC Davis | No. T–17 | | GoPoly | W 21–16 | 11,075 |
October 29 | 6:00 pm | at Sacramento State | No. 14 | | GoPoly | W 59–47 | 5,334 |
November 5 | 6:05 pm | No. 3 Eastern Washington | No. 14 | - Alex G. Spanos Stadium
- San Luis Obispo, CA
| GoPoly | L 21–42 | 9,722 |
November 12 | 11:00 am | at Weber State | No. 16 | | KJZZ | L 15–22 | 7,821 |
November 19 | 6:05 pm | Northern Colorado | No. 21 | - Alex G. Spanos Stadium
- San Luis Obispo, CA
| GoPoly | W 55–48 | 6,863 |
November 26 | 4:00 pm | No. 24 San Diego* | No. 21 | | ESPN3 | L 21–35 | 3,356 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Pacific time
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[1][2]
Ranking
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below | Week |
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
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STATS FCS | — | RV | RV | RV | 16 | 21 | 19 | 17–T | 14 | 14 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 24 |
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Coaches | — | RV | RV | RV | 18 | 22 | 20 | 18–T | 17 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 21–T |
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Game summaries
At Nevada
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 | OT |
Total |
Mustangs
|
7
|
3
|
0
|
14 | 3 |
27 |
Wolf Pack
|
21
|
3
|
0
|
0 | 6 |
30 |
San Diego
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Toreros
|
0
|
13
|
0
|
3 |
16 |
Mustangs
|
10
|
7
|
14
|
7 |
38 |
At South Dakota State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Mustangs
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
21 |
38 |
#9 Jackrabbits
|
7
|
3
|
7
|
14 |
31 |
Montana
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#6 Grizzlies
|
7
|
17
|
7
|
10 |
41 |
Mustangs
|
7
|
21
|
7
|
7 |
42 |
At North Dakota
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#16 Mustangs
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
10 |
24 |
Fighting Hawks
|
10
|
0
|
14
|
7 |
31 |
At Portland State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#19 Mustangs
|
13
|
14
|
14
|
14 |
55 |
Vikings
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
7 |
35 |
UC Davis
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Aggies
|
6
|
3
|
0
|
7 |
16 |
#17–T Mustangs
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
At Sacramento State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#14 Mustangs
|
14
|
3
|
21
|
21 |
59 |
Hornets
|
7
|
14
|
0
|
26 |
47 |
Eastern Washington
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#3 Eagles
|
14
|
7
|
14
|
7 |
42 |
#14 Mustangs
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
21 |
At Weber State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#16 Mustangs
|
0
|
7
|
8
|
0 |
15 |
Wildcats
|
12
|
3
|
0
|
7 |
22 |
Northern Colorado
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bears
|
7
|
17
|
7
|
17 |
48 |
#21 Mustangs
|
21
|
13
|
7
|
14 |
55 |
San Diego–NCAA Division I First Round
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
#24 Toreros
|
14
|
0
|
7
|
14 |
35 |
#21 Mustangs
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
References
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |