Nov. 27, 2005

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Redshirt freshman running back James Noble broke one school record, tied another and junior linebacker Kyle Shotwell shattered a third mark as No. 9-ranked Cal Poly defeated No. 10 Montana 35-21 in the opening round of the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs Saturday afternoon before 16,162 in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Noble rushed for 188 yards and four touchdowns while senior defensive end Chris Gocong recorded three of Cal Poly's seven sacks as the Mustangs earned their first-ever playoff win at the Division I-AA level.

Noble now has 1,488 yards for the season, breaking the old school record of 1,424 yards set by Louis Jackson in the 1980 season, Cal Poly's NCAA Division II national championship campaign. Noble's 15 rushing touchdowns this season ties the mark established by Gary Davis in 1975.

With the win, Cal Poly (9-3) will play Texas State (10-2) in the quarterfinal round next Saturday afternoon. Site of the game will be announced Sunday. Texas State scored the final 34 points of the game to turn a 35-16 deficit into a 50-35 victory over Georgia Southern in San Marcos, Texas, on Saturday.

In recording his eighth 100-yard game of the season, Noble scored on runs of three, four, five and 35 yards as Cal Poly avenged a 36-27 loss to Montana five weeks earlier, also in Missoula. Montana, the 2004 NCAA runner-up, finishes the 2005 campaign 8-4.

Cal Poly beat Montana for the first time in the series, snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Grizzlies. The Mustangs are in the NCAA playoffs for the first time as a I-AA member.

Junior running back Lex Hilliard scored three times for Montana -- runs of five and 18 yards and a 66-yard shovel pass from Cole Bergquist. The third score pulled Montana to within one touchdown, 28-21.

But Noble burst through a hole at left tackle and sprinted 35 yards untouched into the endzone with 5:06 to play, expanding Cal Poly's lead to 35-21.

Montana's last-gasp effort to score ended when Mustang free safety Kenny Chicoine intercepted Bergquist at the 5-yard-line with 3:52 to go.

Cal Poly built a 423-261 advantage in total offense and 24-13 in first downs. The Mustangs had the ball for 38 minutes, 44 seconds, compared to just 21:16 for the Grizzlies.

Noble carried the ball a season-high 41 times, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Brennan added 59 yards on 14 trips and completed eight of 16 passes for 130 yards, including a 38-yard scoring pass to Ramses Barden late in the first half, giving Cal Poly a 28-21 lead.

Barden and Tredale Tolver each caught three passes for the Mustangs.

Bergquist completed 13 of 24 passes for 167 yards and one score. Hilliard, who rushed for 237 yards against Cal Poly in a 36-27 win Oct. 22, was "held" to 94 yards on 20 carries in the rematch.

Jon Talmage and Ryan Bagley each caught five passes for the Grizzlies.

Cal Poly's defense recorded seven sacks, including three by Gocong and two by nose tackle Chris White. Shotwell logged 11 tackles to raise his season total to 138, breaking the mark of 135 set last year by Jordan Beck. Gocong, Mark Restelli and Chicoine each added six tackles.

Gocong now has 22 tackles this season, adding to his record total, and his 40.5 career sacks are three shy of the mark set by Tom Carey from 1985-88.

Lance Spencer recorded 11 tackles for Montana while Kyle Ryan and Shane MacIntyre added 10 each.

Cal Poly now has 57 sacks this season, a school record.

Montana won national titles in 1995 and 2001, qualified for the playoffs a record 13th consecutive year and was making its 16th postseason appearance. The Grizzlies are 20-4 in home playoff games.

2005 NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs First Round Cal Poly 35, Montana 21 New Hampshire 55, Colgate 21 Appalachian State 34, Lafayette 23 Texas State 50, Georgia Southern 35 Northern Iowa 41, Eastern Washington 38 Furman 14, Nicholls State 12 Southern Illinois 21, Eastern Illinois 6 Richmond 38, Hampton 10

Quarterfinal-Round Pairings Sites to be Announced Sunday Cal Poly (9-3) vs. Texas State (10-2) New Hampshire (11-1) vs. Northern Iowa (9-3) Richmond (9-3) vs. Furman (10-2) Appalachian State (9-3) vs. Southern Illinois (9-3)