Nov. 15, 2008

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Quarterback Jonathan Dally rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown, Ramses Barden caught two scoring passes and No. 3 Cal Poly erupted for 30 points in the second half as the Mustangs beat UC Davis 51-28, winning the Great West Conference championship before a sellout crowd at Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Saturday night.

The victory improved the Mustangs' overall record to 8-1 and their league mark to 3-0. UC Davis, which was led by 145 receiving yards and three touchdowns from Brandon Rice, fell to 5-6 overall while finishing the Great West season with a 2-1 record. Quarterback Greg Denham threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns, his fourth consecutive 300-yard game for the Aggies.

Linebacker Tyler Pringle posted a game-high 11 tackles to lead the UC Davis defense.

Cal Poly scored three touchdowns over the first 10 minutes of the third quarter - one of them off a turnover - to take a 41-21 lead after the teams went into halftime tied 21-21. Rice's third touchdown - this one from 28 yards - brought the Aggies to within 41-28 with 2 minutes, 42 seconds left in the third quarter but that was as close as they would get the rest of the way.

UC Davis will finish its 2008 season at the University of San Diego on Nov. 22. Kickoff is 6 p.m.

(MORE DETAILS TO COME)