Despite a tough loss to then-winless Utah Tech last week, Cal Poly first-year head coach Tim Skipper appears to have the Mustangs moving in the right direction. After a big opening-day win over Idaho, the Mustangs have been solid as they sit at 3-3 in the Big Sky Conference and 4-5 overall heading into their game at Montana State.
Losing to Utah Tech was the biggest setback of the season for Skipper and his crew as they went down 43-26 after not having lost a game by more than 10 points all season, including a 30-20 loss to FBS San Jose State. The combination of results makes the Mustangs an unpredictable, if not dangerous, team.
MSU head coach Brent Vigen had a pretty simple explanation for the Mustangs’ loss to Utah Tech.
“What happened last week? Well, they turned the ball over six times,” Vigen said. “No matter who you play, that’s going to be a real challenge. Now, even within the Utah Tech game, there were multiple plays being made by them on both sides of the ball. So, we absolutely have to anticipate their best and know what their best looks like. The thought that anybody’s going to come in here and lay down and die isn’t crossing our minds.”
Cal Poly has defeated Idaho and Idaho State — and its game against Weber State went into double overtime before the Mustangs succumbed.
“There’s enough sample size,” Vigen said. “They’ve beaten both Idaho schools. They took the team that we just played (Weber State) and had challenges with — it was a double-overtime game, I think. So, seeing them for what they could be at their very best is what we want to be able to do week in, week out.”
While Vigen has faced Skipper across the field, offensive line coach Matt Smith spent three years on the same sideline as Skipper at Fresno State. Skipper, like Smith, is a former Bulldogs player who started at linebacker for four seasons (1997-2000). He was one of the most prolific tacklers in school history and still ranks second in career tackles. Skipper was a three-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection and a Freshman All-American. He was a two-time nominee for the Butkus Award, which is given to the nation’s top college linebacker.
“Tim Skipper is a former Bulldog as well, Bulldog legend linebacker, playing with his hair on fire,” Smith said. “So, Coach Skip, he’s one of the best, man. Brings energy, great focus, such a professional. I’ve learned so much from him in everything: recruiting, how to garner respect from your peers by the way you go about your business.”
With three games remaining, Skipper has already matched the school’s highest win total since 2018, and his three Big Sky wins are the most for Cal Poly in any season since 2018.
“Looking at this opportunity against Cal Poly, I think an improved team for sure,” Vigen said. “Another first-year coach in Coach Skipper, and I think he’s had a great track record over his career. And I think what he’s brought is apparent. It’s a little bit of a shift in culture, I would guess. I know they’ve found ways to win a few that have been really tight matchups, and at the same time they’ve lost a few.”
The main driver for the Mustangs’ offense has been quarterback Anthony Grigsby Jr., who joins a long list of solid quarterbacks in the Big Sky this season. Running back Jaden Green was prolific running the ball but was out with an injury last week, and his status for this week is unknown. Green had a 259-yard rushing game against Eastern Washington earlier this season. Wide receiver Tayvion McCoy gives the Mustangs a triple threat.
“Offensively, certainly their quarterback Grigsby is the one that makes it go for them,” Vigen said. “Dynamic athlete, good passer. I know Green as a running back is certainly one of the more dangerous guys in the league. He didn’t play last week, so we’ll see what happens there. McCoy is one of the more explosive pass receivers in the league too. So, they have some real explosive qualities on offense. These last couple weeks, they’ve turned it over like crazy, and that’s been a big part of why they haven’t been successful these last two weeks.
“I think you look at their weapons and the dual-threat nature of their quarterback. He’s a lot to defend. I think he’s got all the ability: a really quick release, really good arm talent, the ability to extend plays, the ability to be used in the quarterback run game. And then they’ve got good guys to throw to, good guys to hand it to. Green is elusive and quick and fast as a running back, and they double that up with a big back (Koen Glover) who’s probably 220, 225. They use their tight ends well at the same time. So, they do a lot, and I think it is their intent to be balanced. Their quarterback’s style really allows for that.”
Vigen knows that slowing down the Mustang attack is easier said than done because of Grigsby’s mobility, even though the Bobcats have faced quarterbacks with similar skills multiple times this season.
“Trying to keep these guys contained on a whiteboard is pretty simple, but then actually, in that the (quarterback) is moving around as opposed to a stationary target, that’s a lot more challenging,” Vigen said.
He’s counting on his defensive ends to make an impact on Grigsby, with the approach that harassing the quarterback leads to good things.
“Can we get our guys, Zac (Crews) and Seth Brock, in some of these one-on-one matchups? And we’ve had some success,” Vigen said. “I know Zac’s been a terror. I think every game he doesn’t have all these crazy numbers, but the number of times he’s affected the quarterback is pretty significant. That’s probably the number one way to defeat a rush: just get the ball out.”
The defensive side of the ball was hit hard when All-Big Sky linebacker Mikey D’Amato, a former MSU player, was lost for the season with an injury.
“He’s highly productive,” Vigen said. “Mikey was here for a short time, so we know him, and he’s very determined. As far as putting in the work and being prepared, I’m sure he’s at the high end of that scale. So, his experience and his playmaking ability, that loss is definitely felt. I know Olson, who plays alongside of him, is very similar as far as his ability to play sideline to sideline and diagnose and do things fast.
“Defensively, you see a team that when they’re on, they’re on. They’ve got a good front, defensive ends that are racking up sacks, linebackers that are racking up tackles. It’s apparent when they’ve had success, they’ve been able to shut run games down.”
Vigen is wary of Cal Poly’s defensive line, which he sees as a unit that can stuff the run and get after the quarterback.
“Like most teams, though, how they play up front is probably the biggest thing,” Vigen said. “And I think that’s a unit you see really flash, as far as being able to be a problem in the run game and then rush the passer.”
Before Skipper’s arrival, Vigen had a great deal of success against the Mustangs, going 4-0 with wins of 45-7 (2021), 72-28 (2022), 59-19 (2023) and 34-17 (2025). The Bobcats have defeated Cal Poly seven straight times. In the 2022 game, MSU set the school record for most rushing yards in a game with 554 yards. In that game, Marquis Johnson, typically used as a receiver and kick returner, ran for 242 yards (fifth most in school history) and four touchdowns on just 13 carries.
The Bobcats and Mustangs are set to kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.
