2012 Cal Poly Mustangs football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2012
| team = Cal Poly Mustangs
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Sky Conference
| short_conf = Big Sky
| TSNRank = 12
| FCSCoachRank = 12
| record = 9–3
| conf_record = 7–1
| head_coach = Tim Walsh
| hc_year = 4th
| cooff_coach1 = Brian Cook
| cooc1_year = 4th
| cooff_coach2 = Saga Tuitele
| cooc2_year = 4th
| off_scheme = Spread triple-option
| def_coach = Josh Brown
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme = Multiple 4–3
| captain =
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| champion = Big Sky co-champion
| bowl = NCAA Division I Second Round
| bowl_result = L 16–18 vs. Sam Houston State
}}
{{2012 Big Sky Conference football standings}}
The 2012 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo as member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Tim Walsh, Cal Poly compiled an overall record of 9–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the Big Sky title Eastern Washington and Montana State. The Mustangs received an at-large big to the NCAA Division I Football Championship, where after a first-round bye, they lost to Sam Houston State in the second round.{{cite news|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/college/article/Sam-Houston-State-advances-with-sloppy-win-4084032.php|title=Sam Houston State advances with sloppy win|first=Ronnie|last=Turner|work=Houston Chronicle|date=December 1, 2012|access-date=February 6, 2024}} The team played home games at Alex G. Spanos Stadium in San Luis Obispo, California.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2012
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FCS
| poll = The Sports Network
| timezone = Pacific
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 1
| time = 4:05 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = San Diego
| site_stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| site_cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = Big Sky TV
| score = 41–14
| attend = 6,022
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 15
| time = 3:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Wyoming
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 24–22
| attend = 21,728
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 22
| time = 6:05 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = UC Davis
| site_stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| site_cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| gamename = Battle for the Golden Horseshoe
| tv = KSBY, Big Sky TV
| score = 28–20
| attend = 11,075
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| time = 4:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 23
| opponent = North Dakota
| site_stadium = Alerus Center
| site_cityst = Grand Forks, ND
| tv = Midco Sports Net, Big Sky TV
| score = 35–17
| attend = 9,531
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| time = 5:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 20
| opponent = Weber State
| site_stadium = Stewart Stadium
| site_cityst = Ogden, UT
| tv = Big Sky TV
| score = 45–23
| attend = 5,939
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 13
| time = 6:05 pm
| w/l = w
| rank = 15
| opponent = Northern Colorado
| site_stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| site_cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = KSBY, Big Sky TV
| score = 56–28
| attend = 9,382
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 20
| time = 6:05 pm
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| rank = 14
| opponent = Portland State
| site_stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| site_cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = KSBY, Big Sky TV
| score = 37–25
| attend = 10,025
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| time = 6:05 pm
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 11
| opponent = Sacramento State
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| tv = Big Sky TV
| score = 29–35
| attend = 8,113
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| time = 1:35 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 16
| opponent = Eastern Washington
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Roos Field
| site_cityst = Cheney, WA
| tv = Big Sky TV
| score = 17–34
| attend = 8,644
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| time = 6:05 pm
| w/l = w
| rank = 19
| opponent = Idaho State
| site_stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| site_cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = KSBY, Big Sky TV
| score = 70–14
| attend = 6,326
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 17
| time = 3:05 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 17
| opponent = Northern Arizona
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Walkup Skydome
| site_cityst = Flagstaff, AZ
| tv = Big Sky TV
| score = 42–34
| attend = 6,119
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 1
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Sam Houston State
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Bowers Stadium
| site_cityst = Huntsville, TX
| gamename = NCAA Division I Second Round
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 16–18
| attend = 7,073
}}
}}
The game against Eastern Washington, fellow Big Sky member, on November 3 was considered a non-conference game and had no effect on the Big Sky standings.{{cite web |author= |title=Cal Poly Mustangs Schedule 2012 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/13/season/2012 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=September 28, 2024 }}{{cite web |author= |title=2012 Football Schedule |url=https://gopoly.com/sports/football/schedule/2012 |publisher=Cal Poly Athletics |access-date=September 28, 2024 }}
Game summaries
=San Diego=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Toreros
|R1= 0
|R2= 7
|R3= 7
|R4= 0
|Home=Mustangs
|H1= 10
|H2= 3
|H3= 7
|H4= 21
}}
{{see also|2012 San Diego Toreros football team}}
{{Clear}}
=@ Wyoming=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Mustangs
|R1= 14
|R2= 0
|R3= 7
|R4= 3
|Home=Cowboys
|H1= 0
|H2= 15
|H3= 0
|H4= 7
}}
{{see also|2012 Wyoming Cowboys football team}}
{{Clear}}
=UC Davis=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Aggies
|R1= 10
|R2= 0
|R3= 0
|R4= 10
|Home=Mustangs
|H1= 7
|H2= 7
|H3= 14
|H4= 0
}}
{{see also|2012 UC Davis Aggies football team|Battle for the Golden Horseshoe}}
{{Clear}}
=@ North Dakota=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#23 Mustangs
|R1= 14
|R2= 0
|R3= 0
|R4= 21
|Home=North Dakota
|H1= 0
|H2= 7
|H3= 3
|H4= 7
}}
{{see also|2012 University of North Dakota football team}}
{{Clear}}
=@ Weber State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#20 Mustangs
|R1= 0
|R2= 14
|R3= 17
|R4= 14
|Home=Wildcats
|H1= 6
|H2= 7
|H3= 7
|H4= 3
}}
{{see also|2012 Weber State Wildcats football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Northern Colorado=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Bears
|R1= 14
|R2= 0
|R3= 0
|R4= 14
|Home=#15 Mustangs
|H1= 14
|H2= 14
|H3= 14
|H4= 14
}}
{{see also|2012 Northern Colorado Bears football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Portland State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Vikings
|R1= 14
|R2= 3
|R3= 8
|R4= 0
|Home=#14 Mustangs
|H1= 14
|H2= 3
|H3= 6
|H4= 14
}}
{{see also|2012 Portland State Vikings football team}}
{{Clear}}
=@ Sacramento State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#11 Mustangs
|R1= 0
|R2= 17
|R3= 6
|R4= 6
|Home=Hornets
|H1= 7
|H2= 21
|H3= 0
|H4= 7
}}
{{see also|2012 Sacramento State Hornets football team}}
{{Clear}}
=@ Eastern Washington=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#16 Mustangs
|R1= 3
|R2= 7
|R3= 0
|R4= 7
|Home=#7 Eagles
|H1= 14
|H2= 10
|H3= 7
|H4= 3
}}
{{see also|2012 Eastern Washington Eagles football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Idaho State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Bengals
|R1= 0
|R2= 7
|R3= 7
|R4= 0
|Home=#19 Mustangs
|H1= 28
|H2= 14
|H3= 14
|H4= 14
}}
{{see also|2012 Idaho State Bengals football team}}
{{Clear}}
=@ Northern Arizona=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#17 Mustangs
|R1= 14
|R2= 7
|R3= 14
|R4= 7
|Home=#15 Lumberjacks
|H1= 7
|H2= 6
|H3= 7
|H4= 14
}}
{{see also|2012 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team}}
{{Clear}}
=@ Sam Houston State–NCAA Division I Second Round=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#12 Mustangs
|R1= 0
|R2= 0
|R3= 6
|R4= 10
|Home=#5 Bearkats
|H1= 0
|H2= 8
|H3= 7
|H4= 3
}}
{{see also|2012 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cal Poly Mustangs football navbox}}
{{Big Sky Conference football champions}}
Category:Cal Poly Mustangs football seasons