Cal Poly SLO looks to extend its command of the San Diego series

Cal Poly SLO has owned this series lately, winning 9 of 11 meetings since 2012 and 8 of the last 10 against San Diego, and Versus projects that history continuing into Saturday. The model has the Mustangs at 31st in FCS, 35 spots ahead of San Diego at 66th, with a 40-17 scoreline and a 90 percent win probability for the home side.

The grades back up that gap. Cal Poly SLO carries an A- overall grade with a B+ offense and an A- defense, all top-tier marks in FCS, while San Diego sits at C+ overall with a D on both power and defense. San Diego does own the sharper strength of schedule at 14th nationally in FCS compared to Cal Poly SLO's 44th, but that has not translated to results, as the Toreros have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since October 2025 and sit 0-2 despite being ranked No. 3 in the Pioneer Football Conference.

Cal Poly SLO enters at 2-1 after its first loss to an unranked opponent this season, a result against San Jose St that will not count against it here since this is a non-conference game for both sides, with the Mustangs representing the Big Sky and the Toreros the Pioneer. Neither team's conference standing is on the line, but the Mustangs have the clearer path to keeping their series edge intact.