Dropped back as the deep man in coverage, Cal Poly safety David Fullerton watched the ball tip off a receiver’s hands and float in the air for a second as he swooped in for the interception.

The junior returned the pickoff 38 yards for a touchdown on what was essentially the game-clinching play of a 51-28 win over UC Davis on Saturday. On Sunday, Fullerton was named Great West Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

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Mustangs quarterback Jonathan Dally was named conference Offensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks after rushing for 173 yards and a touchdown and passing for 95 yards and two more scores.

The touchdown return came on Fullerton’s fourth interception of the season, the ninth of his career, and it’s the second he’s returned for a touchdown — third if you count an intercepted pitch he ran back 90 yards that was ruled a fumble recovery earlier this season.

Not bad for a player who didn’t have one interception in three years of varsity football at Brea Olinda High.

Something else Fullerton never accomplished in high school, nor in his three years playing for the Mustangs: Winning a league or conference championship.

“We wanted it so bad,” he said. “We did it for the seniors.”

It was one of many motivations for Cal Poly.

With the win over the Aggies, the Mustangs held on to the Golden Horseshoe rivalry trophy, became undeniably eligible for the FCS playoffs and won the Great West championship.

The stakes won’t nearly be as clear-cut for Cal Poly’s regular season finale next week. Simply the name of the opponent gives the game an unquantifiable importance.

The Mustangs travel to Wisconsin to take on the bowl eligible Badgers (6-5) in 80,371-seat Camp Randall Stadium.

On the line is pride, health going into the playoffs and the desire to make a splash on a national stage.

“I can’t tell you how many people on our team are excited to show Wisconsin fans, the Cal Poly following, the Wisconsin team that we’ve got just as much talent, just as much hunger to play the game, just as much competitiveness, and it’s our opportunity to show it,” Mustangs receiver Ramses Barden said.

Barden caught six passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns against UC Davis, breaking Jerry Rice’s FCS record for consecutive games with a touchdown catch. Barden goes into the Wisconsin game looking to extend his career streak to 19.

“We’ve got people who’ve got an opportunity to continue playing professionally or what have you, and this is their opportunity to showcase themselves,” Barden said. “This is our Appalachian State-Michigan. We’ve got a lot of guys looking to make a name for themselves. And the only way it’s going to happen is if we execute, play our game and win. That’s what I’m planning on doing.”

If Cal Poly is able to pull off the upset — what would be the team’s second over an FBS team this year after a two-point season opening win at San Diego State — it could also catapult the Mustangs to a top four seed in the FCS playoffs and an automatic home game for the first two rounds should they advance that far.

Beating the Badgers, in a game that will be televised live on the Big Ten Network at 12:30 p.m. PST, is certainly an uphill proposition with little room for error.

“It’s going to be a lot of film as far as matchups,” Dally said. “They have tremendous athletes.”

“One mistake could cost us the game.”

Cal Poly football rewind: It’s on to Wisconsin with Great West Title in Hand
By Joshua D. Scroggin, The San Luis Obispo Tribune News
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/story/530428.html