Bengals make it back-to-back wins with strong showing against Cal Poly

POCATELLO — The Idaho State Bengals won their second game in as many weeks, this time riding a solid dual-threat performance from junior quarterback Jordan Cooke.

Cooke finished the game with 275 yards and one score passing, adding 38 yards and another score on the ground, guiding ISU (4-6, 3-3) to a 27-17 victory over Cal Poly (3-7, 1-5).

The Bengals got off to a hot start, scoring touchdowns on their first two possession. From there, though, it was a defensive struggle with the game’s only takeaway coming on an interception from freshman Mike Lindsay.

Cooke and the ISU offense worked quickly on the game’s opening possession, needing just two minutes to go 74 yards on six plays for a 7-0 lead out of the gates, capped by a 17-yard pass from Cooke to Michael Shulikov.

The Bengals were equally effective and efficient on their second possession, going 91 yards in just over five minutes and finishing in the endzone again, on a Cooke three-yard run.

Running back Dason Brooks added his ninth rushing touchdown of the season, finishing with 106 rush yards to back up his career-best 219-yard performance last week at UC Davis.

Shulikov finished with 72 yards on four catches. Jonah Burton recorded career-highs in receptions (6) and receiving yards (69).

With two games left in the regular season, Cooke is third in the Big Sky conference with 2,477 passing yards, and sixth with 12 passing scores.

Brooks is third in the conference in rushing yards (869) and fourth in touchdowns (9). Shulikov is second in the Big Sky in both receiving yards (833) and touchdowns (7).

Three-time Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week Trajan Sinatra was perfect again, going 2-for-2 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points.

The Bengals will welcome the Weber State Wildcats (3-7, 1-5) to the ICCU Dome next Saturday for senior day and their final home game of the season. They will finish the year in Moscow on Nov. 22, when they meet the Idaho Vandals (4-6, 2-4) in the battle for the Potato State Trophy.

ISU won five games last season. The last time they won six was in 2018.