A 47-14 season-ending loss to Weber State Saturday marked the end of Cal Poly head coach Tim Walsh’s first season leading the Mustangs.

The former Portland State head coach led Cal Poly to a 4-7 record, racking up four consecutive loses for the first time since 2002.

Before the Mustangs, Walsh had a 117-82 record in 18 seasons as a head coach. His 14-year stint with Portland State (90-98, 93-06) and his four years at Sonoma State (89-92) netted him a 70 career winning percentage.

His first year at Cal Poly resulted in a 47 winning percentage, 11 points lower than the Mustangs all-time record as a football team (453-356-20).

Succeeding former head coach Rich Ellerson, who departed last year for Army, Walsh has etched Cal Poly’s first winless road schedule in 11 years.

Under Ellerson, four-year starters Ramses Barden, James Noble, Stephen Field and Tre’dale Tolver and transfers Ryan Mole and Jonathan Dally departed after an 8-3 season.

This season,the roster featured 64 underclassman.

Cal Poly held 37 upperclassmen including 12 seniors who played their final game as a Mustangs this weekend, a group of which include the likes of Jono Grayson, Carlton Gillespe and Jon Hall, among others.

It was déjà vu all over again for Cal Poly as No. 12 Weber State ended Cal Poly’s season for the second-consecutive year.

The Mustangs offense rolled early, piecing together an 80-yard drive capped with a 28-yard David Mahr touchdown reception for the first possession of the game.

Weber State responded, notching 31 points in the second second quarter against a Cal Poly defense that has struggled in past weeks.

Thirty-eight points, 293 yards and three Mustang turnovers later, Cal Poly would answer back.

Junior fullback Jordan Yocum caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Smith, ending a 70-yard, 16-play drive that took 8:43 off the clock in the third quarter.

Weber State added a field goal and junior quarterback Cameron Higgins’ fourth touchdown pass to complete the offensive showcase.

Wildcat senior running back Trevyn Smith cracked the 5,000-yard mark in career rushing. Higgins, who passed for 364 yards, connected with Bo Bolen on a 15-yard scoring pass and with Tim Toone on 26-, 17- and 44-yard touchdown passes as Weber State improved to 7-4.

Toone finished the regular season with his 200th career catch and 28th career touchdown. He had 11 catches for 176 yards against the Mustangs.

Cal Poly’s leaders offensively were Jake Romanelli with 55 yards rushing on 15 carries and Smith, who completed 11 of 24 passes for 166 yards and both Mustang touchdowns. He was sacked five times and threw a pair of interceptions.

Mahr, Hall, Eric Gardley and Grayson each had a pair of catches for Cal Poly.

Junior linebacker Marty Mohamed recorded eight tackles and senior cornerback Xavier Gardner added seven for Cal Poly.

For Weber State, Higgins completed 23 of 33 passes. He passed for 399 yards and two scores in a 49-35 win over the Mustangs in last year’s first-round NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff game.

This season Cal Poly’s rushing attack ran through defenses for 1,963 yards and the Mustang passing threat contributed for 1,686 yards.

This season marked a 1,408 yard drop off on the ground.

The Mustangs fell short of last year’s campaign by 305 yards. Smith finished his first starting season with 1,618 yards and 15 touchdowns. Dally passed for 1,960 last year.

Cal Poly ended its season unranked and at the bottom of the Great West.

Over the past five weeks Cal poly has thrown for 212 yards per game. Quarterback Tony Smith has passed for 849 yards in those games. Photo by Nick Camacho- Mustang Daily

Weber State forced Cal Poly’s potent offense to five turnovers in the first round of FCS playoffs last year. Quarterback Jonathan Dally threw a career-high five interceptions, one turnover less than the Mustangs had all year.

The Mustangs fell to Wildcats 35-49 in their final game of the 2008 season.

For the second consecutive year Weber State will be the final contest in the Cal Poly football season as the Mustangs (4-6) travel to take on the Wildcats (6-4) this Saturday.

Heading into the last week of the season, all post-season scenarios for the Mustangs are out the window, but the Wildcats still have a chance for a playoff spot.

“We’re going to try and disrupt what they’re trying to do,” Walsh said at Monday’s press conference. “ If they think they’re a playoff team, let’s go beat a playoff team.”

The Mustangs saw their streak of six-straight winning seasons end with a loss against South Dakota last week. The loss came despite Cal Poly’s best offensive output of the season. The Mustangs posted 48 points with 533 yards of total offense in their home finale.

But, the Mustangs also allowed a season high 50 points and 553 yards against them.

The Mustangs had been undefeated at home before last week’s loss and has yet to win a road game this season.

After starting the season 0-2, the Wildcats have gone 6-2 over the past eight games and remain alive in the race for an at-large playoff berth.

Led by junior quarterback Cameron Higgins the Wildcats average 29 points-per-game. Higgins has passed for 2,784 yards with 24 touchdowns this season.

Leading receivers Nick Toone and Mike Phillips combined for 1,499 yards receiving. Toone was named National and Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week with his 181 all-purpose yards in a 29-7 over Northern Arizona last week.

Leading rusher Trevyn Smith has rushed for 872 yards this season.

Cal Poly’s defense has struggled recently against the pass. Last week South Dakota quarterback Noah Shepard passed for 413 yards against a Mustang defense trying to get pressure on him.

“When you bring pressure you better get there,” Walsh said. “Because if you don’t it not fair to the players in coverage. Right now we’re not getting there and I think that’s making us a little gun-shy on how much we want to (blitz). ”

Cal Poly surrendered three plays of 35 yards or more that ended up in scores. Since lining up against South Dakota State, the Mustangs have allowed a total of 162 points excluding a contest against Dixie State, with a 32.4 point per game average.

“I don’t think we’re playing as fast on defense as we’ve played (earlier this season),” Walsh said. “(Against South Dakota we played) at a whole different speed than we are right now and I think that has a lot to do with the wear and tear of the season.”

Offensively Cal Poly showed flashes of a very dominant passing game. Quarterback Tony Smith connected on 24-of-35 passes for 407 yards and six scores — all career highs.

His number one target last Saturday was junior wide receiver Dominique Johnson who caught 13 passes for 273 yards and a school-record five touchdowns.

“He may have the best hands that I have ever had the opportunity to be around,” Walsh said. “We (challenged him) to make some plays and he made plays in the course of that game.”

In the past three weeks, the Mustang rushing attack hasn’t been effective as it has been during the course of most of the season.

Over the span of the past three weeks the Mustang rushing game has averaged 122 yards per game. In those games, Cal Poly has a 0-3 record. In their four wins this season Cal Poly has averaged 217 yards on the ground per per game.

Weber State has allowed 151 yards per game on the ground this season.

Kickoff is set for 11:05 a.m. Saturday at Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah.