Greeley – The Northern Colorado offense initially followed coach Kay Dalton’s script to the letter Saturday, relying on running back Andre Wilson and playing to the strengths of inexperienced quarterback T.J. Swanson.
But the script had to be tossed away after Swanson’s fumble and two interceptions led to Cal Poly touchdowns. The Bears couldn’t catch up, falling 31-14 to the defending Great West Football Conference champions before an announced Nottingham Field record crowd of 9,142.
Swanson started in place of Nick Hager, who dislocated his shoulder in last weekend’s loss at Portland State.
Swanson lost a fumble on the UNC 17 early in the game. Two plays later, I-AA No. 10-ranked Cal Poly’s James Noble scored on a 17-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
In the third quarter, Swanson was intercepted twice as the Mustangs (4-1, 2-0) gained a 31-7 advantage. UNC fell to 2-3, 0-1.
“The difference was our three turnovers,” Dalton said. “But what I can’t figure out is that’s six turnovers in two games and each turnover they’ve been able to score on.”
Dalton maintains that it is a mental thing.
“It shouldn’t be, ‘OK, here’s seven points,”‘ he said.
Team defensive leader Reed Doughty, who made 19 tackles for his fifth double-figure tackle total in as many games despite playing on a painful turf toe, bemoaned the lack of stops after turnovers.
“No matter what field position we get, there’s no excuse,” said the senior from Johnstown. “I think you saw in the first half we played well. In the second half, it got away from us. That’s our story right now: We let things get away from us, and we can’t run the ball anymore, and that’s our bread and butter.”
Wilson, a senior from George Washington High School, played well on impressed his coach.
“Wilson is a stud; there isn’t any question,” Dalton said. “He runs hard every time.”
Wilson gained 105 yards on 24 carries in the first half, but ran only 11 times for 50 yards in the second half as the Bears tried to close the gap through the air. With 100 yards in all five games this season Wilson ranks No. 6 all-time at UNC.
Swanson showed resilience in the fourth quarter, staging a 10-play, 80-yard TD drive.
