Playoff Means Another Showdown for Cal Poly SLO, CS Northridge

The NCAA playoff committee made geography a top consideration Sunday when it made its selections for the 16-team Division II football playoffs.

As a result, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal State Northridge, co-champions of the Western Football Conference, will play for the second time in 15 days in a first-round playoff game Saturday at Mustang Stadium in San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo (9-1) has won four in a row, including a 6-3 victory at Northridge Nov. 3.

Coach Lyle Setencich of San Luis Obispo wasn’t surprised by the draw, but he wasn’t pleased about it, either.

“I think the psychological advantage goes to Northridge,” Setencich said.

“Now it’s pay-back time.”

The winner will face either top-ranked North Dakota State (10-0) or Northern Colorado (7-3), which will play in Fargo, N.D., Saturday. The Division II championship game will be played in Florence, Ala., Dec. 8.