Playoff to Reunite CSUN, Cal Poly SLO

On Saturday night, Bob Burt and Lyle Setencich wound up on the same flight to Portland on their way to attend a Western Football Conference coaches meeting.

The following morning they ran into each other again--on the bracket drawn up by the NCAA Division II football playoff committee. Just as they had feared.

While passing time on their flight, Burt, of Cal State Northridge, and Setencich, of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, chatted about the possibility that their football teams would face off for the second time in 15 days in the first round of the playoffs.

Neither liked the idea then. And they’re not thrilled now.

On Nov. 3, San Luis Obispo defeated CSUN, 6-3, to earn a share of the WFC championship with the Matadors. The coaches differ in their opinions on what the outcome of the first game now means.

“I think the psychological advantage goes to Northridge,” Setencich said. “That was a very heated, competitive contest that could have gone either way. Cal Poly was very happy to win. Northridge was very sad to lose. Now it’s pay-back time.”

Said Burt: “They have two advantages. The first is the home field, which is big at Cal Poly. Then, from a confidence standpoint, it can’t help but help them. They know they can beat us. They’ve already done it once.”

Northridge (7-3) hopes to have Albert Fann, its All-American tailback, back at near-full strength for Saturday’s 1 p.m. game at Mustang Stadium in San Luis Obispo.

Fann, slowed by a sprained right ankle he suffered the previous week against Santa Clara, was held to 34 yards in 11 carries in CSUN’s first game against the Mustangs. He was expected to miss the Matadors’ nonconference game last Saturday against Cal State Long Beach, but he was used on three kickoff returns to become only the fifth collegiate player to surpass the 7,000-yard milestone in all-purpose yardage.

Fann limped noticeably while leaving the field after each return, but Burt said he will be at tailback against the Mustangs.

“Albert Fann will start and play tailback and play out of his mind. That’s not even up for discussion,” Burt said. “If he’s a Harlon Hill candidate . . . then he’s gotta carry that load. Special people are asked to do special things.”

Northridge, which has won seven of eight Division II games this season, will be making its first Division II football playoff appearance. The Matadors have not appeared in a postseason game since 1967 when they dropped a 35-13 decision to West Texas State in the Junior Rose Bowl.

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

Northridge’s allotment of 500 tickets to Saturday’s football playoff game at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will go on sale at noon Wednesday at the CSUN Student Union.