Bad Snap Greases CSUN Skid : Division II playoffs: Botched punt sends Matadors to third consecutive close loss, 14-7.

There were the Fann factor and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s defense to consider. Or would Cal State Northridge turn to the pass?

A number of elements can decide a game between football teams as evenly matched as Northridge and San Luis Obispo, co-champions of the Western Football Conference who met for the second time in 15 days Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

But none of the obvious ones applied as San Luis Obispo won, 14-7, in front of 3,703 at Mustang Stadium.

Instead, it came down to an exchange that had been completed without a hitch 79 previous times during the season.

With the score tied and 4 minutes 48 seconds remaining, CSUN punter Albert Razo stood near the Matadors’ 12-yard-line and prepared to accept the hike from Homan Farahmand.

The ball arrived way off target, skidding into the grass a yard in front of Razo’s feet. Razo covered it at the 12, but San Luis Obispo took possession. Four plays later, tailback Joe Fragiadakis dived over right guard for the winning touchdown.

“The snap came bad to me and I tried to do what I could do with it. . . . which was nothing,” Razo said.

Northridge’s offense could relate. The Matadors, even with a healthy Albert Fann carrying 31 times for 80 yards from the tailback position, gained only 132 yards against the top-rated defense in Division II. San Luis Obispo could do little better, gaining 188 yards, but the Mustangs (10-1) did manage to advance to the quarterfinals against top-ranked North Dakota State (11-0) on Saturday in Fargo, N.D.

“It came down to who was going to make a mistake first and we made the one that got us beat,” Matador Coach Bob Burt said.

Northridge (7-4) finished the season with three consecutive losses--by a total of 11 points.

In its first game against the Mustangs, to decide the WFC title, CSUN lost, 6-3, when an interception at the Matador 12 set up San Luis Obispo’s only points.

Last week against Division I Cal State Long Beach, Northridge lost, 25-24, when a pass that was batted into the air landed in the arms of a 49er receiver for a two-point conversion.

And, finally, the trifecta of unusual defeats was climaxed by the snap that didn’t click.

“He’s done a great job all year long. It just so happened that this one hit the ground,” Burt said of Farahmand. “It should never have come down to that, anyway. . . . That touchdown means nothing if we score two other touchdowns early like we should have.”

Indeed, Northridge had its chances, courtesy of its secondary. Cornerback Eric Barnes had two interceptions and safety Eric Treibatch had another.

Barnes’ second of the game set up Northridge’s touchdown, a seven-yard pass from quarterback Sherdrick Bonner to Adam McKinney with 11:26 remaining that tied the score, 7-7. The Matadors’ other interceptions--both in Mustang territory--were in vain.

“Every time we would get a good play, they would come back with another play, which is what a good football team will do,” said Fann, who closed the season with 998 rushing yards and his career with 7,156 all-purpose yards.

Treibatch’s second-quarter interception gave CSUN the ball at the San Luis Obispo 29, but the Matadors stalled there and Abo Velasco shanked a 47-yard field-goal attempt.

It was the best scoring opportunity for either team in a scoreless first half.

Northridge threatened again in the third quarter when Barnes picked off a David Lafferty pass at the Mustang 48 and returned the ball to the 37.

Four consecutive runs by Fann brought Northridge to the 20, where, on second and seven, Bonner found wide receiver Billy Nealy open at the five-yard line. Nealy dropped the ball.

After another incomplete pass, Velasco came on for a 37-yard field-goal attempt that he hit wide right. Velasco, a senior from Burbank, finished as the school’s career leader in field goals (34). However, he missed 11 of his last 14 tries.

“We just hurt our own selves, just shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and other things happening to us,” Bonner said. “We just couldn’t sustain anything.”

Northridge was penalized only five times for 30 yards--but three infractions came when the Matadors were inside the San Luis Obispo 40.

Fragiadakis scored on a nine-yard run with 4:16 left in the third quarter, carrying CSUN cornerback Baron Atkinson on his shoulders for the final five yards to give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.