# List of Cal Poly Mustangs football seasons

The following is a list of Cal Poly Mustangs football seasons for the football team that has represented California Polytechnic State University in NCAA competition.

## Season-by-season records

| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches$^#$ | AP$^°$ |
| D.W. Schlosser (1915–1917) ||||||||
| 1915 | D.W. Schlosser | 1–0–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1916 | D.W. Schlosser | 1–2 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1917 | D.W. Schlosser | 2–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| D.W. Schlosser: | D.W. Schlosser: | 4–2–1 | 0–0–0 | | | | |
| Flu Epidemic (1918) ||||||||
| 1918 | No Games | 0–0 | 0–0 | | | | |
| H. Hess (1919–1920) ||||||||
| 1919 | H. Hess | 3–0 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1920 | H. Hess | 1–4 | 0–0 | | | | |
| H. Hess: | H. Hess: | 4–4 | 0–0–0 | | | | |
| Al Agosti (1921–1932) ||||||||
| 1921 | Al Agosti | 3–1–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1922 | Al Agosti | 1–3 | 0–2 | 7th | | | |
| 1923 | Al Agosti | 3–3 | 2–1 | 4th | | | |
| 1924 | Al Agosti | 1–5 | 0–3 | 8th | | | |
| 1925 | Al Agosti | 4–5 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1926 | Al Agosti | 5–4 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1927 | Al Agosti | 2–4–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1928 | Al Agosti | 3–4–2 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1929 | Al Agosti | 3–5 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1930 | No Games | 0–0 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1931 | Al Agosti | 3–5–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1932 | Al Agosti | 4–4 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Al Agosti: | Al Agosti: | 32–44–5 | 2–6 | | | | |
| Howie O'Daniels (1933–1941) ||||||||
| 1933 | Howie O'Daniels | 7–0 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1934 | Howie O'Daniels | 6–2 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1935 | Howie O'Daniels | 5–2–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1936 | Howie O'Daniels | 5–4 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1937 | Howie O'Daniels | 4–2–2 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1938 | Howie O'Daniels | 7–2 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1939 | Howie O'Daniels | 4–4–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1940 | Howie O'Daniels | 6–3 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1941 | Howie O'Daniels | 5–3–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Howie O'Daniels: | Howie O'Daniels: | 45–22–5 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Bob Dakan (1942) ||||||||
| 1942 | Bob Dakan | 4–2–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Bob Dakan: | Bob Dakan: | 4–2–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| World War II (1943–1944) ||||||||
| 1943 | No Games | 0–0 | 0–0 | | | | |
| 1944 | No Games | 0–0 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Ronnie Henderson (1945) ||||||||
| 1945 | Ronnie Henderson | 1–5–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Ronnie Henderson: | Ronnie Henderson: | 1–5–1 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Howie O'Daniels (1946–1947) ||||||||
| 1946 | Howie O'Daniels | 6–2–1 | 1–1 | 3rd | | | |
| 1947 | Howie O'Daniels | 1–9 | 0–5 | 6th | | | |
| Howie O'Daniels: | Howie O'Daniels: | 56–33–6 | 1–6 | | | | |
| Chuck Pavelko (1948–1949) ||||||||
| 1948 | Chuck Pavelko | 3–5 | 1–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1949 | Chuck Pavelko | 4–6 | 1–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| Chuck Pavelko: | Chuck Pavelko: | 7–11 | 2–7 | | | | |
| LeRoy Hughes (1950–1961) ||||||||
| 1950 | LeRoy Hughes | 3–7 | 0–4 | 5th | | | |
| 1951 | LeRoy Hughes | 5–4–1 | 2–1–1 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1952 | LeRoy Hughes | 7–3 | 4–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1953 | LeRoy Hughes | 9–0 | 5–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1954 | LeRoy Hughes | 6–4 | 3–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1955 | LeRoy Hughes | 7–3 | 1–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1956 | LeRoy Hughes | 7–3 | 1–2 | 5th | | | |
| 1957 | LeRoy Hughes | 8–1 | 3–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1958 | LeRoy Hughes | 9–1 | 4–1 | T–1st | | | 15 |
| 1959 | LeRoy Hughes | 6–3 | 3–2 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1960 | LeRoy Hughes | 1–5–0* | 1–2 | incomplete | | | |
| 1961 | LeRoy Hughes | 5–3 | 3–2 | 2nd | | | |
| LeRoy Hughes: | LeRoy Hughes: | 73–37–1 | 30–16–1 | | | | |
| Sheldon Harden (1962–1967) ||||||||
| 1962 | Sheldon Harden | 4–5 | 2–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1963 | Sheldon Harden | 2–8 | 0–4 | 5th | | | |
| 1964 | Sheldon Harden | 0–10 | 0–5 | 6th | | | |
| 1965 | Sheldon Harden | 2–8 | 1–4 | 5th | | | |
| 1966 | Sheldon Harden | 6–4 | 2–3 | T–4th | | | |
| 1967 | Sheldon Harden | 3–7 | 1–4 | 5th | | | |
| Sheldon Harden: | Sheldon Harden: | 17–42 | 6–23 | | | | |
| Joe Harper (1968–1981) ||||||||
| 1968 | Joe Harper | 7–3 | 2–2 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1969 | Joe Harper | 6–4 | 2–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1970 | Joe Harper | 8–2 | 3–0 | 1st | | | 20 |
| 1971 | Joe Harper | 6–5 | 3–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1972 | Joe Harper | 8–1–1 | 3–0 | 1st | L Camellia Bowl | 3 | 3 |
| 1973 | Joe Harper | 9–1 | 4–0 | 1st | | 8 | 9 |
| 1974 | Joe Harper | 5–4–1 | 2–1–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1975 | Joe Harper | 6–4 | 3–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1976 | Joe Harper | 7–1–1 | 2–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1977 | Joe Harper | 6–4 | 2–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1978 | Joe Harper | 7–3 | 2–0 | 1st | NCAA Division II Playoff First Round | | 8 |
| 1979 | Joe Harper | 7–3 | 2–0 | 1st | | | 7 |
| 1980 | Joe Harper | 10–3 | 2–0 | 1st | NCAA Division II National Champions | | 3 |
| 1981 | Joe Harper | 4–5 | 0–2 | 3rd | | | |
| Joe Harper: | Joe Harper: | 96–43–4 | 32–6–1 | | | | |
| Jim Sanderson (1982–1986) ||||||||
| 1982 | Jim Sanderson | 6–5 | 4–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1983 | Jim Sanderson | 5–6 | 1–2 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1984 | Jim Sanderson | 6–4 | 2–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1985 | Jim Sanderson | 4–7 | 2–3 | 4th | | | |
| 1986 | Jim Sanderson | 5–5 | 3–3 | T–4th | | | |
| Jim Sanderson: | Jim Sanderson: | 26–27 | 12–9 | | | | |
| Lyle Setencich (1987–1993) ||||||||
| 1987 | Lyle Setencich | 7–3 | 3–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1988 | Lyle Setencich | 5–4–1 | 3–3 | 4th | | | |
| 1989 | Lyle Setencich | 5–5 | 1–4 | 6th | | | |
| 1990 | Lyle Setencich | 10–2 | 4–1 | T–1st | 1990 NCAA Division II football season Playoff Quarterfinals | 8 | |
| 1991 | Lyle Setencich | 4–6 | 2–3 | 4th | | | |
| 1992 | Lyle Setencich | 4–5–1 | 2–3 | T–4th | | | |
| 1993 | Lyle Setencich | 6–4 | 1–3 | T–4th | | | |
| Lyle Setencich: | Lyle Setencich: | 41–29–2 | 16–20 | | | | |
| Andre Patterson (1994–1996) ||||||||
| 1994 | Andre Patterson | 7–4 | 3 | 1st | | | |
| 1995 | Andre Patterson | 5–6 | 2–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1996 | Andre Patterson | 5–6 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| Andre Patterson: | Andre Patterson: | 17–16 | 5–1 | | | | |
| Larry Welsh (1997–2000) ||||||||
| 1997 | Larry Welsh | 10–1 | 0 | Ind. | | 17 | 16 |
| 1998 | Larry Welsh | 3–8 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| 1999 | Larry Welsh | 3–8 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| 2000 | Larry Welsh | 3–8 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| Larry Welsh: | Larry Welsh: | 19–25 | 0–0 | | | | |
| Rich Ellerson (2001–2008) ||||||||
| 2001 | Rich Ellerson | 6–5 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| 2002 | Rich Ellerson | 3–8 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| 2003 | Rich Ellerson | 7–4 | 0 | Ind. | | | |
| 2004 | Rich Ellerson | 9–2 | 4–1 | 1st | | 15 | 16 |
| 2005 | Rich Ellerson | 9–4 | 4–1 | T–1st | 2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season Playoff Quarterfinals | 6 | 6 |
| 2006 | Rich Ellerson | 7–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | | 14 | 16 |
| 2007 | Rich Ellerson | 7–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | | | 24 |
| 2008 | Rich Ellerson | 8–3 | 4 | 1st | 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season Playoff First Round | 8 | 10 |
| Rich Ellerson: | Rich Ellerson: | 56–34 | 16–6 | | | | |
| Tim Walsh (2009–2019) ||||||||
| 2009 | Tim Walsh | 4–7 | 1–3 | 5th | | | |
| 2010 | Tim Walsh | 7–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | | 23 | 24 |
| 2011 | Tim Walsh | 6–5 | 3–1 | T–1st | | | |
| 2012 | Tim Walsh | 9–3 | 7–1 | T–1st | 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season Playoff Second Round | 11 | 12 |
| 2013 | Tim Walsh | 6–6 | 5–3 | T–4th | | | |
| 2014 | Tim Walsh | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–4th | | | |
| 2015 | Tim Walsh | 4–7 | 3–5 | T–8th | | | |
| 2016 | Tim Walsh | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–4th | 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season Playoff First Round | 21 | 24 |
| 2017 | Tim Walsh | 1–10 | 1–7 | T–11th | | | |
| 2018 | Tim Walsh | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–6th | | | |
| 2019 | Tim Walsh | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–9th | | | |
| Tim Walsh: | Tim Walsh: | 59–66 | 39–41 | | | | |
| Beau Baldwin (2020–2022) ||||||||
| 2020 | Beau Baldwin | 0–3 | 0–3 | 8th | | | |
| 2021 | Beau Baldwin | 2–9 | 1–7 | 11th | | | |
| 2022 | Beau Baldwin | 2–9 | 1–7 | 11th | | | |
| Beau Baldwin: | Beau Baldwin: | 4–21 | 2–17 | | | | |
| Paul Wulff (2023–present) ||||||||
| 2023 | Paul Wulff | 3–8 | 1–7 | 11th | | | |
| 2024 | Paul Wulff | 3–8 | 2–6 | 10th | | | |
| Paul Wulff: | Paul Wulff: | 6–16 | 3–13 | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 522–458–20 | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||||
| $^†$Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. $^#$Rankings from final Coaches Poll. *Last 3 games of the season canceled after a plane crash killed 16 players in Toledo, OH ||||||||