Raymond Escobedo’s first field goal this year gave the Hancock College football team a 23-21 Northern League win at Long Beach Saturday and sent the Bulldogs into their bye week on a good note.

Escobedo missed his first two field goal attempts this season, but he made good from 23 yards out to give Hancock a 23-14 lead at the 1:16 mark of the third quarter Saturday. The Bulldogs held off the Vikings after Long Beach cut the Hancock lead to 23-21 on a 41-yard Wyatt McCauley to Ike White touchdown pass and a Christopher Ramirez PAT kick at the 10:06 mark of the fourth quarter.

Hancock moved to 3-2, 2-0 with its second straight win and first road victory this season. Long Beach is 1-4, 1-1.

The Bulldogs figure to need the momentum they generated for themselves Saturday when they host perennial Northern League powerhouse Ventura (5-0, 2-0) Oct. 11.

Typically, the Pirates roll mainly with their offense. Ventura has scored no fewer than 32 points in a game this season and given up no fewer than 21, save a 73-14 crushing of winless Santa Barbara in a Northern League game Saturday.

The Hancock run game is back on track after uncharacteristic struggles the first three Hancock games. The Bulldogs racked up 191 yards rushing Saturday after a big showing on the ground against Santa Ana the previous week. Elijah Little ran for a game high 122 yards and a Bulldogs touchdown Saturday.

Sophomore Torrell Harley has been the most consistently productive Hancock running back this year, and he rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown Saturday.

The Vikings offense followed the Long Beach season pattern, and even exceeded it slightly, Saturday. The Vikings did plenty through the air and not much on the ground. Long Beach amassed 376 yards passing, even better than its 344.6 per game average, and rushed for just 59 yards, even lower than its per game 70.2 average.

Former Righetti quarterback Cash Carter ran six yards for the other Hancock touchdown Saturday. Hancock sophomore quarterback Drake Missamore was an efficient eight-for-11 passing for 116 yards, with no interceptions.

All three Long Beach touchdowns came through the air. Allen Fernett threw for the first two Vikings TDs.

Cal Poly 32, Sacramento State 24

A 23-yard interception return for a touchdown by Brian Dukes Jr. and a two-point Tyrei Washington PAT conversion run made the difference for the Mustangs (3-2, 1-0) as they scored a road win at Sacramento State (2-3, 0-1) Saturday in the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams.

The Dukes pick six and the Washington conversion run put Cal Poly ahead 8-7 at the 6:59 mark of the first quarter, and the Mustangs stayed in front despite being out-gained 426-381 by the Hornets.

The Mustangs intercepted Hornets quarterback Cardell Williams three times for a season high three takeaways for the Cal Poly defense. Williams did throw one touchdown pass.

Washington, a redshirt junior, rushed 22 times for a career high 113 yards and a touchdown. The Mustangs rushed for a season high 178 yards.

Cal Poly quarterback Bo Kelly was 17-for-27 passing for 203 yards and two touchdowns in his first start of the season. Jordan Garrison caught four passes for 73 yards and two Mustangs touchdowns. Cal Poly’s leading receiver this season, Michael Briscoe, caught four passes for 64 yards.

Mikey D’Amato helped lead the Cal Poly defense with a career high 19 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss. Dukes intercepted two passes.

Cal Poly will host traditional rival UC Davis (3-1, 1-0) in the Mustangs’ Big Sky home opener Saturday at 5 p.m.Â