No. 16 Rams knock off No. 1 CSM to take control of Bay 6 League

Photo by Eric Sun
Photo by Eric Sun

SAN MATEO – The streak is over.

No. 16 state-ranked City College of San Francisco earned its biggest win of the season, a narrow 13-6 triumph at undefeated and top-ranked College of San Mateo on gloomy Saturday afternoon at CSM's College Heights Stadium.

The Rams' victory snapped a pair of huge San Mateo winning streaks. The Bulldogs saw their 17-game overall winning streak as well as a 26-game home winning streak come to an end. The last teams to beat San Mateo at College Heights Stadium – CCSF in the 2021 Northern California Championship game.

The Rams' special teams and defense came up huge in Saturday's win.

Ryan Rodas knocked in a 41-yard field goal just moments before halftime to send CCSF into the break trailing 6-3.

In the third, after a San Mateo touchdown was called back due to a penalty, a 33-yard Dieter Kelly field goal attempt was blocked by the Rams' Mwandishi Adams. Moments later, a long 45-yard fake punt run by Sonny Vitale got the Rams into the CSM red zone. CCSF cashed in, getting a one-yard touchdown run from Donte Johnson to put the Rams out in front for good at 10-6 with 2:03 to go in the third.

The Rams were able to control the tempo of the game the rest of the way. Quarterback Darius Clark-James ran a series of draw plays that kept the clock running. CCSF chewed up over five minutes of the clock in the fourth quarter and got a huge 53-yard field goal from Odhran Kenny at the 6:40 mark that ultimately sealed the victory.

CCSF's defense shut down the Bulldogs' offense on the ensuing drive and forced a fumble on San Mateo's final possession to lock in the win.

The Rams limited San Mateo to a season-low 45 yards rushing and allowed just 175 total yards. Vitale and Kalique Cheeves led with 6 tackles each while Adams had 5 tackles, a sack, and the big field goal block.

With the win, CCSF takes over first place in the National Bay 6 standings at 3-0 with just two games left to play. The Rams have won six straight to improve to 6-2 overall. CCSF is back in action next Saturday (Nov. 1) when it hosts Foothill College in its final regular-season home game. Kick off is set for 1 p.m. at George M. Rush Stadium.