Blue–Green rivalry

This article is about the American college sports rivalry. For the Byzantine sports rivalry that erupted into violence, see Nika riots.
Blue–Green Rivalry
  
Men's Soccer
First Meeting 1967[1]
Games Played 71[2]
All-time series UCSB leads: 45–18–8[2]
Men's Basketball
First Meeting 1937[3]
Games Played 107[3]
All-time series UCSB leads: 73–34[3]
60km
37miles
UC Santa Barbara
Cal Poly
Locations of Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara

The Blue–Green Rivalry is the name of the rivalry between athletic teams from the University of California, Santa Barbara (Gauchos) and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Mustangs). Athletic competition between the two schools began in the 1921 on the football field.

The rivalry is best known recently for its games between the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer and Cal Poly Mustangs men's soccer teams and is called the "Greatest Rivalry In College Soccer".[4]

History

First meeting

The UCSB Gauchos and Cal Poly Mustangs met in their first collegiate athletic event on November 5, 1921.[5] Santa Barbara State Teachers College, as UC Santa Barbara was known then, started a football team and played Cal Poly, with Poly coming out as 42–0 winners.[5][6][7]

California Collegiate Athletic Association

The rivalry heated up when both schools were members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Gauchos joined the CCAA in 1939 and the Mustangs joined in 1945. The two would remain in-conference rival until the Gauchos departed in 1969 for the newly formed Pacific Coast Athletic Association.

Big West Conference

The Pacific Coast Athletic Association would later become known as the Big West Conference. Cal Poly joined in 1996 and the two have been competing in-conference match ups since.

Non-conference future

The two schools will be separated in men's soccer starting with the 2026 season. With the Big West and Pac-12 Conference entering into a men's soccer alliance at that time, Cal Poly will be one of four Big West schools that will play as Pac-12 affiliates.[8] The two will be separated in all sports starting in July 2027, when UCSB leaves the Big West for the West Coast Conference while Cal Poly remains in the Big West.[9]

Formalization of the Blue–Green Rivalry

The two schools announced the formalization of the Blue–Green Rivalry in 2009 to highlight the athletic accomplishments, but also to promote environmental sustainability.[10][11][12][13] October 2012 saw the schools increase promotions of the rivalry, including the addition of a new website.[14] However, this website has since been discontinued.

Results (Formalized rivalry era)

School year Champion Score Record
2009–2010[15][16] UC Santa Barbara 12–10 UCSB 1–0
2010–2011 ? ? ?
2011–2012[17][18] UC Santa Barbara 14–12 UCSB 2–0
2012–2013[17][18][19] UC Santa Barbara 15–14 UCSB 3–0
2013–2014[17][18][20] UC Santa Barbara 13–12 UCSB 4–0
2014–2015[18] UC Santa Barbara 18–11 UCSB 5–0
2015–2016[21] UC Santa Barbara 15–10 UCSB 6–0
2016–2017[21] UC Santa Barbara 14–10 UCSB 7–0
2017–2018[21] UC Santa Barbara 13–11 UCSB 8–0
2018–2019[21] UC Santa Barbara 15–10 UCSB 9–0
2019–2020[21] UC Santa Barbara 10–4 UCSB 10–0
2020–2021[21] Canceled — —

Men's soccer

The best known of the Blue–Green Rivalry games, Cal Poly and UCSB played each other twice a year in Big West Conference play through the 2025 season. With both schools located on the Central Coast of California less than 100 miles apart, attendance has risen dramatically following the Gauchos' 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship. The crowds of these games are record-setting and are among the highest regular season games in NCAA college soccer history.

In 2026, the Big West and Pac-12 Conference, the latter resuming full operation after a two-season hiatus, entered into a men's soccer alliance that will see four Big West members, among them Cal Poly, play as Pac-12 affiliates starting that season. The agreement calls for extensive cross-scheduling between the two conferences.[8] After the 2026 season, the teams will be fully separated when UCSB joins the West Coast Conference.[9]

Cal Poly victoriesUCSB victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScoreAttendance
1September 3, 1994 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 2–0 N/A
2September 25, 1994 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 4–2 N/A
3November 3, 1995 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 4–1 N/A
4October 18, 1996 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 2–1 N/A
5November 15, 1996 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 2–1 N/A
6September 21, 1997 San Diego, CA Cal Poly 2–1 N/A
7October 18, 1997 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 3–2 N/A
8November 13, 1998 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly 4–2 N/A
9September 1, 1999 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 2–0 N/A
10November 13, 1999 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 4–2 N/A
11November 7, 2000 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 3–0 206
12October 19, 2001 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 3–1 318
13November 9, 2001 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 5–1 575
14October 25, 2002 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 3–1425
15November 2, 2002 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 3–0522
16September 24, 2003 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (10)2–0 617
17October 22, 2003 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB (7)3–1 307
18October 9, 2004 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB (1)2–0 1,837
19October 23, 2004 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (2)2–0 607
20September 28, 2005 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB (19)3–1 568
21October 22, 2005 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB(14) 2–0 1,091
22September 5, 2006 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (7) 2–0924
23October 14, 2006 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 2–01,123
24October 17, 2007 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 2–1 7,143
25November 3, 2007 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (12) 3–1 8,102
26October 17, 2008 San Luis Obispo, CA Tie0–1 2OT 11,075
27October 5, 2008 Santa Barbara, CA Tie0–0 2OT 9,749
28November 12, 2008 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly 2–2 2OT3,601
29October 7, 2009 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (7) 1–0 5,842
30November 4, 2009 San Luis Obispo, CA Tie0–0 2OT 9,824
No.DateLocationWinnerScoreAttendance
31October 12, 2010 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 2–1 6,057
32October 27, 2010 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 2–1 OT 8,125
33November 10, 2010 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (22) 2 OT–1 4,084
34October 14, 2011 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 2–1 11,075
35November 4, 2011 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (17)2–0 13,822
36October 19, 2012 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly2–1 OT 13,467
37November 3, 2012 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 1–011,075
38October 25, 2013 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 1–1 2OT11,075
39November 9, 2013 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB (12)2–012,805
40October 25, 2014 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly 2–2 2OT 14,345
41November 2, 2014 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 2–0 11,075
42October 17, 2015 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 3–2 2OT 11,075
43October 24, 2015 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly (23)2–2 2OT 14,919
44October 15, 2016 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 2–111,075
45October 22, 2016 Santa Barbara, CA Tie0–0 2OT 11,424
46October 14, 2017 Santa Barbara, CA Tie0–0 2OT 10,293
47October 29, 2017 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 4–111,075
48September 30, 2018 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 1–0 11,075
49October 27, 2018 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 2–0 7,318
50October 5, 2019 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 3–1 9,748
51November 2, 2019 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 2–0 11,075
52September 25, 2021 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 2–0 8,000
53October 16, 2021 San Luis Obispo, CA Tie0–0 2OT 10,899
54September 21, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 2–1 10,392
55October 22, 2022 Santa Barbara, CA Tie1–1 7,535
56September 23, 2023 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 2–0 7,032
57October 15, 2023 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 1–0 8,128
58September 28, 2024 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 2–0 9,657
59October 6, 2024 Santa Barbara, CA Tie0–0 9,985
Series: UCSB leads 31–20–8

Source: [22]

Men's basketball

  • Note: NCAA Division I play only
  • Series table does not include results prior to the 1949–50 NCAA men's basketball season
Cal Poly victoriesUCSB victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 December 22, 1994 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 83–50
2 January 11, 1997 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 60–51
3 February 22, 1997 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 92–88
4 January 22, 1998 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly 68–66
5 February 22, 1998 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 102–96
6 January 20, 1999 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 78–75
7 February 20, 1999 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 82–74
8 February 3, 2000 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 87–79
9 February 23, 2000 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 79–69
10 February 10, 2001 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 95–88
11 February 22, 2001 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 84–77
12 January 19, 2002 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 74–67
13 February 16, 2002 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 69–66
14 March 7, 2002 Anaheim, CA UCSB 74–65
15 January 25, 2003 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 70–61
16 February 20, 2003 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 66–63
17 March 14, 2003 Anaheim, CA Cal Poly 67–52
18 January 17, 2004 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 78–59
19 February 14, 2004 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 73–53
20 January 13, 2005 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB76–56
21 February 19, 2005 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB78–66
22 January 21, 2006 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 74–62
23 February 15, 2006 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 74–37
24 March 9, 2006 Anaheim, CA Cal Poly 57–50
25 January 20, 2007 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly 71–61
26 February 14, 2007 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 86–79
27 January 19, 2008 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 75–60
28 February 14, 2008 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 60–47
29 January 17, 2009 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 72–62
30 February 14, 2009 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 68–66
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
31 January 28, 2010 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 80–57
32 February 27, 2010 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 60–57
33 January 27, 2011 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 71–70
34 March 5, 2011 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 49–43
35 January 2, 2012 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 58–57
36 February 25, 2012 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 68–60
37 March 9, 2012 Anaheim, CA UCSB 64–52
38 January 19, 2013 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 83–81
39 February 16, 2013 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 67–49
40 January 11, 2014 Santa Barbara, CA Cal Poly 72–64
41 March 8, 2014 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 71–55
42 March 13, 2014 Anaheim, CA Cal Poly 69–38
43 January 10, 2015 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 50–45
44 March 7, 2015 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB64–56
45 March 12, 2015 Anaheim, CA UCSB 54–50
46 January 14, 2016 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 76–73
47 March 5, 2016 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 69–50
48 January 14, 2017 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 58–53
49 March 4, 2017 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 57–44
50 January 4, 2018 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly 80–79
51 March 3, 2018 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB86–61
52 March 8, 2018 Anaheim, CA UCSB 75–53
53 January 9, 2019 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 65–56
54 March 9, 2019 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 92–82
55 January 8, 2020 San Luis Obispo, CA UCSB 63–45
56 March 7, 2020 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 69–67
57 March 5, 2021 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 71–57
58 March 6, 2021 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB 70–54
59
Series: UCSB leads 44–14

Source: [23]

References

  1. ^ "UCSB All-Time Season Results" (PDF). ucsb.prestosports.com. August 2015. p. 11. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "No. 21 Gauchos Ready for Cal Poly Rematch on Prime Ticket". ucsbgauchos.com. October 23, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "UCSB, Cal Poly Renew Blue-Green Rivalry Thursday in SLO". ucsbgauchos.com. January 13, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  4. ^ "The Fourteen Greatest Rivalries In College Soccer". www.collegesoccernews.com/. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Cal Poly Football History -- Year-by-Year Scores". issuu.com. Cal Poly Mustangs. 19 August 2015. p. 146. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  6. ^ Zant, John (April 23, 2015). "UCSB's Forgotten Football History". Santa Barbara Independent. Santa Barbara, California. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  7. ^ Monson, Gordon (November 7, 1987). "Gauchos Back in Saddle Again: UC Santa Barbara Strives to Corral Football Program Often Gone Astray". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Pac-12 Conference and The Big West Announce Collaborative Men's Soccer Partnership to Strengthen Opportunities in the West" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. March 30, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  9. ^ a b "UC Santa Barbara Accepts Invitation to Join West Coast Conference" (Press release). UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. April 10, 2026. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  10. ^ "The Blue-Green Rivalry". ucsbgauchos.cstv.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  11. ^ "Central Coast Rivals Announce Landmark Series". www.bigwest.org. October 16, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  12. ^ Zant, John (December 16, 2009). "UCSB Continues to Woo Sports Scholarship Donators". Santa Barbara Independent. Santa Barbara, California. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  13. ^ "Pair of Blue-Green points go to Cal Poly". presidiosports.com. April 10, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  14. ^ "UCSB, Cal Poly Unveil Blue-Green Rivalry Website". ucsbgauchos.com. October 18, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  15. ^ Scroggin, Joshua D. (January 26, 2011). "Mustangs-Gauchos rivalry could have a familiar feel". The Tribune. San Luis Obispo, California. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  16. ^ "The Blue-Green Rivalry". ucsbgauchos.cstv.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  17. ^ a b c "Point Breakdown - PAST WINNERS". bluegreenrivalry.com/point_breakdown/index. Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  18. ^ a b c d "Blue-Green Rivalry: Cal Poly vs. UC Santa Barbara". Cal Poly Mustangs. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  19. ^ "Point Breakdown". bluegreenrivalry.com/point_breakdown/index. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  20. ^ "Mark Massari's Annual 'State of the Gauchos' Address Featured on Final Talk'n Gauchos Tuesday". www.ucsbgauchos.com. May 16, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  21. ^ a b c d e f "Blue-Green Rivalry". Cal Poly Athletics. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  22. ^ "2017 Cal Poly Men's Soccer Schedule - Cal Poly". gopoly.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-11.
  23. ^ "The Blue–Green Rivalry History in Men's Basketball". College Basketball Reference. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
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