SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Never mind the co-Big Sky championship, the seven-game conference winning streak, and the landmark victory over Montana in October.

The Weber State Wildcats, in the midst of their historic 2008 season, got their signature win on Saturday night.

The Wildcats played their best game of the season in a 49-35 win over Cal Poly in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. It was the Wildcats' first Football Championship Subdivision playoff game in 17 years, and just their second playoff victory in school history.

Weber State advances to play at Montana in the FCS quarterfinals next week.

"This is probably the finest win we've had because every player gave everything they had," said coach Ron McBride. "We just kept making big plays. It was as good a football game I've seen this team play, or maybe any team I've had. They just kept playing and making plays."

Weber State's entire offensive unit put together a near-flawless performance. Quarterback Cameron Higgins bounced back from a subpar performance in the Wildcats' season finale (four interceptions) and repeatedly torched the Mustangs. He completed 21-of-33 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran in a 1-yard score in the fourth quarter.

Higgins was sacked just once by a typically aggressive Cal Poly defense. It came early in the first quarter, and his offensive line took good care of him the rest of the night.

"He (Higgins) had pretty big night against this team," McBride said. "The offensive line did an incredible job of protection."

He was far from alone. The Wildcats' offense knew it was under pressure to score against Cal Poly, which entered the FCS playoff game as the highest-scoring team in the country. Weber State rarely wasted a possession while rolling up 564 yards against the Mustangs.

"That was a really good football team," said Cal Poly coach Rich Ellerson. "They were in the groove. They were making plays. Offensively, they had us in their sights."

Smith rebounded from losing a costly late fumble in Weber State's loss to Eastern Washington last week, which forced the Wildcats to play on the road on Saturday night. He rushed for 137 yards on 23 carries and had two rushing touchdowns. He also caught a 37-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

The unsung heroes of Saturday's game were the Wildcats' defensive players, which may seem strange when you consider they gave up 548 yards of offense. But they made big plays, especially in the red zone, and forced five turnovers. Cal Poly had just three turnovers in the entire season entering Saturday's game.

"Our guys made plays," McBride said. "The guys hit hard. We kept hitting and banging and when that happens the ball gets on the ground, you get the ball back, you get some picks."