The 2012 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Mustangs were led by fourth year head coach Tim Walsh and played their home games at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. This is their first year as a member of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 9–3, 7–1 in Big Sky play to claim a share of the conference championship with Eastern Washington and Montana State. They received an at-large bid into the FCS Playoffs where they lost in the second round to Sam Houston State.