Bobcats Stop Hornets
11/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Corey Smith returned two punts for touchdowns and Bruce Molock rushed for 201 yards, leading Montana State to a 56-7 win over Sacramento State in Bozeman on Saturday.
Smith, a senior who leads Division I-AA in kickoff returns, returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to give MSU a 21-0 lead, then helped the Bobcats blow the game open with a 48-yard return late in the third quarter.
"What can you say about Corey Smith," Kramer said. "It's the same old thing. Wow. All our punt returns come as a result of the defense getting us the ball in position to return it. It seems like the last couple of weeks our punt return game evaporated because teams would punt from midfield. Today, the defense did a great job, and Corey took advantage."
Smith became the first Bobcat to return a punt and a kickoff in the same game earlier this year. On Saturday, he became the first player to return two punts for a touchdown in the same game in school history. The 80-yard return was sprung by a big block by Ryan Elliott. "I just followed the blocks," Smith said.
What damage Smith didn't do to Sacramento State, Molock did. He gained a career-best 201 yards, topping the 199 he gained against Idaho State while at Cal State Northridge in 2000. Molock got the Bobcats on the board with a one-yard run with 9:37 to play in the first quarter, and duplicated that effort midway through the second quarter. He dashed 60 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter to give MSU a 42-7 lead.
Montana State's defense was dominant on Saturday. The Bobcats, Big Sky leaders in total defense and scoring defense, limited Sacramento State to just 239 total yards. "Defense, defense, defense," Kramer said. "The defense played great."
MSU, now 5-4 and over .500 for the first time this season, takes its 3-1 Big Sky mark to Spokane next weekend for a showdown with explosive Eastern Washington. Kickoff is 1:40 pm MST, and the game is televised nationally on The Football Network and Omega TV throughout Montana.
Smith, a senior who leads Division I-AA in kickoff returns, returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to give MSU a 21-0 lead, then helped the Bobcats blow the game open with a 48-yard return late in the third quarter.
"What can you say about Corey Smith," Kramer said. "It's the same old thing. Wow. All our punt returns come as a result of the defense getting us the ball in position to return it. It seems like the last couple of weeks our punt return game evaporated because teams would punt from midfield. Today, the defense did a great job, and Corey took advantage."
Smith became the first Bobcat to return a punt and a kickoff in the same game earlier this year. On Saturday, he became the first player to return two punts for a touchdown in the same game in school history. The 80-yard return was sprung by a big block by Ryan Elliott. "I just followed the blocks," Smith said.
What damage Smith didn't do to Sacramento State, Molock did. He gained a career-best 201 yards, topping the 199 he gained against Idaho State while at Cal State Northridge in 2000. Molock got the Bobcats on the board with a one-yard run with 9:37 to play in the first quarter, and duplicated that effort midway through the second quarter. He dashed 60 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter to give MSU a 42-7 lead.
Montana State's defense was dominant on Saturday. The Bobcats, Big Sky leaders in total defense and scoring defense, limited Sacramento State to just 239 total yards. "Defense, defense, defense," Kramer said. "The defense played great."
MSU, now 5-4 and over .500 for the first time this season, takes its 3-1 Big Sky mark to Spokane next weekend for a showdown with explosive Eastern Washington. Kickoff is 1:40 pm MST, and the game is televised nationally on The Football Network and Omega TV throughout Montana.
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