Bobcats Topple #8 NDSU
9/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
(Game stats attached)
Travis Lulay led Montana State to the fifth fourth-quarter comeback win of his career Saturday, as the Bobcats toppled eighth-ranked North Dakota State 20-17 in sold out Bobcat Stadium.
Kyle Steffes led NDSU on a 53-yard, nine-play march to give the Bison their first lead with 9:13 to play setting up Lulay's familiar late-game fireworks. After an illegal block on the ensuing kickoff -- "I think (the guilty Bobcat) tackled the guy on purpose just so Travis could go 92 yards," Kramer laughed afterward -- Lulay marched the team down the field.
"It was a good win over a quality opponent," Kramer said. "North Dakota State is about as solid a football team as we ever see. But in the end, the play of our quarterback and our defense, and the welcome return of (receiver) Rick Gatewood, was enough for us to get it done."
Lulay's masterful drive capitalized on a newly-returned weapon, Gatewood, who missed MSU's first three games due to an eligibility irregularity. With last year's Big Sky Newcomer of the Year back in the fold, Lulay found him for completions on the first three plays of the winning drive. Lulay and his favorite target moved the 'Cats 32 yards to the MSU 40.
"Travis is the greatest leader I know on and off the field," Gatewood said. "He's the best at the fourth quarter comebacks."
Montana State's senior Payton Trophy candidate didn't do it all with his arm on the final drive. Lulay rushed for seven yards and a first down, breaking three tackles along the way, to keep the drive alive near midfield. He gained 17 from the Bison 22 to the five, and the nrushed three yards to the NDSU one. Justin Domineck's got into the end zone on a third-down play for the clinching score.
"We knew we were only going to get one touch," Kramer said of his team's game plan on the final drive. "We knew we wouldn't get the ball back, so we had to be hyper-careful on that possession. The credit goes to the offense, to (offensive coordinator) Don Bailey, and to the offensive staff for that masterful drive."
Still, with 1:41 to play, Steve Walker and the NDSU offense was hardly finished. The Bison quarterback completed a 22-yard pass to Kole Heckendorf on fourth-and-18, then found Heckendorf for 29 more yards on a second-and-15 to get NDSU into scoring position at the Bobcat 42 with 12 seconds left. Time simply ran out on NDSU, as Walker was chased to the near sideline and heaved a pass that fell incomplete as time expired.
Both quarterbacks turned in stellar, efficient afternoons. Walker finished the day 16-for-29 with an interception and 195 yards. Lulay threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 22-for-29 passing. The supporting cast was equally stellar. Heckendorf caught 89 yards worth of Walker's throws, while Gatewood caught nine passes for 77 yards and Tramaine Murray, coming off of back-to-back 100-yard games, caught four passes for 78 yards. Each scored a touchdown.
The most spectacular individual play of the day came late in the first half. On a third-and-nine with just 1:59 to play in the second quarter, Lulay found Murray over the middle for a first down, but the ball popped from Murray's hands. "I got hit on the arm, but I was able to tip it to myself and keep my concentration," he said. The play resulted in a 42-yard touchdown, which gave the Bobcats a 13-7 halftime lead after Jeff Hastings' PAT was blocked.
Montana State opens Big Sky play next week in Bobcat Stadium against Idaho State. The Bengals upended fifth-ranked Eastern Washington 34-30 in Pocatello on Saturday.
Travis Lulay led Montana State to the fifth fourth-quarter comeback win of his career Saturday, as the Bobcats toppled eighth-ranked North Dakota State 20-17 in sold out Bobcat Stadium.
Kyle Steffes led NDSU on a 53-yard, nine-play march to give the Bison their first lead with 9:13 to play setting up Lulay's familiar late-game fireworks. After an illegal block on the ensuing kickoff -- "I think (the guilty Bobcat) tackled the guy on purpose just so Travis could go 92 yards," Kramer laughed afterward -- Lulay marched the team down the field.
"It was a good win over a quality opponent," Kramer said. "North Dakota State is about as solid a football team as we ever see. But in the end, the play of our quarterback and our defense, and the welcome return of (receiver) Rick Gatewood, was enough for us to get it done."
Lulay's masterful drive capitalized on a newly-returned weapon, Gatewood, who missed MSU's first three games due to an eligibility irregularity. With last year's Big Sky Newcomer of the Year back in the fold, Lulay found him for completions on the first three plays of the winning drive. Lulay and his favorite target moved the 'Cats 32 yards to the MSU 40.
"Travis is the greatest leader I know on and off the field," Gatewood said. "He's the best at the fourth quarter comebacks."
Montana State's senior Payton Trophy candidate didn't do it all with his arm on the final drive. Lulay rushed for seven yards and a first down, breaking three tackles along the way, to keep the drive alive near midfield. He gained 17 from the Bison 22 to the five, and the nrushed three yards to the NDSU one. Justin Domineck's got into the end zone on a third-down play for the clinching score.
"We knew we were only going to get one touch," Kramer said of his team's game plan on the final drive. "We knew we wouldn't get the ball back, so we had to be hyper-careful on that possession. The credit goes to the offense, to (offensive coordinator) Don Bailey, and to the offensive staff for that masterful drive."
Still, with 1:41 to play, Steve Walker and the NDSU offense was hardly finished. The Bison quarterback completed a 22-yard pass to Kole Heckendorf on fourth-and-18, then found Heckendorf for 29 more yards on a second-and-15 to get NDSU into scoring position at the Bobcat 42 with 12 seconds left. Time simply ran out on NDSU, as Walker was chased to the near sideline and heaved a pass that fell incomplete as time expired.
Both quarterbacks turned in stellar, efficient afternoons. Walker finished the day 16-for-29 with an interception and 195 yards. Lulay threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 22-for-29 passing. The supporting cast was equally stellar. Heckendorf caught 89 yards worth of Walker's throws, while Gatewood caught nine passes for 77 yards and Tramaine Murray, coming off of back-to-back 100-yard games, caught four passes for 78 yards. Each scored a touchdown.
The most spectacular individual play of the day came late in the first half. On a third-and-nine with just 1:59 to play in the second quarter, Lulay found Murray over the middle for a first down, but the ball popped from Murray's hands. "I got hit on the arm, but I was able to tip it to myself and keep my concentration," he said. The play resulted in a 42-yard touchdown, which gave the Bobcats a 13-7 halftime lead after Jeff Hastings' PAT was blocked.
Montana State opens Big Sky play next week in Bobcat Stadium against Idaho State. The Bengals upended fifth-ranked Eastern Washington 34-30 in Pocatello on Saturday.
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