Bobcats Drop Heartbreaker to Griz
11/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Mike Kramer knew, with just over two minutes left, he was in a staredown.
“And we blinked first,” said MSU’s seventh-year head coach after Montana’s 13-7 victory over the Bobcats in Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday.
After 57 minutes of brutally physical football, and a game filled with turnovers (four by each team) and penalties 15 total, nine by the ‘Cats), MSU found itself knocking on heaven’s door. With 4:40 to play, Bobcat cornerback Andre Fuller stepped in front of a Josh Swogger pass, made the interception, and dashed 19 yards to the Grizzly 22-yard line.
“We were staring into the kitchen from 20 yards out, and we just couldn’t get there,” Kramer said. “Us or them, and it was them.”
On third down from the Montana 20 with just over two minutes to play, Cory Carpenter dropped to throw. A tennis ball sailed onto the field and rolled to a stop near Carpenter, playing for an injured Jack Rolovich. Carpenter threw incomplete, and in spite of warnings that objects thrown on the field would result in a penalty none was called. Carpenter was sacked on the next play, essentially ending Montana State's chances.
The game featured many possible turning points, but the pivotal moment came midway through the third quarter. Montana took possession at the MSU 46, and Josh Swogger found Eric Allen all alone down the east sideline, and the Grizzly junior made the catch and found the end zone to give Montana the lead.
“We just got lost in coverage,” Kramer said.
That play accounted for 54 of Montana’s 344 yards. The ‘Cats enjoyed a big play in the first quarter that gave MSU the lead, a 43-yarder to Josh Lewis that moved the Bobcats deep into Grizzly territory. Aaron Mason scored on a five-year run to give MSU a 7-3 lead it would carry into halftime.
That was MSU’s only play of the day longer than 20 yards, but a sterling defensive effort gave the ‘Cats several scoring opportunities in the first half. “The story of this game was our inability to convert scoring chances in the first half,” Kramer said.
After a game in which both teams left it all on the field, Kramer expressed pride in the effort and respect for the victor. “Every coach that has played Montana this year has sat up here and said, ‘We’re as good as them, we should have won.’ But they didn’t. There’s a lot of rhetoric in our league, but in the end Montana made it through undefeated. Congratulations to their players, their coaches, and to Bobby. That is a great team.”
“And we blinked first,” said MSU’s seventh-year head coach after Montana’s 13-7 victory over the Bobcats in Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday.
After 57 minutes of brutally physical football, and a game filled with turnovers (four by each team) and penalties 15 total, nine by the ‘Cats), MSU found itself knocking on heaven’s door. With 4:40 to play, Bobcat cornerback Andre Fuller stepped in front of a Josh Swogger pass, made the interception, and dashed 19 yards to the Grizzly 22-yard line.
“We were staring into the kitchen from 20 yards out, and we just couldn’t get there,” Kramer said. “Us or them, and it was them.”
On third down from the Montana 20 with just over two minutes to play, Cory Carpenter dropped to throw. A tennis ball sailed onto the field and rolled to a stop near Carpenter, playing for an injured Jack Rolovich. Carpenter threw incomplete, and in spite of warnings that objects thrown on the field would result in a penalty none was called. Carpenter was sacked on the next play, essentially ending Montana State's chances.
The game featured many possible turning points, but the pivotal moment came midway through the third quarter. Montana took possession at the MSU 46, and Josh Swogger found Eric Allen all alone down the east sideline, and the Grizzly junior made the catch and found the end zone to give Montana the lead.
“We just got lost in coverage,” Kramer said.
That play accounted for 54 of Montana’s 344 yards. The ‘Cats enjoyed a big play in the first quarter that gave MSU the lead, a 43-yarder to Josh Lewis that moved the Bobcats deep into Grizzly territory. Aaron Mason scored on a five-year run to give MSU a 7-3 lead it would carry into halftime.
That was MSU’s only play of the day longer than 20 yards, but a sterling defensive effort gave the ‘Cats several scoring opportunities in the first half. “The story of this game was our inability to convert scoring chances in the first half,” Kramer said.
After a game in which both teams left it all on the field, Kramer expressed pride in the effort and respect for the victor. “Every coach that has played Montana this year has sat up here and said, ‘We’re as good as them, we should have won.’ But they didn’t. There’s a lot of rhetoric in our league, but in the end Montana made it through undefeated. Congratulations to their players, their coaches, and to Bobby. That is a great team.”
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