Bobcats Win Another in Excruciating Fashion
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Excruciating, said Montana State's seventh-year head coach, who for the fourth time has led his team to the season's final week with a shot at the Big Sky Championship.
The Bobcats won their sixth straight game in nail-biting fashion, scoring on two Jeff Hastings field goals and an Evin Groves run and holding the ball for the game's final three minutes for the victory.
"That was a really fun college football game," Kramer said after MSU moved to 6-1 in Big Sky play with only the league championship game at Montana on November 18 remaining. "Northern Colorado really came to play. It was a tremendous effort by Northern Colorado and by Scott (Downing, UNC's head coach) and his staff."
While the game developed into a defense-and-field-position struggle for most of its duration, MSU managed to create some significant offense on the ground. Evin Groves knocked the rust off from seven weeks of inactivity last week, and on Saturday ground out 120 rushing yards.
"We know that to be able to win games from this point forward we need to have success in the running game," Kramer said. "The healing that occuring in the running game makes it a working in progress. It was good to see Evin get going in the second half. He tip-toed in the first half, he was still a little apprehensive (about his healing knee), but he ran hard in the second half."
The Bobcats marched down the field on their first possession, but on a third-and-goal Jack Rolovich threw an interception in the end zone. After punting on the next possession, Hastings nailed a 32-yarder in the second quarter to give MSU a 3-0 lead.
On the next possession, Kevin Retoriano picked off his first pass as a Bobcat and raced to the Northern Colorado seven yard line. Groves scored on the next play. UNC answered with a 50-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to close the gap to 10-3 at halftime.
Jeff Hastings opened the second half scoring with a career-long 47-yard field goal late in the third quarter, the Bobcats appeared to ice the game midway through the fourth quarter before a controversial call changed the course of the game. Jack Rolovich threw a pass caught by Mike Jefferson in the end zone, but while one official ruled the ball a touchdown another over-ruled the call and gave Northern Colorardo an interception.
The Bears took advantage of the opportunity, marching 80 yards for a touchdown, capped by T.J. Swanson's 40-yard pass to Robert Long. The stunning turn of events, in essence a 14-point swing in Northern Colorado's favor, left the Bears trailing 13-10 with just over three minutes to play. MSU recovered the ensuing on-side kick, and was able to hold the ball for the win.
"Certainly we have momentum," Kramer said of MSU's six-game winning streak. "We feel good."
The Bobcats won their sixth straight game in nail-biting fashion, scoring on two Jeff Hastings field goals and an Evin Groves run and holding the ball for the game's final three minutes for the victory.
"That was a really fun college football game," Kramer said after MSU moved to 6-1 in Big Sky play with only the league championship game at Montana on November 18 remaining. "Northern Colorado really came to play. It was a tremendous effort by Northern Colorado and by Scott (Downing, UNC's head coach) and his staff."
While the game developed into a defense-and-field-position struggle for most of its duration, MSU managed to create some significant offense on the ground. Evin Groves knocked the rust off from seven weeks of inactivity last week, and on Saturday ground out 120 rushing yards.
"We know that to be able to win games from this point forward we need to have success in the running game," Kramer said. "The healing that occuring in the running game makes it a working in progress. It was good to see Evin get going in the second half. He tip-toed in the first half, he was still a little apprehensive (about his healing knee), but he ran hard in the second half."
The Bobcats marched down the field on their first possession, but on a third-and-goal Jack Rolovich threw an interception in the end zone. After punting on the next possession, Hastings nailed a 32-yarder in the second quarter to give MSU a 3-0 lead.
On the next possession, Kevin Retoriano picked off his first pass as a Bobcat and raced to the Northern Colorado seven yard line. Groves scored on the next play. UNC answered with a 50-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to close the gap to 10-3 at halftime.
Jeff Hastings opened the second half scoring with a career-long 47-yard field goal late in the third quarter, the Bobcats appeared to ice the game midway through the fourth quarter before a controversial call changed the course of the game. Jack Rolovich threw a pass caught by Mike Jefferson in the end zone, but while one official ruled the ball a touchdown another over-ruled the call and gave Northern Colorardo an interception.
The Bears took advantage of the opportunity, marching 80 yards for a touchdown, capped by T.J. Swanson's 40-yard pass to Robert Long. The stunning turn of events, in essence a 14-point swing in Northern Colorado's favor, left the Bears trailing 13-10 with just over three minutes to play. MSU recovered the ensuing on-side kick, and was able to hold the ball for the win.
"Certainly we have momentum," Kramer said of MSU's six-game winning streak. "We feel good."
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