Bobcats Earn Comeback Win over Sac State
10/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Making his first start in over a year, Cory Carpenter threw for 244 yards in leading Montana State to a 20-9 win over Sacramento State in blustery Bozeman on Saturday.
Carpenter managed MSU's offense efficiently throughout the game, but the Bobcat offense struggled to score points, missing field goals in the second and third quarter. Then trailing 9-3, Carpenter found tight end Elliott Barnhart near the sideline and the senior tight rumbled 39 yards for the first touchdown of the day.
"That was a huge momentum play," Carpenter said. "That was great. The (Sac State defender) went for the pick or the breakup, and (Barnhart's catch) was perfect."
Montana State coach Rob Ash called Barnhart's play "the second-biggest play of the game" for the Bobcats, and almost immediately preceded what Ash called the day's most important play for the Bobcats. With 46 seconds to play in the third quarter, sophomore place kicker Eric Fisher converted a 27-yard field goal. Freshman Mike Sweeney had missed his two previous attempts.
"I think the field goal Eric Fisher made was one of the most important plays of the game," Ash said, before qualifying it as probably the single most important play. "It's dangerous to bring a new (kicker) in at that point. But that kick changed the entire feeling of the game on our sideline."
Fisher added a 32-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, if Fisher stabilized the Bobcat effort on this day, Carpenter keyed it. "What a fabulous performance by Cory Carpenter," Ash said. "He was pretty sharp the entire game. He was calm. He made quick reads and accurate throws. I thought he did a magnificent job."
Carpenter won Montana State's starting quarterback job just prior to the 2006 season, and after leading the Bobcats to an upset win at Colorado MSU lost three straight games. Carpenter righted the ship with a win at Northern Arizona, but was injured in the next game and didn't play again until the Cat-Griz game in November. Rolovich earned the starting nod this August, and Carpenter played only sparingly in the first six Bobcat games this fall.
On Saturday, though, the senior from The Dalles, Ore., was masterful. He didn't complete a pass longer than six yards in the first quarter, or longer than 15 yards in the second, and was 11-for-18 for 80 yards at the intermission. With more of the playbook availed to him in the second half, Carpenter's completion percentage went down, but his yards-per-reception up. He was 7-for-13 in the second half, but threw for 164 yards, and finished the day with three passes of more than 30 yards.
"My game plan is to take what they give me," Carpenter said of the difference between the second half and first.
While the Bobcat offense struggled in the game's first 30 minutes, Sacramento State rolled up and down the field, but couldn't find the end zone. Juan Gamboa nailed field goals of 31 and 40 yards before halftime, when Sac State had out-gained the Bobcats 195 yard to 109, and extended the Hornets' lead to 9-0 with a 30-yarder late in the third quarter.
Sacramento State's defense entered the game billed as one of the Big Sky's top units, and didn't disappoint in Bobcat Stadium. The Hornets held MSU to 316 yards and 16 first downs. It was what the Hornets didn't do, however, that was noteworthy. Leading the Big Sky with 20 sacks through six games, the Bobcat offensive line didn't allow a single Hornet sack on Saturday.
"I thought the offensive line did a tremendous job protecting the passer," Ash said, and Carpenter echoed the sentiment. "Those guys did a great job today."
The win raises Montana State's record to 5-2 overall, 3-1 in Big Sky play, and visits Northern Colorado next Saturday. The Hornets stand 1-6, 1-4 in the league, and host powerful Eastern Washington next week.
Carpenter managed MSU's offense efficiently throughout the game, but the Bobcat offense struggled to score points, missing field goals in the second and third quarter. Then trailing 9-3, Carpenter found tight end Elliott Barnhart near the sideline and the senior tight rumbled 39 yards for the first touchdown of the day.
"That was a huge momentum play," Carpenter said. "That was great. The (Sac State defender) went for the pick or the breakup, and (Barnhart's catch) was perfect."
Montana State coach Rob Ash called Barnhart's play "the second-biggest play of the game" for the Bobcats, and almost immediately preceded what Ash called the day's most important play for the Bobcats. With 46 seconds to play in the third quarter, sophomore place kicker Eric Fisher converted a 27-yard field goal. Freshman Mike Sweeney had missed his two previous attempts.
"I think the field goal Eric Fisher made was one of the most important plays of the game," Ash said, before qualifying it as probably the single most important play. "It's dangerous to bring a new (kicker) in at that point. But that kick changed the entire feeling of the game on our sideline."
Fisher added a 32-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, if Fisher stabilized the Bobcat effort on this day, Carpenter keyed it. "What a fabulous performance by Cory Carpenter," Ash said. "He was pretty sharp the entire game. He was calm. He made quick reads and accurate throws. I thought he did a magnificent job."
Carpenter won Montana State's starting quarterback job just prior to the 2006 season, and after leading the Bobcats to an upset win at Colorado MSU lost three straight games. Carpenter righted the ship with a win at Northern Arizona, but was injured in the next game and didn't play again until the Cat-Griz game in November. Rolovich earned the starting nod this August, and Carpenter played only sparingly in the first six Bobcat games this fall.
On Saturday, though, the senior from The Dalles, Ore., was masterful. He didn't complete a pass longer than six yards in the first quarter, or longer than 15 yards in the second, and was 11-for-18 for 80 yards at the intermission. With more of the playbook availed to him in the second half, Carpenter's completion percentage went down, but his yards-per-reception up. He was 7-for-13 in the second half, but threw for 164 yards, and finished the day with three passes of more than 30 yards.
"My game plan is to take what they give me," Carpenter said of the difference between the second half and first.
While the Bobcat offense struggled in the game's first 30 minutes, Sacramento State rolled up and down the field, but couldn't find the end zone. Juan Gamboa nailed field goals of 31 and 40 yards before halftime, when Sac State had out-gained the Bobcats 195 yard to 109, and extended the Hornets' lead to 9-0 with a 30-yarder late in the third quarter.
Sacramento State's defense entered the game billed as one of the Big Sky's top units, and didn't disappoint in Bobcat Stadium. The Hornets held MSU to 316 yards and 16 first downs. It was what the Hornets didn't do, however, that was noteworthy. Leading the Big Sky with 20 sacks through six games, the Bobcat offensive line didn't allow a single Hornet sack on Saturday.
"I thought the offensive line did a tremendous job protecting the passer," Ash said, and Carpenter echoed the sentiment. "Those guys did a great job today."
The win raises Montana State's record to 5-2 overall, 3-1 in Big Sky play, and visits Northern Colorado next Saturday. The Hornets stand 1-6, 1-4 in the league, and host powerful Eastern Washington next week.
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