Bobcats Find Way to Win at Sac State
10/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State knew it would face some bad luck on Saturday in Hornet Stadium. The trick was not to let it last.
The Bobcats followed that plan to the letter in a 31-20 win over Sacramento State.
"Bad luck doesn't have to become an epidemic," Bobcat coach Rob Ash said. "The best thing about this game is the way we responded when things didn't go our way."
The best example of that came early in the third quarter, with MSU holding a 17-0 lead and driving. Sacramento State's star linebacker Cyrus Mulitalo stepped in front of a Cody Kempt pass and returned it to the MSU 16-yard line. Five plays later, Bryan Hilliard scored to cut the lead to 17-7.
"We made the commitment all week not to have a letdown," Ash said. "The way we responded after the interception and touchdown was really good. The defense remained calm and the offense got it together, and we never let down."
After the team's swapped punts, MSU took control again when DeAndre Green blocked a Hornet punt that Kevin Retoriano recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Green was not finished leaving his mark on the game, as the senior receiver caught a pass to convert a third down late in the quarter to extend a drive near midfield, and moments later caught a scoring strike from Kempt to give MSU a 31-7 cushion.
A pair of late Hornet scores, measured against the Bobcats draining the clock, left MSU with an 11-point win and ended the team's two-game losing streak. The Bobcats forced three Hornet turnovers, none bigger than Cory Nicol's interception near the end of the first half to thwart a scoring chance. "It was man coverage," Nicol said, and I had inside leverage. I read the three-step (drop) pretty well. The inside guy who Kevin Retoriano was covering tried to run a rub route to the end zone and he threw it to my guy. I was glad to get it."
Montana State got the quick start it longed for in the first half. After stopping the Hornets near midfield on the game's first possession, MSU drove 80 yards on 13 plays for a touchdown. Crawford scored on a nine-yard run. Jason Cunningham's 23-yard field goal on MSU's second drive gave the Bobcats a 10-0 lead. In the second quarter, Bobcat defensive end Brad Smith sacked Justin Smith, forcing a fumble that the Bobcats recovered. MSU converted on the drive's second play, with Kempt finding Brandon Bostick alone in the end zone for a five-yard scoring strike. MSU took that 17-0 lead into the intermission.
The Bobcats followed that plan to the letter in a 31-20 win over Sacramento State.
"Bad luck doesn't have to become an epidemic," Bobcat coach Rob Ash said. "The best thing about this game is the way we responded when things didn't go our way."
The best example of that came early in the third quarter, with MSU holding a 17-0 lead and driving. Sacramento State's star linebacker Cyrus Mulitalo stepped in front of a Cody Kempt pass and returned it to the MSU 16-yard line. Five plays later, Bryan Hilliard scored to cut the lead to 17-7.
"We made the commitment all week not to have a letdown," Ash said. "The way we responded after the interception and touchdown was really good. The defense remained calm and the offense got it together, and we never let down."
After the team's swapped punts, MSU took control again when DeAndre Green blocked a Hornet punt that Kevin Retoriano recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Green was not finished leaving his mark on the game, as the senior receiver caught a pass to convert a third down late in the quarter to extend a drive near midfield, and moments later caught a scoring strike from Kempt to give MSU a 31-7 cushion.
A pair of late Hornet scores, measured against the Bobcats draining the clock, left MSU with an 11-point win and ended the team's two-game losing streak. The Bobcats forced three Hornet turnovers, none bigger than Cory Nicol's interception near the end of the first half to thwart a scoring chance. "It was man coverage," Nicol said, and I had inside leverage. I read the three-step (drop) pretty well. The inside guy who Kevin Retoriano was covering tried to run a rub route to the end zone and he threw it to my guy. I was glad to get it."
Montana State got the quick start it longed for in the first half. After stopping the Hornets near midfield on the game's first possession, MSU drove 80 yards on 13 plays for a touchdown. Crawford scored on a nine-yard run. Jason Cunningham's 23-yard field goal on MSU's second drive gave the Bobcats a 10-0 lead. In the second quarter, Bobcat defensive end Brad Smith sacked Justin Smith, forcing a fumble that the Bobcats recovered. MSU converted on the drive's second play, with Kempt finding Brandon Bostick alone in the end zone for a five-yard scoring strike. MSU took that 17-0 lead into the intermission.
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