Montana State University
Eastern Washington University
Eastern Rallies for Seventh Straight Win Over MSU
10/24/2009 7:14:15 AM | Football
An explosive Eastern Washington offense and a slew of Bobcat injuries boosted Eastern Washington to a 35-24 Big Sky Conference win over Montana State in Cheney on Saturday.
EWU's Tyler Hart scored the decisive touchdown on a four-yard run with 1:49 to play, giving Eastern the final margin of victory. Hart's run was the first rushing touchdown MSU has allowed in 2009, and capped an impressive 96-yard drive against a decimated MSU defense. The Bobcats missed starters at five defensive positions on Saturday.
Hart's score also came after Evertt Gilbert caught a ball at the Eastern Washington end zone on MSU's previous possession which would have given MSU a 30-28 lead. A long discussion produced an incomplete call, after which EWU launched its decisive drive.
"Eastern definitely played with a backs-to-the-wall mentality," said MSU coach Rob Ash. "Taiwan Jones was sensational. I thought our defense did a good job limiting their passing game, but Taiwan just made too many plays."
MSU won the statistical war, gaining 592 yards to Eastern's 394. But missed opportunities in the kicking game - with place kicker Jason Cunningham and punter Eric Fisher home sick - harmed the Bobcats' cause. MSU missed all four of its extra point opportunities, and lost possessions on downs twice in the first half in the red zone.
After CJ Palmer put the Bobcats ahead 24-14 early in the fourth quarter, Taiwan Jones caught a 20-yard pass from Matt Nichols to draw EWU within three, the caught a 38-yarder to give Eastern the lead. MSU limited Jones, the Big Sky's leading rusher prior to the game, to just 55 rushing yards, but he had 149 receiving yards.
For the second straight week, quarterback Cody Kempt and running back CJ Palmer posted their best games. Kempt finished the day 20-for-37 passing with two touchdowns and one interception. Palmer ran for a career-high 134 yards, and scored once. Freshman receive Everett Gilbert caught five passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, and rushed three times for 37 yards.
MSU dominated the game's first 29 minutes. MSU scored the game's first touchdown, a four-yard touchdown run by Blayde Becksted, but with Jason Cunningham home sick Mackey Nolan missed the PAT.
With 2:06 to play in the half, Eastern took over on its own 20. Taiwan Jones turned a short dump pass over the middle into a 42 yard gain, and four plays later Nichols found Nathan Overbay on a 16-yard touchdown. After the kickoff, Julius Lloyd fumbled and EWU took over at the Bobcat 15. Overbay caught a 15-yard pass from Nichols, and Eastern led 14-6.
But even with 32 seconds remaining in the half, the fireworks weren't over. On MSU's first play from the Bobcat 40, Cody Kempt found Everett Gilbert streaking over the middle, and Gilbert out-raced the Eagles secondary to a 60-yard touchdown. MSU again failed on the conversion, but the Bobcats had cut the halftime lead to 14-12.
After two quarters, MSU had out-gained Eastern 314-to-146.
