Gunnar Brekke was a key contributor to the Bobcats' victory.
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats hold on against Bengals
11/15/2014 6:02:00 PM | Football, General
The pass soared toward the endzone. Idaho State quarterback Justin Arias had been successful for most of the game on most of the passes he threw. But this time, Montana State cornerback Bryson Keeton was there to deny the completion as the clock counted down to zero and the game came to an end.
And the Bobcats held on for a 44-39 win in a game that both teams had to win to ensure postseason action later this month.
With its sixth win in the last seven games, Montana State improved to 6-1 in the Big Sky Conference, still tied with idle Eastern Washington for first place. Idaho State, its postseason plans now in doubt, fell into a four-way tie for second at 5-2. The loss snapped a five-game win streak for ISU.
The 12th-ranked Bobcats, now 8-3 overall, trailed for most of the game, finally taking a 37-30 lead in the waning moments of the third quarter when Jake Bleskin hit Gunnar Brekke for a 24-yard touchdown. Bleskin was a surprise starter when regular quarterback Dakota Prukop wasn't cleared to play due to a knee injury sustained in last week's win over Portland State.
Bleskin, who was making just his third career start, never seemed ruffled by the spotlight shining on him. The junior from Great Falls completed 25 of 35 passes and in addition to his toss to Brekke, also threw a 10-yard scoring strike to Mitchell Herbert in the second quarter that narrowed ISU's lead at the time to 21-16. Bleskin finished with 301 yards, putting him over the 300 mark in all three of his starts, two of which came in 2013. Brekke's score was set up when Cole Moore stripped the ball from ISU's Xavier Finney and Robert Marshall recovered. Finney, the Big Sky's leading rusher, finished with 127 yards on 13 carries before leaving the game with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
The Bengals, 7-4 overall, led 30-23 at halftime, despite two running touchdowns by MSU's Anthony Knight. Brekke, Knight and Chad Newell filled in for the injured Shawn Johnson, who sat out the second straight game with a hamstring injury. Running back by committee worked well as Knight's fourth-quarter 6-yard touchdown rumble proved to be the clinching score, giving the Bobcats a 44-33 lead with 9:14 to play.
Knight lugged the ball 19 times for 75 yards and Newell carried it 18 times for a career best 110 yards as MSU had the ball for over 40 minutes, compared to fewer than 20 minutes by the Bengals. Even Bleskin got in the running act, calling his own number five times for 56 yards. It was Newell's 16-yard dash, behind a big block from tight end Tiai Salanoa, that tied the game at 30-all in the third quarter, following an interception by Eryon Barnett. It was one of the few mistakes ISU's Arias made as the senior finished 23 of 38 for 370 yards and two first-quarter scoring strikes to Madison Mangum and one to Hagen Graves in the second quarter. Mangum led all receivers with eight catches for 147 yards. Teammate KW Williams totaled 135 yards on eight catches as well, but the duo did most of its damage in the opening half, as the Bobcats did not allow a second half scoring pass.
Bleskin's favorite targets were Salanoa, Brekke and Herbert, all with five catches. Salanoa's 70 yards set the pace for the Bobcats. After Herbert's scoring reception gave the Bobcats their 37-30 edge, Zak Johnson's second field goal of the game got ISU within four points. Knight's clinching score, behind a key block by Newell, was answered by ISU's 68-yard drive that took just three plays and 49 seconds. Daniel McSurdy's second rushing score of the game closed the gap to 44-39, and from there the MSU defense took over.
Besides Keeton's pass breakup at the end of the game, Taylor Sheridan came through with the game's only sack, with just over five minutes to play, forcing ISU to punt for the third time. What MSU hoped would be the final drive of the game, stalled and ISU blocked a field goal that would have given MSU an 8-point edge. Trailing by five, with 2:06 to play and no timeouts, the Bengals drove down the field, only to come up short on the game's final play.
The Bobcats next travel to Montana, and expect to be in the playoffs regardless of the outcome. ISU closes out the season at Weber State.
And the Bobcats held on for a 44-39 win in a game that both teams had to win to ensure postseason action later this month.
With its sixth win in the last seven games, Montana State improved to 6-1 in the Big Sky Conference, still tied with idle Eastern Washington for first place. Idaho State, its postseason plans now in doubt, fell into a four-way tie for second at 5-2. The loss snapped a five-game win streak for ISU.
The 12th-ranked Bobcats, now 8-3 overall, trailed for most of the game, finally taking a 37-30 lead in the waning moments of the third quarter when Jake Bleskin hit Gunnar Brekke for a 24-yard touchdown. Bleskin was a surprise starter when regular quarterback Dakota Prukop wasn't cleared to play due to a knee injury sustained in last week's win over Portland State.
Bleskin, who was making just his third career start, never seemed ruffled by the spotlight shining on him. The junior from Great Falls completed 25 of 35 passes and in addition to his toss to Brekke, also threw a 10-yard scoring strike to Mitchell Herbert in the second quarter that narrowed ISU's lead at the time to 21-16. Bleskin finished with 301 yards, putting him over the 300 mark in all three of his starts, two of which came in 2013. Brekke's score was set up when Cole Moore stripped the ball from ISU's Xavier Finney and Robert Marshall recovered. Finney, the Big Sky's leading rusher, finished with 127 yards on 13 carries before leaving the game with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
The Bengals, 7-4 overall, led 30-23 at halftime, despite two running touchdowns by MSU's Anthony Knight. Brekke, Knight and Chad Newell filled in for the injured Shawn Johnson, who sat out the second straight game with a hamstring injury. Running back by committee worked well as Knight's fourth-quarter 6-yard touchdown rumble proved to be the clinching score, giving the Bobcats a 44-33 lead with 9:14 to play.
Knight lugged the ball 19 times for 75 yards and Newell carried it 18 times for a career best 110 yards as MSU had the ball for over 40 minutes, compared to fewer than 20 minutes by the Bengals. Even Bleskin got in the running act, calling his own number five times for 56 yards. It was Newell's 16-yard dash, behind a big block from tight end Tiai Salanoa, that tied the game at 30-all in the third quarter, following an interception by Eryon Barnett. It was one of the few mistakes ISU's Arias made as the senior finished 23 of 38 for 370 yards and two first-quarter scoring strikes to Madison Mangum and one to Hagen Graves in the second quarter. Mangum led all receivers with eight catches for 147 yards. Teammate KW Williams totaled 135 yards on eight catches as well, but the duo did most of its damage in the opening half, as the Bobcats did not allow a second half scoring pass.
Bleskin's favorite targets were Salanoa, Brekke and Herbert, all with five catches. Salanoa's 70 yards set the pace for the Bobcats. After Herbert's scoring reception gave the Bobcats their 37-30 edge, Zak Johnson's second field goal of the game got ISU within four points. Knight's clinching score, behind a key block by Newell, was answered by ISU's 68-yard drive that took just three plays and 49 seconds. Daniel McSurdy's second rushing score of the game closed the gap to 44-39, and from there the MSU defense took over.
Besides Keeton's pass breakup at the end of the game, Taylor Sheridan came through with the game's only sack, with just over five minutes to play, forcing ISU to punt for the third time. What MSU hoped would be the final drive of the game, stalled and ISU blocked a field goal that would have given MSU an 8-point edge. Trailing by five, with 2:06 to play and no timeouts, the Bengals drove down the field, only to come up short on the game's final play.
The Bobcats next travel to Montana, and expect to be in the playoffs regardless of the outcome. ISU closes out the season at Weber State.
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