Beau Sandland
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Close, but not enough: Bobcats fall at NAU in thriller
10/4/2015 2:36:00 AM | Football
Lumberjacks hold on for 49-41 win over MSU
The hole was too deep.s.
Montana State fell behind by four touchdowns early in the fourth quarter, but in spite of a furious comeback lost 49-41 to Northern Arizona in Flagstaff on Saturday. The teams combined for over 1,000 yards, 453 accounted for by Bobcat quarterback Dakota Prukop, in a game controlled by NAU throughout, until the late fireworks threw the outcome into doubt.
"I'm proud of the way the guys kept playing and kept fighting and never gave up," said Bobcat coach Rob Ash, "but we just can't dig outselves that deep a hole. Having to rely on a lot of crazy things happening makes it too difficult a job."
Trailing 49-20 with just under 11 minutes left, the Bobcats went to work. Mitch Griebel scored the first touchdown of his career, a 13-yard pass from Dakota Prukop with 5:58 to play and after accepting a punt for only the third time all day the Cats struck quickly. Prukop found Gunnar Brekke on an 85-yard pass for a touchdown to cut the score to 49-33. And less than two minutes later, Prukop and Justin Paige connected for the second time on the day, and suddenly MSU trailed 49-41. But a failed on-side kick attempt and NAU's victory formation ended MSU's day.
Prukop wasn't surprised by his team's furious, if ill-fated, comeback. "We have a really mature, really resilient offense," he said. "I thought the O-line did an extremely good job (continuing to compete) the entire game. But things were thrown off the times we didn't execute."
Northern Arizona took control of the game early. The Lumberjacks marched 75 yards in the game's first 1:58 to grab a 7-0 lead. Cookus completed all five of his passes on that drive, including two that covered 58 yards to Butler.
The Bobcats answered with a 75-yard drive, with Prukop turning a 3rd-and-8 into a first down with his legs and a 4th-and-2 into a first down with a pass to Gunnar Brekke. Newell's one-yard run tied the game. After an exchange of punts, and another from MSU, Cookus hit Dezjon Walker on a 32-yard scoring strike.
Montana State followed suit, moving 75 yards for a score. Newell gained 32 yards on the drive, but Prukop scored on a fourth-down, one-yard run to tie it again. But the half's final 10 minutes belonged to Northern Arizona.
After forcing an MSU punt, Cookus capped an 86-yard drive with a two-yard pass to Butler.Then, after another Bobcat punt pinned NAU at its own 7, the Lumberjacks scored just before halftime. Jahn's 45-yard run on the first play set up his own one-yard run later. NAU led 28-14 at the half.
MSU defensive tackle Taylor Sheridan said that uncharacteristic mistakes hindered MSU. "We just didn't play Bobcat defense," he said. "That's what it comes down to. We did a lot of stupid things."
The Bobcats fall to 2-2 with the loss, 1-1 in Big Sky play. NAU is now 3-2, 1-1. The Cats host Sacramento State next Saturday at 5 pm.
Montana State fell behind by four touchdowns early in the fourth quarter, but in spite of a furious comeback lost 49-41 to Northern Arizona in Flagstaff on Saturday. The teams combined for over 1,000 yards, 453 accounted for by Bobcat quarterback Dakota Prukop, in a game controlled by NAU throughout, until the late fireworks threw the outcome into doubt.
"I'm proud of the way the guys kept playing and kept fighting and never gave up," said Bobcat coach Rob Ash, "but we just can't dig outselves that deep a hole. Having to rely on a lot of crazy things happening makes it too difficult a job."
Trailing 49-20 with just under 11 minutes left, the Bobcats went to work. Mitch Griebel scored the first touchdown of his career, a 13-yard pass from Dakota Prukop with 5:58 to play and after accepting a punt for only the third time all day the Cats struck quickly. Prukop found Gunnar Brekke on an 85-yard pass for a touchdown to cut the score to 49-33. And less than two minutes later, Prukop and Justin Paige connected for the second time on the day, and suddenly MSU trailed 49-41. But a failed on-side kick attempt and NAU's victory formation ended MSU's day.
Prukop wasn't surprised by his team's furious, if ill-fated, comeback. "We have a really mature, really resilient offense," he said. "I thought the O-line did an extremely good job (continuing to compete) the entire game. But things were thrown off the times we didn't execute."
Northern Arizona took control of the game early. The Lumberjacks marched 75 yards in the game's first 1:58 to grab a 7-0 lead. Cookus completed all five of his passes on that drive, including two that covered 58 yards to Butler.
The Bobcats answered with a 75-yard drive, with Prukop turning a 3rd-and-8 into a first down with his legs and a 4th-and-2 into a first down with a pass to Gunnar Brekke. Newell's one-yard run tied the game. After an exchange of punts, and another from MSU, Cookus hit Dezjon Walker on a 32-yard scoring strike.
Montana State followed suit, moving 75 yards for a score. Newell gained 32 yards on the drive, but Prukop scored on a fourth-down, one-yard run to tie it again. But the half's final 10 minutes belonged to Northern Arizona.
After forcing an MSU punt, Cookus capped an 86-yard drive with a two-yard pass to Butler.Then, after another Bobcat punt pinned NAU at its own 7, the Lumberjacks scored just before halftime. Jahn's 45-yard run on the first play set up his own one-yard run later. NAU led 28-14 at the half.
MSU defensive tackle Taylor Sheridan said that uncharacteristic mistakes hindered MSU. "We just didn't play Bobcat defense," he said. "That's what it comes down to. We did a lot of stupid things."
The Bobcats fall to 2-2 with the loss, 1-1 in Big Sky play. NAU is now 3-2, 1-1. The Cats host Sacramento State next Saturday at 5 pm.
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