Senior Chad Newell rushed for 132 yards against UC Davis.
Photo by: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez
Bobcats roll on Senior Day
11/12/2016 5:30:00 PM | Football, General
Now that's how Senior Day is celebrated. For the first time in six games, Montana State won a football game, knocking off Cal Davis 27-13 in the final home game of the season.
The Bobcats were led by a posse of seniors, with Chad Newell being the most productive. Playing in his final home game, the product of Billings totaled 132 yards as the Bobcats piled up 258 yards on the ground behind senior offensive linemen JP Flynn and Patrick Carroll.
Trailing 10-3 in the second quarter, it was a 10-yard scoring jaunt by Newell that tied the game. That was Newell's 31th career score, second on the all-time MSU list. A few minutes later the Bobcats scored again when wideout Kevin Kassis took a sweep around the right end, stopped to scan the field and located Cam Sutton alone in the end zone from 23 yards out. The Bobcats led 17-10 at that point and were on their way to their first win in the Big Sky Conference this season. It also marked their first victory since beating Western Oregon on Sept. 17.
On the defensive side of the ball, seniors Matt Brownlow, Jesse Clark and John Walker helped hold the Aggies (2-8, 1-6) to just 304 total yards and only one touchdown, a 2-yard run by Manusamoa Luuga in the first quarter.
Just as important, the Bobcats won the takeaway battle. Mac Bignell was able to rip the ball from an Aggie runner, giving MSU its first fumble recovery in five games. In addition to that feat, the Bobcats handled the ball with care, not giving up a single turnover for the first time since week five.
Following a scoreless third quarter, the Bobcats extended their lead with Gabe Peppenger's second field goal of the game and quarterback Chris Murray iced the affair with a 22-yard sprint up the middle. Murray totaled 98 yards on the ground, setting a MSU record for most yards in a season by a freshman. The Big Sky leader in rushing touchdowns now has 718 yards on the ground, breaking the old record held by Aaron Mason.
Newell also reached a milestone: he now has 2,039 career rushing yards.
While the defense never reached Davis quarterback Ben Scott, Grant Collins led a group that accounted for six tackles for loss. Two times each Bignell and Derek Marks received credit for forcing Scott to release passes before he was ready, which contributed to him hitting only half his passes (18 of 36) for 174 yards.
The Bobcats wrap up their season on Nov. 19 in Missoula for the annual Brawl of the Wild. Davis finishes at Sacramento State in the Causeway Classic.
The Bobcats were led by a posse of seniors, with Chad Newell being the most productive. Playing in his final home game, the product of Billings totaled 132 yards as the Bobcats piled up 258 yards on the ground behind senior offensive linemen JP Flynn and Patrick Carroll.
Trailing 10-3 in the second quarter, it was a 10-yard scoring jaunt by Newell that tied the game. That was Newell's 31th career score, second on the all-time MSU list. A few minutes later the Bobcats scored again when wideout Kevin Kassis took a sweep around the right end, stopped to scan the field and located Cam Sutton alone in the end zone from 23 yards out. The Bobcats led 17-10 at that point and were on their way to their first win in the Big Sky Conference this season. It also marked their first victory since beating Western Oregon on Sept. 17.
On the defensive side of the ball, seniors Matt Brownlow, Jesse Clark and John Walker helped hold the Aggies (2-8, 1-6) to just 304 total yards and only one touchdown, a 2-yard run by Manusamoa Luuga in the first quarter.
Just as important, the Bobcats won the takeaway battle. Mac Bignell was able to rip the ball from an Aggie runner, giving MSU its first fumble recovery in five games. In addition to that feat, the Bobcats handled the ball with care, not giving up a single turnover for the first time since week five.
Following a scoreless third quarter, the Bobcats extended their lead with Gabe Peppenger's second field goal of the game and quarterback Chris Murray iced the affair with a 22-yard sprint up the middle. Murray totaled 98 yards on the ground, setting a MSU record for most yards in a season by a freshman. The Big Sky leader in rushing touchdowns now has 718 yards on the ground, breaking the old record held by Aaron Mason.
Newell also reached a milestone: he now has 2,039 career rushing yards.
While the defense never reached Davis quarterback Ben Scott, Grant Collins led a group that accounted for six tackles for loss. Two times each Bignell and Derek Marks received credit for forcing Scott to release passes before he was ready, which contributed to him hitting only half his passes (18 of 36) for 174 yards.
The Bobcats wrap up their season on Nov. 19 in Missoula for the annual Brawl of the Wild. Davis finishes at Sacramento State in the Causeway Classic.
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