Cats Fourth Quarter Stymies Aggies

Saturday, November 16

Davis, CA

5 p.m.

Montana State University

8-3 , 5-2

UC Davis

5-6 , 3-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Montana State

UC Davis

Photo by: Garrett Becker

11/16/2019 11:07:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Montana State’s fourth-and-one stop in UC Davis territory with just over 16 minutes to play powered a 17-0 fourth-quarter run as the Bobcats topped the Aggies 27-17 on Saturday.

By: Bill Lamberty

DAVIS, California - Montana State's fourth-and-one stop in UC Davis territory with just over 16 minutes to play powered a 17-0 fourth-quarter run as the Bobcats topped the Aggies 27-17 on Saturday.

Montana State rushed for 284 yards and out-gained the Aggies 501-to-430 and held the explosive Aggies to just seven second-half points. The evening's other turning point came late in the second quarter. With the Bobcats trailing 10-7 MSU defensive lineman Jason Scrempos blocked a field goal. On the ensuing drive, Travis Jonsen dashed 75 yards on a broken play to give the Cats a lead.

"That was a big momentum swing, said MSU Coach Jeff Choate. "We were able to capture some momentum there and it kind of turned into a slugfest."

That suited the Bobcats' style. When winning time arrived in the fourth quarter MSU got a game-tying field goal from Tristan Bailey after the fourth-down stop, then Isaiah Ifanse plunged in from five yards to give MSU a 24-17 lead, and Bailey's 41-yarder sealed it.

"That's what we always say," Choate said. "Drag them into deep water."

MSU quarterback Tucker Rovig "has his best game" as a Bobcat, Choate said. He threw for 217 yards to fuel MSU's attack.

At the end of the day, a staunch defense and timely offense sent the Bobcats into Grizzly week with a three-game win streak.

"We have some momentum," said senior receiver Kevin Kassis, whose 135 receiving yards was a career best. "We're playing our best football and it's a lot of fun."