Kelly Bradley against Nevada, 1984
Photo by: Tom Lowe, MSU Exponent
BOBCAT CALENDAR: The Bobcats Played their Longest Game Ever Today in 1984
10/13/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State came from behind several times, including in the fourth overtime, to nip Nevada
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
October 13
SPOTLIGHT: Legendary baseball broadcaster Denny Matthews, in the course of calling a memorable win for the Kansas City Royals during their back-to-back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015, summarized one unlikely win by saying "Sometimes when it's your year, it's just your year."
That's how Bobcat fans had to feel in the hours after Montana State's amazing four-overtime win against Nevada in 1984. That win was the de facto Big Sky championship game, raising MSU's record to 4-2 on the season, 3-1 in the Big Sky, and giving the Cats a win over the defending league champions who would finish one game behind MSU at year's end. It left the team with only one crucial game left in terms of the title chase, a home game against a middling but always tough-to-beat Boise State squad. And it provided the 6,313 assembled thrills that many still talk about.
The Bobcats held an innocent-enough 13-7 lead at halftime, but Nevada scored two touchdowns in the first five minutes of the second half to vault in front 21-13. The second of those was a 98-yard run by Johnny Gordon, still the longest run from scrimmage in Reno H. Sales/Bobcat Stadium.
After that lightning strike the game settled down for a while. Nevada's Marty Zendejas a 39-yard field goal which was set up by an MSU fumble late in the third quarter, but that was the only serious scoring threat until the Bobcats began a drive with 8:17 to play. It was a vintage Bobcat drive, with Kelly Bradley hitting Tom White and David Pandt on short passes before a 54-yarder to Pandt and then a pass interference gave MSU the ball at the UNR two. On fourth-and-goal from the one, Eric Miller plunged in for the touchdown, and a Bradley pass to Duane Baker on the conversion tied the score. MSU's Mark Carter missed a field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime tied at 21.
And then things started cooking.
On the second play of the first overtime Bradley threw to Joe Bignell for a 15-yard touchdown, then two plays into Nevada's possession Gordon scored from 14 yards out.
Joe Pizzo threw a touchdown to Scott Threde on the first play of the second overtime period to give Nevada a 35-28 lead, but another UNR pass interference penalty gave MSU the ball at the two, and Bradley's pass to Tommy White was true for a 35-35 tie.
Things reached critical mass in the third overtime, when a sack of Kelly Bradley forced MSU into a field goal try. Carter's 38-yard kick gave MSU a 38-35 lead, but left the door cracked open for the Wolf Pack. The Bobcats answered with a sack of Pizzo on third down, though, and Zendejas sent the game to a fourth overtime with a 39-yard field goal.
After a four-yard run by Pizzo and two incomplete passes, Zendejas gave UNR a 41-38 lead to open the fourth overtime. Jesse Jones ran for two yards on the first play of overtime period number four, and then came 88 H FY Change. It was a 13-yard toss from Bradley to Pandt on a drag play over the middle on the second play of MSU's fourth overtime possession that ended the proceedings.
Bradley threw for 342 yards and four touchdowns on 29-for-55 passing (one interception). Nine Bobcats caught passes from Bradley, led by Bignell's seven. Gordon rushed for 146 yards and two TDs for Nevada.
Of the 14 overtime periods played by Montana State in its football history, four came on that afternoon in Reno H. Sales Stadium. That was MSU's second overtime game, after the 30-27 home win over Idaho State in 1982. The Bobcats have lost only two overtime tilts - both to Eastern Washington, which is MSU's most common extra period opponent at three -
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2018 - MSU 24, Idaho 23 Homecoming
2012 - Eastern Washington 27, MSU 24
2007 - at Eastern Washington 35, MSU 13
2001 - MSU 20, Sacramento State 0 Homecoming
1984 - MSU 44, Nevada 41 4OT
1980 - MSU 12, at Nevada 10
1973 - MSU 33, Weber St 0
1962 - MSU 30, Idaho St 14
1951 - Northern Colorado 24, MSU 0
1950 - MSU 18, at Northern Colorado 7
1934 - Wyoming 25, MSU 6 at Blgs
1928 - at Nebraska 26, MSU 6
1923 - MSU 30, Montana Wesleyan 3
1922 - Utah State 39, MSU 6
1917 - MSU 20, at Colorado State 20
1915 - MSU 29, Butte Athletic Club 6
October 13
SPOTLIGHT: Legendary baseball broadcaster Denny Matthews, in the course of calling a memorable win for the Kansas City Royals during their back-to-back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015, summarized one unlikely win by saying "Sometimes when it's your year, it's just your year."
That's how Bobcat fans had to feel in the hours after Montana State's amazing four-overtime win against Nevada in 1984. That win was the de facto Big Sky championship game, raising MSU's record to 4-2 on the season, 3-1 in the Big Sky, and giving the Cats a win over the defending league champions who would finish one game behind MSU at year's end. It left the team with only one crucial game left in terms of the title chase, a home game against a middling but always tough-to-beat Boise State squad. And it provided the 6,313 assembled thrills that many still talk about.
The Bobcats held an innocent-enough 13-7 lead at halftime, but Nevada scored two touchdowns in the first five minutes of the second half to vault in front 21-13. The second of those was a 98-yard run by Johnny Gordon, still the longest run from scrimmage in Reno H. Sales/Bobcat Stadium.
After that lightning strike the game settled down for a while. Nevada's Marty Zendejas a 39-yard field goal which was set up by an MSU fumble late in the third quarter, but that was the only serious scoring threat until the Bobcats began a drive with 8:17 to play. It was a vintage Bobcat drive, with Kelly Bradley hitting Tom White and David Pandt on short passes before a 54-yarder to Pandt and then a pass interference gave MSU the ball at the UNR two. On fourth-and-goal from the one, Eric Miller plunged in for the touchdown, and a Bradley pass to Duane Baker on the conversion tied the score. MSU's Mark Carter missed a field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime tied at 21.
And then things started cooking.
On the second play of the first overtime Bradley threw to Joe Bignell for a 15-yard touchdown, then two plays into Nevada's possession Gordon scored from 14 yards out.
Joe Pizzo threw a touchdown to Scott Threde on the first play of the second overtime period to give Nevada a 35-28 lead, but another UNR pass interference penalty gave MSU the ball at the two, and Bradley's pass to Tommy White was true for a 35-35 tie.
Things reached critical mass in the third overtime, when a sack of Kelly Bradley forced MSU into a field goal try. Carter's 38-yard kick gave MSU a 38-35 lead, but left the door cracked open for the Wolf Pack. The Bobcats answered with a sack of Pizzo on third down, though, and Zendejas sent the game to a fourth overtime with a 39-yard field goal.
After a four-yard run by Pizzo and two incomplete passes, Zendejas gave UNR a 41-38 lead to open the fourth overtime. Jesse Jones ran for two yards on the first play of overtime period number four, and then came 88 H FY Change. It was a 13-yard toss from Bradley to Pandt on a drag play over the middle on the second play of MSU's fourth overtime possession that ended the proceedings.
Bradley threw for 342 yards and four touchdowns on 29-for-55 passing (one interception). Nine Bobcats caught passes from Bradley, led by Bignell's seven. Gordon rushed for 146 yards and two TDs for Nevada.
Of the 14 overtime periods played by Montana State in its football history, four came on that afternoon in Reno H. Sales Stadium. That was MSU's second overtime game, after the 30-27 home win over Idaho State in 1982. The Bobcats have lost only two overtime tilts - both to Eastern Washington, which is MSU's most common extra period opponent at three -
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2018 - MSU 24, Idaho 23 Homecoming
2012 - Eastern Washington 27, MSU 24
2007 - at Eastern Washington 35, MSU 13
2001 - MSU 20, Sacramento State 0 Homecoming
1984 - MSU 44, Nevada 41 4OT
1980 - MSU 12, at Nevada 10
1973 - MSU 33, Weber St 0
1962 - MSU 30, Idaho St 14
1951 - Northern Colorado 24, MSU 0
1950 - MSU 18, at Northern Colorado 7
1934 - Wyoming 25, MSU 6 at Blgs
1928 - at Nebraska 26, MSU 6
1923 - MSU 30, Montana Wesleyan 3
1922 - Utah State 39, MSU 6
1917 - MSU 20, at Colorado State 20
1915 - MSU 29, Butte Athletic Club 6
Leon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
