DeNarius McGhee
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
BOBCAT CALENDAR: Today in 2011, Montana State revived ghosts of playoff wins past by beating New Hampshire
12/3/2020 11:14:00 AM | Football
DeNarius McGhee's arm and legs and Steven Bethley's fingertip boosted MSU to a home playoff win today in 2011
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
December 3
SPOTLIGHT: It's amazing how occasionally, when following a tradition-rich football program, you hear echoes from the past. One of those moments arrived today in 2011, when Montana State beat New Hampshire 26-25 in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
New Hampshire joined North Dakota State as repeat Bobcat playoff opponents. The Bison beat MSU in the 2010 playoffs 34 years after Montana State had edged NDSU in the 1976 Division II Playoffs. That same year, MSU beat New Hampshire to earn its trip to Fargo for the semifinals.
Adding to the intrigue, Wildcats coach Sean McDonnell played running back on the 1976 Wildcats team that lost to the Bobcats in then-Reno H. Sales Stadium. Thirty-five years later, McDonnell led the nation's 11th-ranked FCS squad into Bobcat Stadium for a showdown with MSU.
Former Bobcat star quarterback Travis Lulay addressed the team Friday, emphasizing resilience, and the Bobcats showed that trait on Saturday. DeNarius McGhee threw three interceptions, but when his team needed him the most he responded. After a pick-six by UNH's Matt Evans gave New Hampshire a 10-0 lead, McGhee found Tray Robinson on an 11-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter to pull MSU within one. Jason Cunningham's PAT was blocked, though, and UNH returned it for a rare defensive conversion. Each team added second quarter touchdowns, and UNH led 19-16 at the intermission.
Montana State took its first lead when McGhee ran 37 yards for a touchdown on MSU's first drive of the second half, and early in the fourth quarter Cunningham's short field goal pushed the Bobcat lead to 26-19.
UNH took over with just over four minutes remaining, and marched to the Bobcat 19. Quarterback Kevin Decker, though, was intercepted by Darius Jones, and with 76 seconds to play it appeared the Cats had things in hand. After a three-and-out, though, Rory Perez punted to the Bobcat 30 and New Hampshire was in business with 17 seconds left. Decker completed a second down pass to to Justin Mello for a 29-yard touchdown, and the game was a PAT from being tied.
And then, 1976 called. And the Bobcats answered.
Mike McArthur approached the ball for the extra point, Steven Bethley - Big Play Beth, as local news man Jeff Eberle called him - crashed from the right and tipped the ball as it took flight. It fluttered wide, and when Tanner Bleskin covered the ensuing on-side kick Montana State had a coveted playoff win.
In 1976, McDonnell's team missed an extra point midway through the fourth quarter that would have tied the game at 17. Later in that period, quarterback Jeff Allen threw a bomb that flew more than 50 yards in the air and glanced off of receiver Lee Pope's fingertips, a play that would have changed the game and thrown a serious obstacle in the way of what proved to be Montana State's second National Championship.
In 2011, Montana State's season ended the next week at Sam Houston State. But the thrill of that home playoff win over New Hampshire, of the students carrying McGhee off the field, of the sense that winning a second home playoff game in five seasons had elevated the program at least slightly, continues to resonate.
BOBCAT FOOTBALL ON TODAY'S DATE
2011 - MSU 26, #11 New Hampshire 25
December 3
SPOTLIGHT: It's amazing how occasionally, when following a tradition-rich football program, you hear echoes from the past. One of those moments arrived today in 2011, when Montana State beat New Hampshire 26-25 in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
New Hampshire joined North Dakota State as repeat Bobcat playoff opponents. The Bison beat MSU in the 2010 playoffs 34 years after Montana State had edged NDSU in the 1976 Division II Playoffs. That same year, MSU beat New Hampshire to earn its trip to Fargo for the semifinals.
Adding to the intrigue, Wildcats coach Sean McDonnell played running back on the 1976 Wildcats team that lost to the Bobcats in then-Reno H. Sales Stadium. Thirty-five years later, McDonnell led the nation's 11th-ranked FCS squad into Bobcat Stadium for a showdown with MSU.
Former Bobcat star quarterback Travis Lulay addressed the team Friday, emphasizing resilience, and the Bobcats showed that trait on Saturday. DeNarius McGhee threw three interceptions, but when his team needed him the most he responded. After a pick-six by UNH's Matt Evans gave New Hampshire a 10-0 lead, McGhee found Tray Robinson on an 11-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter to pull MSU within one. Jason Cunningham's PAT was blocked, though, and UNH returned it for a rare defensive conversion. Each team added second quarter touchdowns, and UNH led 19-16 at the intermission.
Montana State took its first lead when McGhee ran 37 yards for a touchdown on MSU's first drive of the second half, and early in the fourth quarter Cunningham's short field goal pushed the Bobcat lead to 26-19.
UNH took over with just over four minutes remaining, and marched to the Bobcat 19. Quarterback Kevin Decker, though, was intercepted by Darius Jones, and with 76 seconds to play it appeared the Cats had things in hand. After a three-and-out, though, Rory Perez punted to the Bobcat 30 and New Hampshire was in business with 17 seconds left. Decker completed a second down pass to to Justin Mello for a 29-yard touchdown, and the game was a PAT from being tied.
And then, 1976 called. And the Bobcats answered.
Mike McArthur approached the ball for the extra point, Steven Bethley - Big Play Beth, as local news man Jeff Eberle called him - crashed from the right and tipped the ball as it took flight. It fluttered wide, and when Tanner Bleskin covered the ensuing on-side kick Montana State had a coveted playoff win.
In 1976, McDonnell's team missed an extra point midway through the fourth quarter that would have tied the game at 17. Later in that period, quarterback Jeff Allen threw a bomb that flew more than 50 yards in the air and glanced off of receiver Lee Pope's fingertips, a play that would have changed the game and thrown a serious obstacle in the way of what proved to be Montana State's second National Championship.
In 2011, Montana State's season ended the next week at Sam Houston State. But the thrill of that home playoff win over New Hampshire, of the students carrying McGhee off the field, of the sense that winning a second home playoff game in five seasons had elevated the program at least slightly, continues to resonate.
BOBCAT FOOTBALL ON TODAY'S DATE
2011 - MSU 26, #11 New Hampshire 25
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