Tucker Rovig
Photo by: Garrett Becker
BOBCAT CALENDAR: One year ago today the Bobcats scored the most post-season points in school history against UAlbany
12/7/2020 1:00:00 PM | Football
MSU's strong 2019 post-season run began with a big win over the Great Danes today in 2019
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
December 7
SPOTLIGHT: Seeking a post-season win for the second straight season, the early moments of Montana State's 2019 playoff opener against UAlbany proved unsettling.
From the powerful Colonial Athletic Association, the Great Danes moved down the field immediately after receiving the opening kickoff. Strong-armed quarterback Jeff Undercoffler found senior Juwan Green on a 58-yard touchdown pass to push UAlbany to an early 7-0 lead.That lead was gone quicly, and gone for good, when Travis Jonsen ran 47 yards to tie the score.
Bobcat linebacker Callahan O'Reilly capped a three-and-out by snaring Karl Mofor behind the line of scrimmage, then Blake Flovin blocked a Great Danes punt and when the ball rolled out of the end zone the Bobcats had a lead they would never relinquish.
It was a lead that would also grow. Kevin Kassis caught a five-yard touchdown pass, Isaiah Ifanse scored on a 12-yard run, and Tristan Bailey booted a pair of field goals. Damien Washington picked off two passes for the Bobcats, and MSU led 26-7 at halftime. The Cats weren't done building on it, either. Lance McCutcheon grabbed two TD passes in the third quarter, and Logan Jones scored on a short run, and MSU led 47-7 with 10:43 to play.
It was a remarkable day in Bobcat Stadium, with MSU compiling the most points and third-most yards in the school's post-season history. Rovig threw for 279 yards, Kevin Kassis had 131 receiving yards, and Jonsen rushed for 85 yards.
ON TODAY'S DATE IN BOBCAT HISTORY
2019 - #5 MSU 47, #25 UAlbany 21
2015 - Choate hires first four assistant coaches - Kane Ioane, Michael Pitre, Bo Beck and Brian Armstrong
2012 - #5 Sam Houston St 34, MSU 16
1991 - Cliff Hysell becomes Montana State's 29th head football coach
FINIS: When Jeff Choate announced his initial coaching staff hires today in 2015, the names rang familiar. From the previous MSU staff he hired running backs coach Michael Pitre, Bo Beck to coach tight ends, and Bobcat legend Kane Ioane. The fourth name in that round of hires was Brian Armstrong, who had played with Choate at UM Western, worked with him at Utah State, and had become a familiar name in the Treasure State as the head coach at Rocky Mountain College.
Of those four, only Armstrong enters his fifth season as part of Choate's staff. Kane Ioane spent two seasons at Washington before returning in 2019, Pitre is now in his third season as running backs coach at Oregon State, and Beck is linebackers coach at NCAA Division II power CSU Pueblo.
December 7
SPOTLIGHT: Seeking a post-season win for the second straight season, the early moments of Montana State's 2019 playoff opener against UAlbany proved unsettling.
From the powerful Colonial Athletic Association, the Great Danes moved down the field immediately after receiving the opening kickoff. Strong-armed quarterback Jeff Undercoffler found senior Juwan Green on a 58-yard touchdown pass to push UAlbany to an early 7-0 lead.That lead was gone quicly, and gone for good, when Travis Jonsen ran 47 yards to tie the score.
Bobcat linebacker Callahan O'Reilly capped a three-and-out by snaring Karl Mofor behind the line of scrimmage, then Blake Flovin blocked a Great Danes punt and when the ball rolled out of the end zone the Bobcats had a lead they would never relinquish.
It was a lead that would also grow. Kevin Kassis caught a five-yard touchdown pass, Isaiah Ifanse scored on a 12-yard run, and Tristan Bailey booted a pair of field goals. Damien Washington picked off two passes for the Bobcats, and MSU led 26-7 at halftime. The Cats weren't done building on it, either. Lance McCutcheon grabbed two TD passes in the third quarter, and Logan Jones scored on a short run, and MSU led 47-7 with 10:43 to play.
It was a remarkable day in Bobcat Stadium, with MSU compiling the most points and third-most yards in the school's post-season history. Rovig threw for 279 yards, Kevin Kassis had 131 receiving yards, and Jonsen rushed for 85 yards.
ON TODAY'S DATE IN BOBCAT HISTORY
2019 - #5 MSU 47, #25 UAlbany 21
2015 - Choate hires first four assistant coaches - Kane Ioane, Michael Pitre, Bo Beck and Brian Armstrong
2012 - #5 Sam Houston St 34, MSU 16
1991 - Cliff Hysell becomes Montana State's 29th head football coach
FINIS: When Jeff Choate announced his initial coaching staff hires today in 2015, the names rang familiar. From the previous MSU staff he hired running backs coach Michael Pitre, Bo Beck to coach tight ends, and Bobcat legend Kane Ioane. The fourth name in that round of hires was Brian Armstrong, who had played with Choate at UM Western, worked with him at Utah State, and had become a familiar name in the Treasure State as the head coach at Rocky Mountain College.
Of those four, only Armstrong enters his fifth season as part of Choate's staff. Kane Ioane spent two seasons at Washington before returning in 2019, Pitre is now in his third season as running backs coach at Oregon State, and Beck is linebackers coach at NCAA Division II power CSU Pueblo.
Players Mentioned
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