Montana State University
6-1 , 4-0
Northern Colorado
2-5 , 1-3
Patterson Propels Bobcats past Bears
10/15/2022 6:39:00 PM | Football
Montana State senior wide receiver Willie Patterson caught seven passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns to help the Bobcats overcome a slow start en route to a convincing 37-14 victory over Northern Colorado on Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Field.
The first half was an uneven affair. Montana State (6-1, 4-0) logged a three-and-out on the game's first possession, then Blake Glessner nailed a 51-yard field goal to punctuate MSU's initial drive. It was Glessner's longest field goal of the season. When Northern Colorado's (2-5, 3-1) star running back Elijah Dotson scampered 58 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing drive, the Bears grabbed the momentum. After stopping MSU inside the UNC 10 yard line, the Bears marched 94 yards for a touchdown to take a 14-3 lead.
Tommy Mellott, starting his first game since the road win at Eastern Washington on September 24, engineered a 75 yard, five play drive capped by a three yard pass to RJ Fitzgerald. It was the senior fullback's first career touchdown catch pulling MSU to within 14-10. Mellott closed out the half on a 16-yard strike to Patterson, who elevated in the end zone winning a jump ball, giving the Bobcats a 17-14 advantage at halftime.
The Bobcats gained 247 yards in the first half, to UNC's 235. Neither team turned the ball in the first half, Mellott threw for 134 yards on 7-for-11 passing with two touchdowns.
Montana State scored 27 unanswered points after trailing 14-3 and the Bobcat defense pitched a shutout in the second half. Meanwhile, Mellott, Sean Chambers, Lane Sumner, Patterson, and the rest of the MSU offense held steady.
Mellott hit Patterson on a quick 10-yard toss and the product of Tacoma, Wash., scampered across the field 27-yards finding the end zone for the second time at the 12-minute mark of the third quarter. Chambers then hit Patterson moments later on a 26-yard throw at the 9:08 mark to highlight a four play, 48-yard drive, handing MSU a 30-14 lead.
Chambers closed out the scoring late in the fourth quarter on a four-yard run.
Mellott finished the contest connecting on 16-of-20 tosses for 217 yards and two TDs, while Chambers went two-of-three for 33 yards and a touchdown. Summer finished with 22 carries for 133 yards, while Mellott and Chambers went 40 and 39 yards, respectively on the ground.
For the game, MSU totaled 481 yards of offense- 250 through the air, and 231 rushing.
Defensively, the Bobcats were led by Nolan Askelson and Ty Okada with 12 and ten tackles.
MSU hosts Weber State at Bobcat Stadium next Saturday at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
MSU 3, UNC 0
MSU - Glessner,Blake 51 yd field goal 7 plays, 21 yards, TOP 02:29
MSU 3, UNC 7
UNC - Dotson,Elijah 58 yd run (Bale,Devin kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:09
MSU 3, UNC 14
UNC - Ford,Noah 9 yd pass from McCaffrey,Dylan (Bale,Devin kick) 14 plays, 95 yards, TOP 06:25
MSU 10, UNC 14
MSU - Fitzgerald,R.J. 3 yd pass from Mellott,Tommy (Glessner,Blake kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:22
MSU 17, UNC 14
MSU - Patterson,Willie 16 yd pass from Mellott,Tommy (Glessner,Blake kick) 7 plays, 81 yards, TOP 02:21
MSU 24, UNC 14
MSU - Patterson,Willie 37 yd pass from Mellott,Tommy (Glessner,Blake kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:00
MSU 30, UNC 14
MSU - Patterson,Willie 26 yd pass from Chambers,Sean () 4 plays, 48 yards, TOP 01:28
MSU 37, UNC 14
MSU - Chambers,Sean 4 yd run (Glessner,Blake kick), 4 plays, 21 yards, TOP 02:08
