Photo by: Garrett Becker
Bobcats Fall to Oregon State in Portland
9/17/2022 9:58:00 PM | Football
Marqui Johnson returns kickoff for 98-yard touchdown
PORTLAND, Oregon – Oregon State scored on its first five possessions while limiting Montana State to 269 total yards in a 68-28 win over the Bobcats in Portland on Saturday.
The historic game – it was MSU's first ever gridiron contest with the Beavers and OSU's first in Portland since 1987 – also featured several history-making components. Marqui Johnson returned an Oregon State kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, the first Bobcat kick return that ended in the opposing end zone since 2015, and quarterback Tommy Mellott was intercepted for the first times in his career.
But in the end, Oregon State's balanced offense told the story.
Oregon State flexed its muscle early, marching 90 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead. Beavers quarterback connected on passes for 23 and 17 yards to set the tone for the evening, while Deshaun Fenwick's five-yard run opened the scoring.
Montana State's first drive also produced a touchdown, but in much different fashion. A 34-yards kickoff return by Johnson gave the Bobcats a start at the MSU 34, then quarterbacks Sean Chambers and Tommy Mellott alternated receiving snaps and produced a combined to carry seven times for 58 yards. Chambers' six yard run capped the march with a touchdown.
After the Beavers covered 75 yards in 13 plays, converting a third-and-10 and a third-and-seven along the way, Mellott threw his first career interception. That gave OSU possession at its own 42, and the Beavers found paydirt seven plays later. Johnson gathered the ensuing kickoff at the two-yard line, maneuvered to the far sideline, and found an alley that resulted in MSU's first TD return of a kickoff since 2015.
Jayshawn Gates scampered 97 yards with a kick against East Tennessee State that year, but earlier Logan Jones returned on 100 yards for a touchdown in Providence Park. Oregon State closed the first half with two more touchdowns, both passes from Nolan.
"They've got good coaches, they've got good players, credit to them," said Bobcat coach Brent Vigen. "We needed to play a clean game tonight and we were far from clean."
The Bobcats surrendered over 500 yards to Oregon State, and turned the ball over three times without a takeaway. The 68 point scored by Oregon State is third-most allowed by MSU since World War II. Bobcat quarterback Tommy Mellott rushed for 135 yards, his third career 100-yard game, and threw for 101. Sean Chambers scored three touchdowns for the Bobcats.
#GoCatsGo
The historic game – it was MSU's first ever gridiron contest with the Beavers and OSU's first in Portland since 1987 – also featured several history-making components. Marqui Johnson returned an Oregon State kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, the first Bobcat kick return that ended in the opposing end zone since 2015, and quarterback Tommy Mellott was intercepted for the first times in his career.
But in the end, Oregon State's balanced offense told the story.
Oregon State flexed its muscle early, marching 90 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead. Beavers quarterback connected on passes for 23 and 17 yards to set the tone for the evening, while Deshaun Fenwick's five-yard run opened the scoring.
Montana State's first drive also produced a touchdown, but in much different fashion. A 34-yards kickoff return by Johnson gave the Bobcats a start at the MSU 34, then quarterbacks Sean Chambers and Tommy Mellott alternated receiving snaps and produced a combined to carry seven times for 58 yards. Chambers' six yard run capped the march with a touchdown.
After the Beavers covered 75 yards in 13 plays, converting a third-and-10 and a third-and-seven along the way, Mellott threw his first career interception. That gave OSU possession at its own 42, and the Beavers found paydirt seven plays later. Johnson gathered the ensuing kickoff at the two-yard line, maneuvered to the far sideline, and found an alley that resulted in MSU's first TD return of a kickoff since 2015.
Jayshawn Gates scampered 97 yards with a kick against East Tennessee State that year, but earlier Logan Jones returned on 100 yards for a touchdown in Providence Park. Oregon State closed the first half with two more touchdowns, both passes from Nolan.
"They've got good coaches, they've got good players, credit to them," said Bobcat coach Brent Vigen. "We needed to play a clean game tonight and we were far from clean."
The Bobcats surrendered over 500 yards to Oregon State, and turned the ball over three times without a takeaway. The 68 point scored by Oregon State is third-most allowed by MSU since World War II. Bobcat quarterback Tommy Mellott rushed for 135 yards, his third career 100-yard game, and threw for 101. Sean Chambers scored three touchdowns for the Bobcats.
#GoCatsGo
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