Montana State University
Northern Arizona
Montana State, Taco Dowler Strike In Walkup Skydome
10/4/2025 7:59:00 PM | Football
Bobcats Defeat Lumberjacks, 34-10, in Flagstaff
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Oct. 4, 2025) – On a spectacularly sunny day outside, lightning struck inside the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff on Saturday afternoon.
It struck in the form of Taco Dowler.
With Montana State trailing 7-0 midway through the second quarter, Northern Arizona's Ben D'Aquila punted to Taco Dowler. MSU's electrifying returner moved to his right, found a wall of blockers, and tip-toed down the sideline 90 yards for the longest punt return in Bobcats history
"I like the ball in my hands," Dowler said simply after his team's 34-10 win over 13th-ranked NAU.
"I think that was (the game's key turning point)," said Bobcat coach Brent Vigen. "You have to credit the defense for getting the stop to force the punt, and then the big pass play came after that, but the return was a big play."
Dowler's return sparked a string of touchdowns on three straight possessions for the Bobcats, who took command of the game with a 20-7 lead entering halftime. The wave of game-changing scores continued coming out of halftime, when Rocky Lencioni scored on a three-yard pop pass from Justin Lamson to give the Cats a 27-7 lead. NAU never threatened.
"We did what we were supposed to do," Vigen said. "We came down here with the intention to win a football game, and that's what happened."
Montana State held the Lumberjacks to 296 yards and 10 points, while Justin Lamson engineered another efficient offensive effort for the Cats. He was 13-19 passing for 213 yards and two touchdowns, and MSU rushed for 196 yards while averaging 6.1 yards a carry.
With both offense struggling to find traction after two series each, Northern Arizona launched a 57-yard scoring drive that used nearly half the first quarter. The Lumberjacks took over with 7:20 to play in the initial period, and used 12 plays to move 57 yards. Seth Cromwell scored from two yards out, but two key conversions set up the score.
Ty Pennington found Cromwell for five yards on fourth-and-four from the MSU 26, then he hit Cromwell again for nine yards on a third-and-eight. Pennington was three-for-five passing on the drive, and Cromwell accounted for 20 yards from scrimmage.
A series of punts set up the game's big play. Ben D'Aquila boomed a 52-yard punt to Taco Dowler at the MSU 10. The fleet-footed returner angled to his right, found a wall of Bobcat blockers, and tip-toed down the sideline for the longest punt return in Bobcat history, a 90-yarder. That tied the game and provided a spark.
Montana State forced a Lumberjack punt on the ensuing drive to set the Cats up at their own 25. On third-and-14, Justin Lamson launched a bomb to Jabez Woods, who dashed for the touchdown. On MSU's final drive of the half, Julius Davis hurdled an NAU defender on his way to a 13-yard touchdown, giving the Bobcats a 20-7 lead after the missed PAT. Northern Arizona missed a 41-yard field goal to end the half.
Montana State raised its record to 4-2 overall, 2-0 in Big Sky play. Northern Arizona is 4-2, 1-1. The Bobcats host Idaho State on Saturday at 1 pm in Bobcat Stadium.
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