Bobcats Stifle Mercyhurst in Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

Saturday, September 20

BOZEMAN

1 pm

Montana State University

2-2 , 0-0

Mercyhurst

1-3 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Mercyhurst

Montana St.

Photo by: Colter Peterson

Bobcats Stifle Mercyhurst in Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

9/20/2025 7:11:00 PM | Football

Box Score

MSU's defense pitches shutout

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Mont. (Sept. 20, 2025) – Montana State registered its first shutout since 2023 by turning away three Mercyhurst inside the Bobcats red zone, topping the Lakers 17-0 in sun-splashed Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.

In a game featuring just six possessions by each teams, the Bobcats scored on all three first-half possessions, then turned things over to the defense. "I'm pleased with the defense," fourth-year Bobcat coach Brent Vigen said, "and their ability to bend bent quite a bit, but we didn't break. We came up with some big plays down in the red zone, and ultimately that's the mark of a defense that's making some strides."

Mercyhurst completed an array of short and mid-range passes to control the ball and the clock. Veteran quarterback Adam Urena finished 24-36 for 205 yards, with one interception, but the Lakers managed only 58 rushing yards. In contrast, the Bobcats threw the ball just 17 times but rushed for 233 yards on 41 carries for 5.7 yards per carry.

"They shrunk the game down by how they played offense," Vigen said, an effort built on taking risks. The Lakers went for it on fourth down seven times, converting four. "We knew they were going to do that," said defensive tackle Paul Brott. "They've done that this year."

Brott and MSU's defensive line made important plays time and again. The senior from Billings logged four tackles, including a strip sack that thwarted a Lakers drive in the MSU red zone, another half-tackle-for-loss, and a quarterback hurry. Defensive tackle Alec Eckert's three tackles included a sack. Zac Crews registered a sack and another half-tackle-for-loss and broke up a pass. End Kenneth Eiden IV logged one tackle and broke up a pass.

The Bobcats opened the game with a flurry, marching 92 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Julius Davis plunged in from three yards out to cap a drive that chewed up nearly six minutes. Mercyhurst answered with a drive that lasted 4:09, but it resulted in a punt and set up a 22-yard Myles Sansted field goal that extended MSU's lead to 10-0.

Brott's forced fumble ended Mercyhurst's next drive at the Bobcat 17, and MSU marched 82 yards for a touchdown on a five-yard Adam Jones run. That gave the Cats a 17-0 lead at halftime.

The scoring was finished, but not the drama. After forcing a Lakers three-and-out coming out of the intermission, the Bobcats drove into Mercyhurst territory and appeared on the edge of putting the game out of reach. But Justin Lamson's pass into the end zone was intercepted, and the Lakers' next drive took the game into the fourth quarter.

With first-and-goal at the MSU 1, Mercyhurst endured the strangest sequence of a game riddled with them. On first and goal at the 10, Cole Taylor smothered Lakers running back Aryon Rodriguez for a loss of four. A false start pushed MU back five yards, and then Urena threw an incomplete pass. The Lakers committed a chop block on the next play, so facing a third-and-goal from the 34, Zac Crews' sack forced a punt on fourth-and-goal from the 42.

Mercyhurst again marched deep into Bobcat territory after an MSU three-and-out. On first-and-goal from the Bobcat one, Hunter Parsons caught Lakers running back Brian Trobel in the backfield for a loss of one. A second down pass went for no gain, and on third down pass sailed through the end zone incomplete. On fourth down, Takhari Carr batted a ball that Ryan Krahe snared for his first interception, essentially ending the game.

Montana State finished with 354 yards on 58 plays, an average of 6.1, but the Cats held Mercyhurst to 263 yards and 15 first downs. The Cats logged 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including two each by Caden Dowler and Cole Taylor.

While Mercyhurst falls to 1-3 on the season, MSU levels its record at 2-2 with Big Sky play looming. The Cats host Eastern Washington for Homecoming next Saturday at 2 pm in Bobcat Stadium.

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