The Bobcats did what they had to do to set up a Top 10 showdown against rival Montana next week in Bozeman. And No. 10 Montana State likely sewed up a playoff spot in the process by posting a signature win at UC Davis on Saturday night.
MSU lost for the second straight time in October in a disappointing 16-12 defeat at North Dakota last month. Since then, Montana State has been a team on a mission. Saturday, the Bobcats held UC Davis’ explosive offense in check by keeping quarterback Jake Maier under constant duress and once again used a variety of ball carriers offensively to gash the Aggie defense on the way to a 27-17 win in front of 8,284 fans at UC Davis Health Stadium.
“This league is tough and it’s really tough to win on the road,” Montana State fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate said. “Like I told our young men, these are the defending conference champions with one of the best players in the FCS (Maier).
“For us to come in there and win a game where they have a lot on the line, senior night, they are thinking that if they win these next two games, they deserve an opportunity to get into the playoffs. They certainly weren’t going to roll over for us and we knew it was going to be a fight.”
The victory is Montana State’s third straight to move to 8-3 this season, including 5-2 in Big Sky Conference play. The win likely sews up a second consecutive berth in the FCS Playoffs for the Bobcats.
Next week, MSU hosts No. 5 Montana. The surging Grizzlies also won for the third straight time Saturday, posting a convincing 35-16 victory over No. 3 Weber State that sent shockwaves around the league and the FCS. The Griz are 9-2 this season, including 6-1 in Big Sky play. No. 6 Sac State, who beat Montana and Montana State but lost to Weber, posted a 31-7 win at Idaho on Saturday to move to 6-1 in league, 8-3 overall.
In case you missed it, the recap from #GrizFB impressive win over Weber State yesterday. @Colter_Nuanez and @Brooksnuanez were at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
— Skyline Sports (@SkylineSportsMT) November 17, 2019
Griz blitz Weber State in marquee beatdownhttps://t.co/tPStRJLbn8
With a victory next week, Montana or Montana State will earn playoff seeds and first-round byes. If Sacramento State can beat rival UC Davis, the Hornets could also earn the first playoff berth in program history along with a first-round bye.
“This league is tough and it’s really tough to win on the road,” Montana State fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate said. “Like I told our young men, these are the defending conference champions with one of the best players in the FCS (Maier).
“For us to come in there and win a game where they have a lot on the line, senior night, they are thinking that if they win these next two games, they deserve an opportunity to get into the playoffs. They certainly weren’t going to roll over for us and we knew it was going to be a fight.”
Saturday night in Davis, Montana State set the tone by coming up with a fourth down stop with UCD two yards away from a touchdown on the first possession of the game. MSU’s first possession ended in a Troy Andersen fumble but a Bobcat defense playing as well as any unit in the country held and forced a punt.
The visitors first broke through on the scoreboard with a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown run from Andersen, the 33rd of his unbelievable career as a two-way superstar.
Davis responded with consecutive scoring drives. First, the Aggies went 73 yards in 10 plays to earn a field goal, then 79 yards in eight plays and 2:38 capped by tailback Ulonzo Gilliam’s first of two touchdowns to take a 10-7 lead.
With less than four minutes to go in the first half, MSU defensive tackle Jason Scrempos blocked a short field goal and recovered it. Three plays later, MSU senior Travis Jonsen sprinted 75 yards for a touchdown to give the Bobcats the lead, 14-10.
“It was a busted play, which was my fault, but I felt like I needed to make something happen,” Jonsen said. “It turned into a 75-yard touchdown. Pretty good.”
The first half ended in conspicuous fashion. Montana State senior captain Brayden Konkol picked off Maier with 19 seconds until the break. A Logan Jones nine-yard spurt and a 43-yard bomb by quarterback Tucker Rovig to senior wide receiver Kevin Kassis moved the Bobcats to the UCD 8-yard line with three seconds to play.
MSU did not have a timeout but could’ve spiked the ball and stopped the clock. Instead, Montana State hustled its field goal unit onto the field. Time expired before Tristan Bailey’s kick could go through the uprights.
Montana State’s offense stood stagnant after the break, sputtering out twice and leading to punts. On the second possession of the third quarter for the Aggies, Gilliam basically walked in for an 18-yard touchdown. At that moment, the sophomore star running back had 133 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries and the hosts led 17-14.
UC Davis did not score again as Montana State dominated the last 20 minutes of the game. Bailey hit a 37-yard field goal early in the fourth to tie the game with 12 minutes left.
After a stop, Davis had its possession stall out quickly. The Aggies went three and out and had possession on their own 35. Instead of punting, UC Davis went for it on fourth and 1. Josh Hill stuffed Gilliam for no gain and the Bobcats took over.
Andersen, who clearly strained his previously surgically repaired right shoulder in the first half, did any and everything to keep Montana State in the game. His 13-yard run on a quarterback draw set up Bailey’s game-tying 37-yard field goal.
The junior from Dillon notched a tackle for loss on the very next play of UC Davis’ ensuing drive following his set up for the game-tying kick. He nearly had an interception two plays later. And after an Aggie punt, he ripped off a game-long 35-yard run to spark a 60-yard drive capped by an Isaiah Ifanse touchdown run from five yards out that gave the visitors a 24-17 lead.
“Troy stepped in like the warrior that he is,” Choate said.
The Bobcat defense forged another 3-and-out, leading to a 41-yard march that included a 21-yard Ifanse spurt to set up a 41-yard field goal from Bailey.
The Montana State defense forced three punts in three possessions and 10 total plays in the fourth quarter to help MSU seal the victory.
Jonsen, playing for the first time this month, finished with six carries for 93 yards and the long touchdown along with three catches for 61 yards. Ifanse, playing real snaps for the first time since MSU’s non-conference games, finished with 10 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown. Andersen rushed for 51 yards and a TD as MSU rolled up 285 yards rushing.
“We always talk about dragging them into deep water, not panicking and doing what we do, keep fighting,” Choate said. “Ultimately, our run game started to gel. I really thought Isaiah gave us a spark in the fourth quarter and it was so awesome to see him back.
“He’s a difference maker and I think everyone saw the type of player that young man is a year ago,” Choate said.
Montana State piled up 501 yards total as Rovig threw for 217 yards, including hitting Kassis seven times for a career-high 135 yards.
“There were a lot of plays in that game made by a lot of different guys,” Choate said. “Travis Jonsen, Kevin Kassis making some big plays…I really thought Tucker Rovig played his best game as a Bobcat, very poised, managed the offense tremendously well. Our offensive line in the fourth quarter taking over and Kane (Ioane) and the job they did on defense.”
Montana State held Maier, the 2018 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year, to 273 yards passing and without a touchdown pass for just the fifth time in his career.
“It was very rare that Maier knew where he was going with the ball,” Choate said. “He had to hold the ball a lot, check the ball down a lot. A really good team win.”
When asked about if he had thoughts on next wee, Choate simply said, “We will talk about it on Monday.”
