Oct. 11, 2003
Stats
Box Score
Bozeman, MT--- Mark Hetherington threw for three touchdowns, and the Bengals survived a furious fourth-quarter comeback as the Bengals picked up their first road win of the season with a 23-17 victory over Montana State on Homecoming for the Bobcats.
The #22 Bengals improved to 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Sky, while Montana State dropped to 2-4 and 0-1. The win for the Bengals was their first in Bozeman in since 1994, when ISU defeated the Bobcats 38-20. The win also improved Larry Lewis to 4-1 against Montana State.
Hetherington's three touchdowns gives him eight in his last two games, both of which are his only starts of the season. But the big story line was the running game. Isaac Mitchell rushed for 112 yards on 24 carries, and with David Beverly out, both Atari Callen and Emery Beckles took their turns at running back. Beckles rushed for 12 yards on a pair of carries, and had a diving 32-yard catch, while Callen ran nine times for 62 yards, Beckles also added a kickoff return for 43 yards, with Callen having two returns for 34.
Idaho State scored just once in the second half, getting a backbreaking 27-yard field goal from Jeremy Hershey to make it a 23-10 ISU advantage with 4:55 left. That touchdown was answered by a 5-yard Travis Lulay run.
The Bengals then were awarded the onside kick when MSU kicker Nate Cook pooched a kick to the front line, and ISU signaled fair catch. A Montana State player batted the ball and was called for fair catch interference, giving the Bengals the ball at midfield.
They punted it away with under a minute to go, and MSU got to the Bengal 38 for a final play after a face mask penalty, but Lulay's pass to cornerback Joey Thomas was thrown out of the end zone.
The Bengals got on the board early in the first quarter after some trickery on the opening kickoff. After Atari Callen took a reverse on the kickoff to the Bengal 42, Mark Hetherington moved the offense into the end zone five plays later on a 28-yard pass just 1:28.
ISU scored again after a special teams miscue. Kyle McQuown's opening punt was fumbled by returner Corey Smith, and Atari Callen recovered the fumble at Montana State's 13-yard line. Sale' Key then hauled in an 11-yard jump ball in the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
Idaho State made it 20-3 just 2:46 before the half as Brett Fowler caught his second touchdown pass, a diving grab from 25-yards out, a play on which defensive pass interference was called.
Montana State's only points of the first half were a 32-yard field goal by Nate Cook.
As a team the Bengals rushed for 182 yards, while Hetherington passed for just 149. Montana State was held to just 307 yards of total offense, including 152 yards of offense in the final quarter as they attempted their rally.
