Oct. 1, 2005
Final Stats
Bozeman, MT --- Idaho State couldn't muster a first down on either of their final two drives in the final seven minutes, and the #12 Montana State Bobcats nipped the #24 Bengals 30-28 on a windy day at Bobcat Field.
Idaho State never led in the ball game, as the Bobcats bolted to a 10-0 first quarter lead on a 25-yard Jeff Hastings field goal and a 15-yard interception return by Epikopo King.
The Bengals made a game of it in the second quarter by putting up 21 points, making it 24-21 at the half. Down 17-3, the Bengals got a 38-yard field goal from Jaret Johnson, and then a Ken Cornist 4-yard run, plus a two-point Hagler pass made it 17-14. MSU answered right back with a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped by a Travis Lulay pass to Ricky Gatewood.
The Bengals used a fine two-minute drill to cut it back to 24-21 with a 75-yard drive capped by a Hagler pass to Eddie Thompson for a 10-yard score with just 20 seconds left.
The game turned in MSU's favor in the third quarter as the Bobcats had to ball for nearly 11 minutes, scoring on a 20-yard quarterback draw by Travis Lulay. ISU was pinned deep when MSU decided to punt into the wind, and Lulay pinned ISU at the two-yard line. Lulay earlier in the game pinned ISU at the two after a 77-yard punt.
After a penalty, MSU went for two on the score, but they missed, keeping it 30-21. ISU cut it to 30-28 on Cornist's second score with 11:30 remaining, but the Bengals couldn't get a first down for the remainder of the game.
The Bengals, who will probably slide out of the Top 25 poll despite the close loss, drop to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Sky, while MSU is also 3-2, and 1-0 in the league. The Bengals host Montana, 24-19 winners over Weber State, next week in Pocatello.
NOTES: Cornist broke the freshman scoring record, which was 48 points. He now has 60 on 10 rushing touchdowns ... Jeff Charleston picked up two more sacks to push his season total to eight ... Dan Zeidman averaged 52.5 per punt ... Jaret Johnson has made eight straight field goals, tying Darren Goodman's Bengal record, set in 1990 ... Josh Barnett rushed for a career-high 148 yards ... Akilah Lacey's streak of 21 games with a reception ended.
