Oct. 21, 2006
Final Stats
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Pocatello, ID --- In a good ol' fashioned Big Sky Conference shootout, Montana State had one more big play than Idaho State, as Michael Jefferson scored three receiving and two rushing touchdowns, besting ISU quarterback Matt Gutierrez, who had one passing and three rushing touchdowns, as ISU dropped a 42-35 decision to Montana State.
The win kept the Bobcats on pace with first place Montana, who defeated Weber State 33-30 in Ogden. The Bengals dropped to 2-5 overall and 1-3, knocking them out of the Big Sky Conference race. Montana State moved to 5-3, 4-1, and they have won four straight after a three-game losing streak that included a 35-24 loss to Division II Chadron State.
The game featured 629 combined passing yards, 10 touchdowns, two field goals, and two safeties. Montana State blew open the game with four scores over an 8:50 span of the third and fourth quarters, all by Michael Jefferson. Jefferson ended the game with 305 all-purpose yards, with 207 receiving, 67 rushing, and 31 on kickoff returns.
First, Jack Rolovich hit Jefferson for a wide-open 70-yard score to make it 19-18 MSU. The Bobcats then got a safety when Josh Barnett fumbled the ball back to Matt Gutierrez in the end zone on a flea flicker, and Gutierrez fell on it in the end zone. Two plays later, Jefferson caught a cross pattern for a 43-yard score to make it 28-18. On the next possession, Jefferson raced 57 yards on an end around after breaking a tackle to make it 35-18, seemingly putting the game out of reach, but ISU roared back.
Just 1:39 later, Gutierrez scored his second touchdown on a quarterback sneak to cut it to 35-25, and after a quick three-and-out, Gutierrez capped a 6-play, 85-yard drive with his third TD to make it 35-32.
The Bengals then stopped MSU again, and the Montana State punt went just 32 yards, out of bounds at the ISU 43-yard line, but the Bengals were called for too many men on the field after Jaron Taylor raced into the game late. On the ensuing punt after the 15-yard penalty, ISU was nailed with a penalty, and had to start at their own 10-yard line with 2:51 left.
ISU then threw four straight incompletions, and MSU scored on the first play, with Jefferson scoring his fifth touchdown on an end around to make it 42-32. The Bengals kicked a field goal with seven seconds left, but ISU's onside kick went out of bounds, ending the game.
The Bengals got on the board first as Eddie Thompson caught a crossing pattern and eventually dove into the end zone for a 30-yard score, but MSU answered when Aaron Mason bounced an inside run outside and dove into the end zone himself for a tying score.
After Jones hit a 21-yard field goal to make it 10-7, the Bengals got a safety of their own when Dan Zeidman crushed a 55-yard punt that was fumbled at the 2-yard line, and it looked as though the half would end with ISU up 12-7, but MSU took advantage of a roughing the passer penalty as Rolovich hit Jefferson from 32 yards out with six seconds left for a 13-12 MSU lead at the half.
The Bengals now head to #2 Montana on Saturday as they look to win their first ever game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium as they take on first place Montana.
NOTES: Idaho State finished even in the turnover battle ... Gutierrez was 20-for-39 for 282 yards and a touchdown ... the game was the first of the season that ISU did not throw an interception ... Akilah Lacey had 104 yards receiving, giving him 2,280 for his career and moving him into third place on the all-time ISU receiving yards list ... he is 396 yards away from Ed Bell's career mark with four games left ... Jefferson of Montana State entered the game with five touchdowns on the year before scoring his five touchdowns on Saturday ... Josh Barnett's 53 yards rushing was a season low ... Ken Cornist completed a 24-yard pass in the third quarter, his first career pass attempt ... Eddie Thompson had 44 yards rushing on four attempts before leaving the game in the third quarter with an injury ... Jason Wright picked off his first career pass ... Gutierrez' three rushing touchdowns came on zero yards rushing .. ISU has lost two straight home games for the first time since the 2004 season.
