Nov. 4, 2006
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Idaho State University tried another late rally at home, but like the last two home conference games, that rally fell short, and Idaho State dropped to 0-3 at home in league play with a 22-14 defeat to the Sacramento State Hornets.
The loss dropped Idaho State to 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the Big Sky Conference, while the Hornets clinched at least a .500 conference season, improving to 4-3 in the conference at 4-5 overall.
The Bengals trailed 22-7 in the fourth quarter, and ISU seemed out of it until D.J. Clark picked off a Marcel Marquez pass and returned it 32 yards to the Sacramento State 29-yard line, and two plays later Akilah Lacey made a terrific one-handed grab in the end zone despite pass interference to make it 22-14 with 2:54 left.
Branden Jones, who had not attempted a kickoff the entire season hit a perfect onside kick, and Terrence Calloway came out with the ball giving the Bengals one last chance. The Bengals quickly crossed midfield on a Jaron Taylor catch, and Pete Richter converted a third down to the Sacramento State 38-yard line. Josh Barnett then rushed to the 29, but ISU couldn't get the one yard they needed.
An incompletion and a Barnett loss of two made it fourth and three, and Gutierrez' pass was knocked down by all-everything linebacker Cyrus Mulitalo with 1:18 left, and the Hornets knelt down three times to end the game.
It was feast of famine for the ISU defense as they allowed Sacramento State to throw for 396 yards, the second-most ever by a Hornet quarterback. However, ISU's rush defense was relentless, holding the Hornets to -20 rushing on 32 attempts. Marcel Marquez finished the game -42 rushing, and Seth McDaniels led the team with just 16 yards, but the rushing yards weren't necessary.
The Hornets jumped to a 3-0 lead on a season-long 48-yard field goal by Juan Gamboa. The Bengals responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by Ken Cornist, who rumbled home from 10 yards out. The first quarter ended with ISU up 7-3, marking the ninth straight game ISU was either tied or ahead after the first quarter.
However, the second quarter has been ISU's undoing, and it proved so again. Marquez hooked up with Ray Navar for a 6-yard touchdown, making it 9-7 after Gamboa's PAT was wide left. Andre Taylor then hauled in an easy 38-yard score to make it 16-7, and Gamboa tacked on a 35-yard field goal just before the half for a 19-7 lead. ISU has now been outscored 109-48 in the second quarter this year.
Neither team could do much of anything in the third quarter, with the only scoring opportunity another Gamboa field goal attempt, but it was well right from 44 yards out.
Gamboa did connect for his third field goal (equaling his total for the entire season) with 8:16 left, setting up ISU's last-ditch comeback attempt.
Matt Gutierrez, playing with a host of offensive weapons hurt, was 12-for-28 for 124 yards and a touchdown. Josh Barnett rushed for 71 yards, and he now has 956 yards on the season, just 44 away from 1,000.
Perhaps the big story was the special teams play of Dan Zeidman, who had a touchback on a kickoff, but made his impact by punting, averaging 56.0 yards per kick, including punts of 82, 56, 53, and 51 yards, and he had a 62-yard punt called back on a penalty. Zeidman's net was 50.0 yards per kick, and his 82-yard punt was the longest in Holt Arena history, and it tied for the 18th longest in I-AA history, and it tied for the second-longest in Big Sky history.
The Bengals, who will finish under .500 at home for the second time in three years, travel to Eastern Washington on Saturday for their final road game of the season.
NOTES: Jaron Taylor averaged 11.3 yards per punt return ... the school record for fewest rushing yards allowed is -26 to Adams State in 1994 ... the -20 yards allowed is a Bengal record for a I-AA opponent ... the Hornets converted on 12 of 21 third downs ... Idaho State finished +1 in the turnover department, and it was the first game with no turnovers since the 2005 season opener, a 38-13 win over Southern Utah 19 games ago.
