Oct. 20, 2007
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- In need of some sort of spark, Idaho State's defense, which was amazing the entire game, came through with two touchdowns in a 2:38 span of the third quarter, one a 65-yard return by Micah Cloward, the other a 76-yard return by Sterling Mennear, as the Bengals used a school-record tying 28-point third quarter to blitz Portland State 38-20, moving the Bengals to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
Idaho State couldn't muster any sort of offense in the first half, gaining just 79 yards, and ISU's offense gave up the only score when Russel Hill's screen pass was snatched by KJ McCrae, who went in from 30-yards out untouched for his first career touchdown, making it 10-0. In the second quarter, ISU got a scoring opportunity, but Dan Zeidman's 46-yard field goal was wide right, and Portland State (2-5, 2-2 Big Sky) immediately marched 70 yards, but the Vikings couldn't punch it in on first-and-goal from the 6-yard line, settling for a 19-yard field goal.
ISU finally mustered late life, getting a 37-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in the half to go down 13-3 at the break, and that led to a wacky third quarter.
PSU got to ball to start the half, and what followed was 28 ISU points, starting out with a series in which in the span of four plays there were three turnovers. Ryan Phipps forced a fumble after sacking Brian White, one of eight Bengal sacks, but ISU gave the ball right back when Russel Hill's pass was deflected at the line and into the arms of Jordan Senn at the Bengal 43. However, just two plays later White was hit by Demetrius Amos on a draw play, and the ball squirted loose and bounced into the arms of Micah Cloward, who went in untouched from 65 yards out.
That touchdown was the longest fumble return by a Bengal in Holt Arena history, and it lasted just eight minutes in real life. On the next series, D.J. Clark hit Ronnie Fa'avae from behind, knocking the ball loose again, and Sterling Mennear grabbed it and raced 76 yards, cutting back at the 20 for his third career touchdown, and giving ISU a 17-13 lead. From there, it snowballed on the Vikings and the nation's number one passing offense, as PSU went three-and-out, and Russel Hill got the offense kick started, completing four passes on the ensuing drive, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Taylor on 3rd-and-goal.
After another three-and-out, the Bengals went 55 yards with Clint Knickrehm scoring from two yards out. Branden Jones' extra point gave ISU a record-tying 28 points in the third quarter, and the tying for the second -most points in any quarter by the Bengals in their history.
Josh Barnett put the icing on the cake in the fourth quarter, escaping two tacklers at midfield to bolt for a career-long 65-yard touchdown run, giving him 139 yards on the day. That tied Alfredo Anderson for the most 100-yard games in ISU history, giving him 13. Earlier in the game, Barnett broke Merril Hoge's record of 591 career carries. Barnett now needs 294 yards to break Anderson's career mark of 3,370 yards.
PSU added a late touchdown when backup quarterback Drew Hubel led an 8-5yard march capped by a 14-yard touchdown to Marcel Thompson with 2:35 to go. The Bengals held the nation's top passing offense to just 274 yards passing, and just 200 yards until the final PSU drive when it was 38-13, and the fact that ISU did that missing three starters in the secondary was a pleasing sight to head coach John Zamberlin.
"You know, we had guys step up and make plays today, Micah and Sterling, really gave us a lift with those touchdowns," said Zamberlin. "But I thought the defense was solid the whole game, and they kept us in it until the offense got going, and then they started clicking, and we had good special teams, and it was something special to see."
Zamberlin added, "I really thought a key was keeping them out of the end zone when we missed that field goal, and keeping it close there, then getting a nice punt return from Kenyon {Blue} and putting up that field goal before the half. I think that was an important part of this game."
Idaho State quarterback Russel Hill improved to 3-2 as a starter, picking it up in the second half. Hill started the game just 5-of-13 for 59 yards and three interceptions, but he finished strong, going 6-of-8 for 79 yards and a touchdown, making him 11-for-21 on the day for 138 yards and a touchdown. Jaron Taylor was ISU's leading receiver with five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.
For the Vikings, they got a career game from Olaniyi Sobomehin, who rushed for 143 yards on 25 carries. The Vikings got six sacks and three interceptions, but ISU trumped that with a record nine sacks, five fumble recoveries, and an interception. D.J. Clark picked off his third pass of the season in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and ISU got two fumble recoveries from Mennear, one from Cloward, and one each from Jon Tuua and Demetrius Amos. ISU got two sakcs from Ryan Phipps, 1.5 from Geo Simmons, one each from Brad Rife, Mennear, Tuua, and Quincy Griffin, and then half sacks for Cloward, Amos, and Brian Livesay. Phipps, Mennear, Clark, Amos, and Cloward all forced fumbles.
The Bengals now stay at home, as they host Cal Poly (4-3) next Saturday afternoon at Holt Arena's Caccia Field.
NOTES: Jerry Glanville is now believed to be the first person to serve as a head coach at a game in the oldest professional domed stadium (the Houston Astrodome) and the oldest collegiate domed stadium (Holt Arena) ... Portland State's five lost fumbles equaled their season total, and ISU's nine sacks tied their entire season total as well ... ISU scored 28 points in the third quarter after scoring just 20 points in the third quarter all season long ... ISU's 28-point third quarter also was more points than ISU had scored over the entire game vs. any of their last nine Division I opponents ... Dan Ziedman 44.4 per punt and 41.4 net ... PSU had 29 first downs and both teams averaged 12.5 per completion ... John Zamberlin came out to the ISU soccer game at noon, and wished the team and soccer coach Allison Gibson luck before catching part of the game from the stands ... Mennear's touchdown was the third of his career, and second against Portland State, as he scored on a blocked punt recovery in the end zone in 2005 at Holt Arena.
