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Final Stats
POCATELLO, Idaho- In a game where Kristen Chatterley, Lemaefe Galeai, Christina Shoemaker and Don Neves were honored for being inducted into the ISU Sports Hall of Fame, the Bengal football team took No. 13 Montana State to overtime before falling 23-20 on Saturday afternoon at Holt Arena.
“I told the team at halftime and after the game that they have nothing to hang their heads about,” Idaho State coach John Zamberlin said. “I am proud as heck in how they go out each week and play. They are making strides to get better. We have to look at the positives because there is a lot of positives that we take from this to get ready for Georgia.”
With the score tied at 17, Montana State kicker Jason Cunningham missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime. In the extra stanza, Idaho State's Brendon Garcia kicked a 27-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 20-17 lead. Montana State then got the ball and quarterback Denarius McGhee scored on the first play from scrimmage breaking several tackles for a 25-yard touchdown run and victory.
The Bengal defense held a Montana State offense that was averaging 39 points a game to only 23 points and forced four turnovers. The ISU defense has forced nine turnovers in the last two games. Basim Hudeen, Leki Fuapau, Justin Vae'ena and Jacob Hutton all recovered fumbles. Hudeen and Chris Holmesly had a career-high in tackles as Hudeen has 15 with one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Holmesly had 14 tackles with one forced fumble.
“We made some plays defensively,” Zamberlin said. “They played an outstanding game. They got their yardage but we kept them out of the end zone. My heart goes out to them. It looks like we lost containment and then we are in zone coverage. We don't get him knocked out of bounds and he walks into the end zone. It is a heartbreaker to lose a game like this.”
The ISU offense had 189 yards of total offense. Russel Hill was 13-for-23 with two touchdowns and 175 yards passing. Kelvin Krosch caught four passes for 46 yards and one touchdown while Tavoy Moore caught four passes for 34 yards. Rodrick Rumble had three passes for 22 yards while Hutton and Josh Hill each caught a pass. Hill's reception was a 34-yard touchdown catch.
“All in all as I look at it these guys, we keep making strides,” Zamberlin said. “We made strides offensively and did a lot of things better.”
ISU jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Hill connected with Krosch in the end zone for a 19-yard reception. The drive was an 83-yard drive on nine plays, the offense's longest scoring drive of the season. The score was set up after MSU running back Orenzo Davis fumbled on the ISU 21-yard line.
"Kelvin had some nice catches today," Zamberlin said. "He had a couple of third down catches and that touchdown was good when he laid out. It is a good thing he is long and tall. Kelvin is starting to come along and get into playing shape and he is making plays."
Montana State came back to tie the game at seven on the ensuing possession. Idaho State went into halftime leading 10-7 after Garcia connected on a 27-yard field goal with 3:24 left in the half.
Midway through the third quarter Montana State took a 14-10 lead on a touchdown with 5:56 remaining in the quarter. ISU then countered with a touchdown thanks to a Russel Hill to Josh Hill 34-yard pass with 2:51 to play in the third.
Montana State tied the game with a Cunningham 36-yard field goal with 1:37 left in regulation.
Idaho State returns to the field on Saturday with a contest at SEC foe Georgia. Kickoff is at10:30 a.m.
