Bobcats win Top 5 battle
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Quarterback Tommy Mellott ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns, Julius Davis and Jared White each added a rushing touchdown and Montana State beat Sacramento State 42-30 Saturday night in a battle of Top-5 teams in the FCS coaches poll.
The Hornets failed to convert a fourth-and-7 from their own 28 when Rylan Ortt broke up a pass from Kaiden Bennett intended for Marshel Martin with 7:36 to play.
Four plays later, White scored on a 12-yard run to make it 42-24. It was the fourth touchdown in four possessions in the second half for MSU, which led 14-7 at intermission.
Montana State (6-1, 4-0 Big Sky Conference), which went into the game averaging an FCS-leading 324.5 yards rushing this season, ran for 328 yards — the No. 2 Bobcats' fifth consecutive game topping the 300-yard plateau and the sixth this season.
“We knew if we could keep leaning on them we could potentially break them, and that’s what happened,” said MSU coach Brent Vigen, who was facing Sacramento State for the first time. “That’s a good team, that’s a good program. I’m really proud of our guys. That was a tremendous effort.”
Elijah Tau-Tolliver led No. 4 Sacramento State (5-2, 2-2) with 100 yards rushing, including a 53-yard touchdown in the third quarter and a 10-yarder with 10:02 to play that trimmed the Hornets' deficit to 28-24.
Davis’ 1-yard scoring run with 8:26 left capped a four-play, 63 yard drive and pushed the gap back out to 35-24, and put the Hornets in desperation mode.
“It wasn’t easy. We had to fight through some stuff,” Vigen said. “We weren’t perfect by any means. I think the forward-thinking nature of this crew found a way tonight.”
Bennett finished 26-of-42 passing for 234 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, including a 16-yard pick-6 by Jon Johnson that made it 7-all about 2 minutes into the second quarter. Sean Chambers threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Ty McCullouch before halftime, and Mellott scored on an 11-yard run early in the third to give the Bobcats a 21-7 lead.
In a game that was televised nationally on ESPN2, Montana State's defense forced two turnovers.
The Bobcats remain on the road this week for another top-10 showdown in Moscow, Idaho against the Vandals.