Bobcats shut out Lakers, 17-0
Montana State registered its first shutout since 2023 by turning away three Mercyhurst inside the Bobcats red zone, topping the Lakers 17-0 in sun-splashed Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.
In a game featuring just six possessions by each team, the Bobcats scored on all three first-half possessions and then turned things over to the defense.
“I’m pleased with the defense and their ability to bend bent quite a bit, but we didn’t break,” fourth-year Bobcat coach Brent Vigen said. “We came up with some big plays down in the red zone, and ultimately that’s the mark of a defense that’s making some strides.”
Mercyhurst used a short passing game to control the ball and clock. Quarterback Adam Urena finished 24 of 36 for 205 yards with one interception. The Lakers also went for it seven times on fourth down, and converted four times.
The Bobcats threw the ball just 17 times but rushed for 233 yards on 41 carries.
Paul Brott and MSU’s defensive line made plays time and again. The senior from Billings logged four tackles, including a strip sack that thwarted a Lakers drive. Defensive tackle Alec Eckert’s three tackles included a sack. Zac Crews registered a sack and broke up a pass.
The Bobcats opened the game by marching 92 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Julius Davis plunged in from 3 yards to cap a drive that chewed up nearly six minutes. A 22-yard Myles Sansted field goal pushed the lead to 10-0.
Brott’s forced fumble ended Mercyhurst’s next drive at the Bobcat 17, and MSU marched 82 yards for a 5-yard Adam Jones TD run with 40 seconds left in the half..
The scoring was finished, but not the drama. After Justin Lamson’s pass was intercepted in the end zone to thwart a long MSU possession, the Lakers’ next drive took the game into the fourth quarter.
With first-and-goal at the, Mercyhurst endured a strange sequence in a game full of them: A 4-yard loss; a false start; an incomplete pass and a chop block. Facing third-and-goal from the 34, the Lakers surrenderd Crews’ sack and punted from the MSU 42.
Mercyhurst forced an punt and again marched to a first-and-goal from the 1, but that ended with a Ryan Krahe tip-drill interception on fourth down.
Montana State finished with 354 yards on 58 plays. The Cats logged 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including two each by Caden Dowler and Cole Taylor.
Montana State (2-2) hosts Eastern Washington for Homecoming Saturday at 2 p.m. in Bobcat Stadium.
Mercyhurst 0 0 0 0 - 0
Montana St. 7 10 0 0 - 17
MSU — Julius Davis 3 run (Myles Sansted kick), 9:06-1Q
MSU — Sansted 22 FG, 12:06-2Q
MSU — Adam Jones 5 run (Sansted kick), :40-2Q
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Mercyhurst (23-58) — Brian Trobel 13-48, Jamier Gambel 1-28, Ayron Rodriguez 6-minus 4, Adam Urena 3-minus 4. Montana St. (41-233) — Colson Coon 5-71, Davis 9-55, Jones 12-44, Justin Lamson 8-34, Jared White 6-29, Team 1-0.
PASSING: Mercyhurst — Urena 23-35-1 for 206 yards; Alex Gevaudan 1-1-0 for minus-1. Montana St. — Lamson 12-17-1 for 121 yards.
RECEIVING: Mercyhurst — Rylan Davison 7-4, Dylan Evans 5-36, Joe Kerbacher 4-35, Ashton Wilson 2-19, Evan Van Dyke 2-8, Rodiguez 1-6, Chaz Davis 1-6, Trobel 1-5, Gamble 1-4. Montana St. — Jones 3-31, Taco Dowler 3-27, Chris Long 2-30, Jabez Woods 2-21, Davis 1-6, Ryan King 1-6.