Montana State rode a first half offensive explosion and a huge special teams play to defeat Portland State 28-10 in a driving rain on Saturday at PGE Park.
The Bobcats inflicted most of their offensive damage in the first half, scoring on a 15-yard Julius Lloyd reception from Cody Kempt, a five-yard Blayde Becksted run in the second quarter, and a 26-yard dash by speedster Everett Gilbert. The Bobcats rolled up 239 yards and 17 first downs before intermission, carrying a 28-7 lead into the dry environs of PGE Park's locker room.
But the game's biggest play came with the Bobcat defense retiring to the sideline, and the offense preparing to return to the field with a 7-0 lead. With just over one minute remaining in the first quarter, the Bobcats forced a PSU punt from deep in its own end. Caleb Schreibeis blocked that Vikings punt, with Jared Rohrback right beside, and Tanner Ripley pounced on the ball in the end zone for an MSU touchdown. That play gave MSU a 14-0 lead, and more touchdowns (two) than PSU had first downs (one).
The game was unique in ways even beyond the weather. The Bobcats rotated quarterbacks by quarter, with Cody Kempt playing the first and third stanzas and Mark Iddins the second and fourth. Iddins finished the day five-for-12, while Kempt was 9-for-19. The Cats threw for just 116 yards on the day, and after the Bobcats rambled for 143 yards on the ground the team finished with just 186. MSU's full day's work added up to 21 first downs and 302 yards.
"It was about as wet as I've been in a game," said MSU coach Rob Ash. "You just couldn't handle the ball. You just couldn't handle the ball. By (the second half) the balls were wet, everyone's bodies were wet. You just had to hope you could get something going in the running game."
Montana State controlled the early portion of the game, even without scoring points. MSU drove 77 yards on its first drive, but stalled at the PSU five-yard line on downs and PSU took over. The MSU defense forced a three-and-out, and on the fifth play of the ensuing drive Cody Kempt found Julius Lloyd in the end zone for a 15-yard scoring strike. After the teams traded punts, MSU got the big play of the first half when Caleb Schreibeis blocked a PSU punt and Tanner Ripley covered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Bobcats controlled the first half, particularly on the ground. MSU rushed for 143 yards in the first half, limiting the Vikings to 61 rushing yards. Evans Okotcha scampered 31 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to account for nearly half of PSU's rushing yards, while reserve quarterback Connor Kavanaugh rushed for 22 yards, primarily on scrambles.