Tribune on Cats Win...

[catsrback76]

MSU finally earns elusive home victory over Portland State
By SCOTT MANSCH
Tribune Asst. Sports Editor

BOZEMAN — The Montana State football team has been late to the party this season at Bobcat Stadium.

But Saturday's 14-0 victory over nationally ranked Portland State indicates that perhaps things are right on schedule for head coach Mike Kramer's Bobcats.

Freshman halfback Aaron Mason rushed for 128 yards and scored twice, backup quarterback Jack Rolovich replaced injured starter Cory Carpenter and threw a TD toss and the Bobcats ended a three-game losing streak in their own house with a Big Sky Conference victory over the Vikings.

Energized by a Homecoming crowd of more than 14,000 and buoyed by the return of injured starters Aaron Papich and Ryan Force, the MSU defense held Portland State to 132 yards in recording its first Big Sky shutout in five years. It was the finest performance by a Bobcat defense since the 2003 team limited the same PSU program to just 112 net yards.

"It was a magnificent job by our defense," said Kramer. "It began with our front, and went through our linebackers and our secondary. Certainly the return of (defensive end) Aaron Papich and (safety) Ryan Force was the key."

The Vikings struggled mightily on offense, even though quarterback Sawyer Smith started for the first time in weeks after recovering from a hip ailment and highly touted New Mexico State transfer halfback Mu'Ammar Ali made his season debut.

Portland State managed only seven first downs, averaged less than 3 yards per play and finished an abysmal 2-for-13 on third-down conversions.

While Saturday's wet, chilly conditions weren't conducive to offensive football, it was still an eyebrow-raising performance from a Bobcat defense that was yielding an average of 357 yards per game and gave up 496 yards to UC Davis just three weeks ago here.

"It's like two totally different football teams sometimes," admitted Force, who separated his shoulder in that Davis game and provided several inspiring hits against the Vikings. "Our coaches simplified things a bit ..0x174 The D-linemen are getting a lot of pressure now and the linebackers are flying around making lots of plays. It's the whole defense. We have the speed and we're finally showing it now."

Montana State evned its record at 3-3 overall, 2-1 in the Big Sky. The 15th-ranked Vikings fell to 3-3 and 2-2.

"I can't say anything else but that I think I lost the game," said PSU coach Tim Walsh, whose team hasn't won in Bozeman since 2000x176. "Because I think we're better than that."

It's not like the Bobcats were tearing it up offensively. Except for Mason, a 5-foot-10, 181-pound teenager from California who scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter and a 3-yard flip from Rolovich in the fourth, there wasn't much to brag about.

"They did some good things schematically," Walsh said. "They knew it was going to be difficult to run right at us. They ran a lot of stuff outside of our guys and were able to do a good job of sealing things off and getting downhill with (Mason). That's good stuff."

Papich, the former Great Falls High star who played with a cumbersome brace to protect his damaged knee, said it's his unit that's demonstrating improvement.

"A lot of leaders are stepping up and guys are rallying around them," he said. "We're a lot more talkative on defense and that's really helping."

The Vikings moved into MSU territory only twice the entire afternoon, once after recovering a fumble on the first Bobcat possession. The turnover, Montana State's 12th at home this year, could have been a momentum-changer.

Ali got loose for a 26-yard dash as the Vikes threatened, but Smith eventually threw incomplete on 4th-and-7 from the MSU 32.

Carpenter then led the Bobcats on the only scoring drive of the first half. The junior quarterback hit Donell Wheaton three times for good gains and Mason, who gained 192 yards last week at Northern Arizona, flashed his skill on several darting runs. Mason's 1-yard TD run came on third-and-goal.

"He's real patient," Force said of the freshman back. "Then when he finds the hole he's able to burst and get through the hole. And being as small as he is and as low as he is, it's tough to bring him down."

The Vikes threatened early in the second half after another quick Bobcat turnover, an interception by D.J. Robinson at the MSU 30. But the Cats held and Eric Azorr, whose long field goal at the gun gave the Vikings a 44-41 victory over MSU last year in Portland, was wide right on a 49-yard attempt.

Late in the third quarter, the Bobcats mounted a time-consuming drive with Carpenter in the spotlight. He converted a fourth-and-inches with a QB sneak on a gutsy call at the MSU 39, then moments later left the game with a high ankle sprain.

Rolovich, the University of Hawaii transfer, came on and completed a 31-yard pass to Wheaton on a short crossing route.

"I saw the linebackers fly out of there," Rolovich said. "I think the previous play we threw the ball down the field and I think they were expecting another deep ball. I just kept my eyes downfield and dumped it to (Wheaton)."

A subsequent pass-interference call gave MSU a first down at the 2, and moments later Rolovich threw his first Bobcat touchdown pass by connecting with Mason in the right flat.

That was more than enough cushion for the Bobcat defense this day.

"Portland State's a very, very good team," Kramer said. "It's a very fun team to coach against, because they cut no corners. They don't have any gimmicks — they just come and get you. And I thought we went and got them."

Understand, that hasn't happened here this season for the Cats.

"It's been disastrous," Kramer said of the previous home games. "Those three home games, the way we played, was just embarrassing. There's no other word to describe it, but that was not us. We're starting to identify the leaders on this team and the guys are starting to follow them."

The Bobcats, 2-0 on the road this season, travel to Sacramento State next Saturday."


People are starting to believe in these Cats.

[gtapp]

14,000? Maybe they sold that many tickets but I never saw more than 8K in the stands at any one time.

[catsrback76]

14,000? Maybe they sold that many tickets but I never saw more than 8K in the stands at any one time.

I think you're right. There are corporate seats that are counted as sold because they are, but people do not always show up.

[kmax]

That number has got to be tickets sold. THat is the only way that MSU has to count, as it isn't like they have turnstiles or anything to actually count how many come through the gate. Unless they had someone count the torn ticket stubs, which there is no way they would have by 3rd qaurter when they announce.

[Cledus]

I have a block of six season tickets and didn't go because of a scheduling conflict. Of course if the weather had been different I would have made time for both.

I would imagine a similar situation for all those season ticket holders who didn't show up.

But hey, 14k sold is good.

[Platinumcat]

I have a block of six season tickets and didn't go because of a scheduling conflict. Of course if the weather had been different I would have made time for both.

I would imagine a similar situation for all those season ticket holders who didn't show up.

But hey, 14k sold is good.

Wimp (hehehe)

[Cledus]

Wimp (hehehe)

Man, you should have seen the rain in Billings at 8 am. It was like Texas / Georgia rain... the kind of crap you definitely do not see often in Montana.

That might make me a sissy but I was by no means the only one. I can deal with cold, but wet + cold I can do without.

[Platinumcat]

Wimp (hehehe)

Man, you should have seen the rain in Billings at 8 am. It was like Texas / Georgia rain... the kind of crap you definitely do not see often in Montana.

That might make me a sissy but I was by no means the only one. I can deal with cold, but wet + cold I can do without.

I'm taking back some "100% rain proof" jackets tomorrow that didn't seem to work too well.

And, you know I was just hackin' on ya right?

[CARDIAC_CATS]

It was a great time this weekend in the rain. Games like that are actually fun! Warm food, good company, people falling in the mud ... great entertainment! I don't think there were 14,000 there, but I was very impressed with how many peolple did in fact make the trip. The Tailgating area was full and was a fun time!

[GavinDonos]

I had a great time in the rain as well. Those games leave you feeling like a tired old dog, but man they're fun... if your team wins.

I just hate all the politico BS that invades the stadium during election years. Give me a damn Cat button if you want, but don't get in my face trying to get me to wear a Tester or Burns button. Really, now, not why I came to the stadium.