NOTES & QUOTES from Montana State's 45-21 Win Over Northern Arizona

Saturday, November 4

BOZEMAN

1 pm

Montana State University

7-2 , 5-1

Northern Arizona

3-6 , 3-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Northern Ariz.

Montana St.

Sean Chambers overpowers an NAU defensive lineman

Photo by: Garrett Becker

NOTES & QUOTES from Montana State's 45-21 Win Over Northern Arizona

11/4/2023 6:25:00 PM | Football

Box Score

MSU rushed for over 300 yards against the Lumberjacks

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Montana – In front of Bobcat legend Bill Kollar and several of his 1973 Montana State teammates, the first group ever to call Reno H. Sales (now Bobcat) Stadium home, MSU put together a game that hinted of the 1970s. The Cats rushed for 343 yards and five touchdowns on the way to a 45-21 home win over Northern Arizona on Saturday.

Tommy Mellott rushed for 107 yards and one touchdown while throwing for 126 yards and another DTD (on 12-for-18 passing), as the Cats moved to 7-2 overall, 5-1 in the Big Sky. MSU marched the opening kickoff 75 yards to take a 7-0 lead, with Mellott scoring from nine yards out, then Sean Chambers scored on a one-yard run to build the lead to 14-0.

POST-GAME NOTES
* Montana State's 25 straight home wins is the longest current streak in the FCS and tied for the 10^th-longest streak in FCS history.
* Tommy Mellott's 107 yards marks his ninth career 100-yard rushing game.
* Sean Chambers scored one touchdown, raising his season total to 12 and his MSU career total to 31. The 31 career scores is third-most in Bobcat history.
* In his debut as MSU's starting kicker, Casey Kautzman nailed his only field goal (42 yards) and all five of his extra points.

BOBCAT COACH BRENT VIGEN
"I really appreciate the effort, the intensity, that our guys came out with today. It's the only way you can move forward, don't look back, try to do better than the last time, I guess, but more just be concerned about what can we do on this particular Saturday to put our best foot forward and I think we did that from the start. They made plays here and there, but we by and large did the things we wanted to. Right from the start, to be able to set the tone on that first drive, set the tone up front, set the tone getting to the perimeter a bunch that first drive, and cash in. Obviously that was our intention, then the defense was able to follow it up with a three-and-out and we were able to score again, and we were off and running from that point.

On Casey Kautzman: "Perfect on extra points, had the field goal opportunity and put it through. That's what we expected out of Casey and he got the job done today."

On the defensive line: "It had to start up there. With (NAU) playing (Angel) Flores you anticipate there's going to be a heavy run component, and getting them to the down and distances where he can't just run was certainly what we needed to do. Slowing down that run game that he was a big part of was the beginning of that. We knew if we could get them in long-yardage situations, that's not necessarily what he's built for right now, and we were able to do that and get pressure on him and negate a passing game that really sliced us up right now."

MSU TIGHT END RYAN LONERGAN
On his first college touchdown catch: "That was definitely special. That two-minute drill, we were marching down the field. I saw they were man at the last second and I didn't really epect the ball, that's not a man play, but Tommy read it and trusted it. I can't put it into words. It's a great experience."

On playing with two senior tight ends down: "I felt more comfortable out there today than I did the previous game when Snell went down. You've just got to trust your training."

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