Lumberjacks rally to slip past Vikings

Paul Ernster made a 47-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining to cap a Northern Arizona rally that lifted the Lumberjacks to a 21-20 win over Portland State on Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz.

The Lumberjacks (4-3, 3-1 Big Sky) overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to send the Vikings to their second straight conference loss and third in four games.

NAU started its comeback with a safety when linebackers Sean Sovacool and Vince Henman chased quarterback Joe Wiser out of the end zone for a safety with 7:02 left in the game. That cut the deficit to 20-12.

Roger Robinson’s 3-yard touchdown run made it 20-18 with 2:06 remaining. A 2-point conversion pass failed, but Ernster’s onside kick was recovered by teammate Eric Iverson at the NAU 45.

Jason Murrietta, who finished the game 18 for 33 for 167 yards, completed four straight passes to put the Lumberjacks within range of Ernster’s kick that produced their only lead of the game.

Portland State’s Joe Rubin rushed 26 times for 133 yards and a TD, and Ryan Fuqua had 10 carries for 90 yards and a score.

Idaho St. 29, Sacramento St. 24

Josh Barnett ran for 102 yards and Marcell Lagrone returned an interception for a TD as the Bengals (2-5, 1-3) defeated the Hornets (2-5, 1-3) in Pocatello, Idaho.

Sacramento State is now 0-9 on the road in the two years under head coach Steve Mooshagian.

In addition to Lagrone’s score, Idaho State got unusual touchdowns on a wide receiver pass play from Shack Okoebor to Sale’ Key and a two-yard touchdown run from Jermaine Horn, who is a starting defensive lineman.

The loss overshadowed a brilliant effort by Sacramento’s Ramon Payne, who had three interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three tackles for losses and eight total tackles.

Montana St. 27, South Dakota St. 24

Travis Lulay passed for a career-high 411 yards and three TDs and E.J. Cochrane kicked a 22-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining to lift the Bobcats (5-2) to a non-league victory over the Division II Jackrabbits (4-3) in Bozeman, Mont.

Montana State appeared to have the game in hand, leading 24-10 after Lulay hit Rick Gatewood with a 33-yard touchdown pass with 4:57 remaining.

But South Dakota State scored twice in the final 1:12. The Jackrabbits pulled within 24-17 on an 18-yard TD pass from Brad Nelson to Chris Molitor.

The Jackrabbits recovered the onside kick and 23 seconds later scored on a 44-yard pass from Nelson to Brian Janecek to tie the score with 49 seconds left.

The Bobcats covered 69 yards in eight plays, capped by Cochrane’s kick.

Blake Wolf caught 11 passes for 137 yards and a 2-yard TD pass in the second quarter for the Bobcats. Gatewood caught nine passes for 126 yards, including a 4-yard scoring pass in the first quarter.

Cochrane kicked a 47-yard field goal with 5:52 left in the third quarter to give MSU a 17-7 lead, but also missed field goal attempts of 54 yards in the second quarter and 47 yards in the fourth quarter and lost a fumble on a punt attempt in the second quarter.