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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Big Sky roundup: Montana edges Idaho State in overtime

JR Nelson pounced on a bad snap in overtime and tossed the ball to Eric Johnson, who raced 40 yards for the winning touchdown as Montana escaped Idaho State with a 33-27 win Saturday in Pocatello, Idaho.

Montana (5-4, 4-2 Big Sky) held a 24-13 lead after three quarters, but Idaho State rallied with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 27-24 lead.

Daniel Sullivan tied the game at 27-27 with 5:43 left with a 26-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.

The Bengals (2-7, 1-5) won the toss and Montana turned the ball over on a Makena Simis fumble on its possession in OT.

Idaho State attempted a 27-yard field goal to win the game, but the snap sailed wide right and Nelson won a footrace for the loose ball.

Nelson picked off a Tanner Gueller pass and returned it for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Weber State 23, UC Davis 3: Freshman Treshawn Garrett had 19 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats defeated the Aggies in Ogden, Utah.

Garrett – whose yardage total was a career high – carried 4 yards to score, finishing a six-play, 79-yard drive to give Weber State a 13-3 lead with 10:04 remaining in the second quarter. Not even two minutes later he scored on a 21-yarder to make it 20-3.

Weber State (5-5, 4-3 Big Sky) outgained the UC Davis 479-174 on offense.

The Wildcats’ Jadrian Clark was 13 for 30 for 158 yards. Cameron Livingston caught five passes for 96 yards.

C.J. Spencer finished 15 for 28 for 146 yards and an interception for the Aggies.

Brady Stuart connected on a 52-yard field goal for the Aggies (1-8, 1-5) for their only points.

Northern Colorado 35, Portland State 32: Trae Riek ran for 145 yards on 25 carries and scored on a 2-yard run with 23 seconds left to lift the Bears past the Vikings in Greeley, Colorado.

Northern Colorado (5-4, 3-4 Big Sky Conference) took over on their 11 with 44 seconds to play after a Viking punt. Jacob Knipp, who threw for 270 yards, hit Alex Wesley for 58 yards on the first play and then Knipp hooked up with Riek for 28 yards to the 2. After one run was stopped, Riek punched in the game winner.

Portland State (7-2, 4-2) scored twice in the fourth quarter, taking their only lead on Steven Long’s 25-yard burst up the middle with 5:17 to play. Earlier, Alex Kuresa – who threw for 250 yards – hit Darnell Adams for a 64-yard TD.

Northern Colorado, which had 13 penalties for 161 yards, turned the ball over on downs at the PSU with 2:16 to play.

Southern Utah 34, Montana State 23: Malik Brown and Levi Te’o each rushed for two touchdowns and the Thunderbirds topped the Bobcats in Bozeman, Montana, to remain undefeated in conference play.

Southern Utah (7-2, 6-0) won for a program-record seventh straight time, including six straight to begin league play.

Southern Utah quarterback Ammon Olsen threw for 243 yards and a 20-yard touchdown pass to Mike Sharp for a 13-10 lead early in the third quarter. SUU would not trail again.

Te’o and Brown combined to rush for 151 yards and scored three of their four touchdowns after halftime as SUU dropped Montana State to 2-4 in Big Sky play, 4-5 overall.

Southern Utah senior defensive end James Cowser notched a first-quarter sack, giving him the Big Sky Conference and Football Championship Subdivision records for tackles for loss in a career with 73.5. Idaho State standout and NFL All Pro Jared Allen previously held the Big Sky record.

Cal Poly 36, Sacramento State 14: Chris Brown threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes and the Mustangs cruised past the Hornets in San Luis Obispo, California.

Cal Poly (3-6, 2-4 Big Sky) rushed for 366 yards on 60 carries. Reagan Enger led the way with 91 yards on six carries, including a 70-yard run for a touchdown that pushed the Cal Poly lead to 36-7 with 5:19 left to play.

Joe Protheroe and Jared Mohamed each ran for a Mustangs’ touchdown.

Nate Ketteringham completed 33 of 42 for 335 yards and a touchdown to lead Sacramento State (2-7, 1-5). Shane Harrison caught 12 passes, including the touchdown throw with 1:43 left, for 128 yards. Jaelin Ratliff caught 9 passes for 116 yards.

Sacramento State opened the game with an 11-play drive to the Cal Poly 15, but Brad Cornish’s 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked.