The Bobcats sat on the ball at the Kibbie Dome, winding the clock by design as they sought an upset of the FBS Idaho Vandals. On Saturday at Bobcat Stadium, Montana State found itself in a similar situation, but it was the Bryant Bulldogs who tried to eat up clock in an effort to keep the Bobcats at bay.
Bryant possessed the ball for almost 10 minutes in the first quarter, taking a 3-0 lead into the second frame due in part to Montana State running just 10 plays for four yards in the opening stanza. During the first two possessions of the second quarter, Montana State’s offense found its rhythm for the first time this season outside the first possession of the game and the first possession of the second half in Moscow.
On the first possession of the second quarter, MSU broke loose for the first time during their home opener. Senior tailback Gunnar Brekke sparked the drive with a 28-yard gain into Bryant territory. Quarterback Tyler Bruggman hurried the offense to the line and ran play-action, finding senior tight end Austin Barth for a 19-yard gain to the Bryant 31-yards- line. Two plays later, Bruggman made perhaps his throw of the day, firing a laser into sophomore tight end Connor Sullivan’s hip for a 25-yard gain to the Bryant 10. Two plays later, Bruggman found a wide open John D’Agostino for the first touchdown of the sophomore’s career.
Two plays into Bryant’s ensuing possession, Christian Martey botched Dalton Easton’s handoff and Mac Bignell jumped on the ball at the Bryant 22 for the Bobcats first turnover of the game. Three plays and 15 seconds later, Bruggman again threw a fastball on a rope to junior Mitch Herbert for a 27-yard touchdown, the first of the season for the 2015 All-Big Sky selection. MSU’s two touchdown drives totaled 10 plays and lasted one minute, 46 seconds. It looked like the Bobcats had found their groove five quarters into the Jeff Choate era.
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Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
