Cats stunned, Griz shut down in huge games

BOZEMAN (AP) — The much-anticipated showdown between Big Sky Conference powers Eastern Washington and Montana State lived up to its billing and then some.

Mario Brown scored on a 1-yard run with 27 seconds left and quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. ran in the two-point conversion to lift Eastern Washington to a 52-51 non-conference victory over the Bobcats Saturday.

The Bobcats (2-2) had forged ahead with 1:55 to play when Dakota Prukop threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game hitting Shaun Johnson from nine yards on third-and-goal, putting MSU up 51-44.

MSU got to the EWU 43-yard line, but a pass in the flat to Johnson that could've put the Bobcats in field goal range went off his hands. A last gasp heave into the end zone fell incomplete as MSU lost to EWU for the third straight year.

"That one play would've got 10 yards and given us a 50-yard attempt and I think (kicker) Luke (Daly) would've made it," MSU head coach Rob Ash said.

"I turned wrong on the pass," Johnson said. "I wanted to get in better position to turn it up field and it put me out of position. I should've just turned and caught it."

MSU led 44-30 early in the fourth quarter, but would turn the ball over on downs twice, while EWU (3-1) found the end zone twice to tie the score.

"When you're going through moments like that it doesn't do any good to look in the rearview mirror," EWU head coach Beau Baldwin said of his team's mindset after falling behind. "Vernon's a resilient guy. He's the ultimate competitor."

Facing a fourth-and-10 on his final drive, Adams found Kendrick Bourne for 40 yards to the MSU 21.

The teams combined for 1,129 yards. Quincy Forte ran for 146 yards in the first quarter and finished with 190 yards and four touchdowns.

Adams was 25-for-43 for 358 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson had 150 yards rushing and 62 receiving with three total touchdowns. He also had 374 all-purpose yards with 162 on returns.

Prukop finished 17-for-26 for 248 yards and added 68 rushing with a touchdown.

MSU will play its fourth straight home game when the Bobcats host North Dakota Sarturday.

NDSU 22, Grizzlies 10

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Third-ranked Montana had an answer for the North Dakota State offense but not for kicker Adam Keller, whose record-setting five field goals led the Bison to a 22-10 win Saturday.

Keller had to produce points as the Bison offense sputtered in the red zone. He had four field goals in the first half.

The top-ranked Bison rolled up 447 yards of offense. But their only touchdown was a 3-yard TD pass from Carson Wentz to Kevin Vaadeland for a 19-10 lead with 8:22 left in the third quarter.

"Kevin did a real nice job in the back of the end zone," Wentz said. "It was a sigh of relief to get one in the end zone rather than more field goals."

NDSU (4-0) extended its NCAA-best winning streak to 28 games and its home winning streak to 16. It was NDSU's fourth straight win over the Grizzlies (2-2).

Defenses dominated the first half, which ended with NDSU leading 12-10. The Bison rolled up 288 yards of offense but its only points came off the foot of Keller, who had field goals of 41, 22, 32 and 47 yards. He added a 30-yarder with 1:43 remaining.

Montana was outgained 156-21 in the first quarter. But a 72-yard pass from Jordan Johnson to Jamaal Jones led to Jordan Canada's 3-yard touchdown that made it 9-7. It was Jones' only catch of the game.

After Keller made it 12-7, Ellis Henderson's acrobatic 38-yard catch led to Daniel Sullivan's 20-yard field goal with 52 seconds to play in the half.

Johnson was 15-for-29 for 188 yards and an interception. Canada carried 12 times for 48 of Montana's 68 yards rushing and Henderson caught four passes for 52 yards.

The one time NDSU didn't stall out on offense, Wentz rolled left buying time and found Vaadeland in the back corner for a 19-10 lead. The drive took 10 plays and covered 57 yards, all on the ground before the touchdown pass.

NDSU ran for 280 yards, led by John Crockett's 144 yards on 28 carries. King Frazier added 71 yards on 12 carries.

Montana threatened late in the third quarter before Christian Dudzik intercepted Johnson's pass into the end zone.

"We didn't give up big plays in the second half and we were finally able to control the line of scrimmage," NDSU coach Chris Kliemen said. "Even though we didn't get a bunch of points we were able to control the line and keep our defense off the field and they could stay fresh."

NDSU has not allowed a point in the second half this season and has held 14 of its last 16 opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter.

The Grizzlies return home, opening up Big Sky Conference play against Northern Colorado Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.