BOZEMAN, Mont. – (7) Stephen F. Austin was all fight on Friday night in the country's standalone college football game which featured the Southland Conference Champions in the Treasure State battling (2) Montana State, last season's national runner-up, for a spot in the national semifinals. A raucous Bobcat Stadium was treated to 21 first-half points off of turnovers for the Big Sky host, while the Lumberjacks' second-half scoring effort was matched by MSU as an early hole proved too much for SFA in the 44-28 quarterfinal loss.
Trailing 24-8 coming out of the break, the 'Jacks started fast using a 24-yard kickoff return by Richard Reese to begin a 14-play scoring jaunt that took nearly six minutes off the clock and resulted in Jaylen Jenkins punching in on a tough goalline-diving rush to pull SFA within 10 points of the MSU lead at the 9:04 mark of the third quarter.
Jaiydyn Johnson broke up a 3rd and 12 pass play at the SFA19 to force a 36-yard field goal attempt that increased the Bobcats' advantage to 27-14. While a 42-yard play by the Bobcats in that drive led to just three points, MSU found paydirt again following an SFA three-and-out as a 40-yard rush set the host up inside the red zone where the Bobcats would take a 34-14 lead moments later.
SFA responded as Jenkins hit the endzone again after Jerrell Wimbley galloped 43 yards, the 'Jacks' longest play of the night, down to the MSU6. As the Bobcats proved all second half, an immediate answer was in store on the first MSU play following the SFA touchdown that cut the deficit back to 13. Julius Davis rattled off a 69-yard touchdown with 64 yards credited following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which momentarily negated the score, but two plays later the Bobcats found the endzone seconds into the final 15 minutes.
The Lumberjacks again managed to bring the deficit back to 13 points as a 12-play, 77-yard drive was completed as Gavin Rutherford rumbled in from 2-yards out for what would be the final points of the night for SFA. Vidlak completed passes to four different receivers on the scoring drive including a 12-yard hook up on 3rd and 10 to Kylon Harris to keep the drive alive.
The opening half hour of action began with the Lumberjack defense making an early statement forcing a three-out after registering consecutive plays of no gain before Ky Thomas delivered a sack of MSU quarterback Justin Lamson to prompt the punt team.
SFA opened its first drive at its own 46 yard line and moved the ball 26 yards, highlighted by two ground-gaining rushes from Wimbley and a third down completion to Derrick Bohler to move the chains, down to the doorstep of the redzone before a 3rd and 11 pass attempt by Vidlak resulted in a crushing strip sack and recovery for the Bobcats.
That turnover led to MSU's first score of the game as the host used over 5:30 of clock in ten plays to punch in the game's first points. The Bobcats managed to get in space early with multiple plays of 10+ yards on their second possession.
The Lumberjacks again moved the football into Bobcat territory, only to come away empty on a second-straight drive with another turnover, a ball through the hands of an outstretched receiver that resulted in a Montana interception at the MSU5 which was returned 37 yards to open a Bobcat scoring drive that last nine plays before finding the endzone within the first minute of quarter two. MSU converted a 3rd and 20 from the SFA21 as a checkdown found open space for six points and the two possession lead.
Before the interception, the SFA drive featured two eight-yard completions to Harris, a great over-the-middle grab by Blaine Green, and balance-maintaining carry from Jenkins.
The 'Jacks came away empty on their next drive down 14-0, but the defense delivered a stop with the Bobcats driving. A 3rd and 14 pass play from the SFA14 was picked off in the endzone by Kameron Reddic who took it out to the six yard line. However SFA was unable to maneuver out from the shadow of their own goal post and was forced to punt.
The Bobcats seemed set up for another trip to the endzone, but the Lumberjack defense forced a field goal to keep the deficit at 17-0. SFA's lone scoring drive of the first half developed quickly, but followed a third turnover in the opening 30 minutes as Vidlak was stripped-sacked again leading to a Bobcat touchdown and 24-0 lead two plays later.
SFA operated quickly in the final moments of the first half using six plays to cover 75 yards in just 82 seconds to find the scoreboard. Wimbley opened with an 8-yard tote, Vidlak connected with Green for 42 yards down to the MSU 25, then hit Bohler for 16 yards to set the 'Jacks up inside the MSU10. On 3rd and 11, Clayton Wayland reached over the top of a defender with backside help closing in to haul in the touchdown pass, while Vidlak hit him on a quick out on a successful two-point try to keep the deficit at two possessions heading into the intermission.