BOZEMAN — Chad Newell ran for 132 yards and a touchdown to lead Montana State to a 27-13 win Saturday over UC Davis to get the Bobcats their first Big Sky Conference win of the season.
Newell darted in from 10 yards out to tie the game with four minutes to go in the half. Moments later, the Bobcats (3-7, 1-6) scored again after Kevin Kassis took the ball on a reverse and threw to Cam Sutton for a 23-yard score to put MSU up 17-10.
Montana State played turnover-free football for just the second time this season.
“Eliminating turnovers allows you to compete,” said Newell, who played in his last game at Bobcat Stadium. “Chris (Murray), I saw him grow up today. When he picked up the first down on that last drive it was a big-boy play.
Murray, a freshman quarterback, scampered 22 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown to put MSU up by the final margin. The score was set up by a Mac Bignell forced fumble and recovery. It was Montana State’s first takeaway since it played Sacramento State on October 1.
UC Davis (2-8, 1-6) drove inside the MSU 10, but turned the ball over on downs.
“The offense did a good job of holding onto the ball,” Bignell said. “Last week we slipped up, so we had to buckle down and get to work.”
The Bobcats held the Mustangs to 19 yards in the third quarter.
Both kickers connected on a pair of field goals with Matt Blair hitting from 32 and 48 yards for UC Davis and Gabe Peppenger converting from 39 and 27 yards for the Bobcats.
TAKEAWAYS
Montana State: Murray ran for 98 yards, breaking the school record for rushing yardage by a freshman. Newell cracked the 2,000-yard rushing plateau for his career.
UC Davis: Joshua Kelley ran for a career-high 91 yards with 90 of those coming in the first half. The Mustangs are 0-6 on the road this season.
NEXT UP
Montana State: The Bobcats travel to Missoula to take on Montana next week. The Grizzlies suffered a 28-25 setback Saturday at Northern Colorado and have lost three of their last four games.
UC Davis: The Mustangs take on rival Sacramento State in their season finale.