GREELEY, Colo. – Dane Fletcher remembered the game as if it were yesterday. The Montana State defensive end couldn’t get the thought of a loss two years ago to Northern Colorado out of his head.
“I’m a senior and I remember it and it was engraved in my brain,” Fletcher said. “That was an embarrassed loss for us, one that sticks in your head and it stays with you.”
On Saturday, Mark Iddins threw two touchdown passes and Montana State used a swarming defense to defeat Northern Colorado 25-7 in Big Sky Conference play.
The Bobcats lost 16-13 in Greeley on Oct. 27, 2007 in what was Northern Colorado’s first Big Sky Conference victory.
“That helped out for motivation purposes,” Fletcher said.
The Bobcats more than avenged that loss on Saturday.
“It played a role for the guys that were here two years ago and I was here two years ago and I thought about it a lot,” Montana State coach Rob Ash said about the 2007 loss. “But it was more about the start of this year, and winning our first conference game was of greater motivation for us.”
Iddins was 18-for-28 for 173 yards passing for Montana State (2-1, 1-0), which built a 17-0 halftime lead on TD passes to Elvis Akpla and Everett Gilbert. Aaron Mason ran for 82 yards and Jason Cunningham kicked three field goals for the Bobcats.
“This was an easy game for me because I didn’t have to think a lot about I was doing,” Iddins said. “It’s a lot more fun and easy when all you have to do is read and react.
“And the way the defense played made it much easier for me,” added Iddins.
Northern Colorado (1-3, 0-2) managed only 105 yards of total offense. Quarterback Bryan Waggener was 12-of-24 passing for 68 yards with an interception. The Bears also gave up a safety when a punt was blocked.
“It is very clear we have seven offensive starters out,” Northern Colorado coach Scott Downing said about his team’s offense. “I don’t want to use that an excuse, but that’s reality.”
“I don’t know if there is anyone in the country that can do better with seven starters out,” Downing said.
The Bears’ only points came on a 2-yard pass from backup quarterback Dylan Orms to Denzel Hutchings with 1:11 left.
“We never got it going,” Waggener said. “Missed throws, missed passes and we never got it on track.”