BOZEMAN – To Rob Ash, it wasn’t just another game.
“It was tougher in the hour leading up to the game than the game itself,” the long-time coach said Saturday after guiding Montana State to a 48-21 win over Drake, the team he left in 2006 after 18 years. “I just wanted the game to get started and once it did it was all right.”
Orenzo Davis rushed for 160 yards and Jason Cunningham kicked five field goals for MSU (2-1).
Cunningham hit three early field goals, including a career best 55-yarder, to give the Bobcats a 9-0 lead. He set a school record for field goals in a game, also connecting from 32, 20, 28 and 36 yards. His 55-yarder was third best in school history.
Davis had scoring runs of 15 and 10 yards and Denarius McGhee completed 19 of 25 passes for 250 yards. Everett Gilbert had five catches for 78 yards, including a 21-yard TD.
“We wanted to win this for coach Ash,” McGhee said. “We wanted to put a smile on his face.”
Montana State rolled up 541 yards of offense to 286 for Drake, but the Bobcats still aren’t satisfied.
“We have to finish drives,” McGhee said. “We can’t just kick field goals. We want to dominate the scoring. We have to have that killer instinct when we get in the red zone.”
Backup quarterback Cody Seegar was 13 of 29 for 95 yards for Drake (1-2). He was sacked five times and harried often, including being stripped of the ball by MSU defensive tackle Zach Minter, who recovered the ball in the end zone for a score.
A roughing-the-passer penalty by MSU put starter Mik Piatkowski out of the game with a concussion midway through the second quarter.