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Montana State Beats Sacramento State

By Beacon Staff

BOZEMAN (AP) – Montana State scored all of its points in the final 16 minutes to post a 20-9 win over Sacramento State on Saturday.

Tight end Elliott Barnhart had two key catches for 79 yards in the fourth quarter, the first a 39-yard touchdown pass from Cory Carpenter on a third-and-15 play that sparked the Bobcats (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky), ranked 20th in The Sports Network FCS poll.

Sacramento State (1-6, 1-4) led 9-0 after Juan Gamboa converted a partially-blocked 30-yard field goal with 5:31 remaining in the third quarter.

Michael Sweeney missed two field goal attempts for the Bobcats, so Eric Fisher got the call, kicking a 27-yarder with 46 seconds left in the third quarter to get the Bobcats on the board.

Barnhardt’s touchdown gave the Bobcats their first lead at 10-9 and a 32-yard field goal by Fisher put MSU up 13-9 with 8:08 remaining.

Kevin Retoriano returned an interception 36 yards to the Hornet 4 and Demetrius Crawford scored on the next play, a 4-yard run with 2:09 remaining, to seal the win.

Gamboa kicked field goals of 31 yards in the first quarter and 40 yards in the second quarter, but had another attempt blocked.

Carpenter, making his first start this season in place of the injured Jack Rolovich, completed 18 of 31 passes for 244 yards. Crawford rushed 27 times for 75 yards for the Bobcats.

Jason Smith completed 14 of 31 passes for 157 yards for the Hornets while Travon Jones rushed 26 times for 141 yards.