BOZEMAN — No panic, just urgency.
Having lost two in a row to open the season, No. 4-ranked Montana State needed a win in the worst way. Coach Brent Vigen’s call this week for focus and execution was heeded Saturday as MSU raced past San Diego 41-7 at Bobcat Stadium.
Quarterback Justin Lamson threw for 293 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, and wideout Taco Dowler scored two TDs though the air and the Cats turned the page from defeats to FBS Oregon and perennial FCS title contender South Dakota State in their prior two outings.
Montana State’s defense held San Diego to 209 yards of offense and a 2.6 yards-per-carry average in the ground game, helping facilitate a 41-0 lead.
COMING OUT FIRING: The Bobcats came out throwing and Lamson was on the money. The junior Stanford transfer was 6 for 6 for 77 yards on the opening drive, which included a 45-yard catch-and-run by Dowler for the game’s opening score.
Lamson also hit Adam Jones out of the backfield a 17-yard scoring pass, scrambled for another touchdown before halftime and again hit Dowler for a TD in the third. Lamson, who came out of the game in the third quarter, finished 23-of-26 passing and aside from a second quarter interception was about as efficient as you can be.
THIRD-DOWN DOMINANCE: The Bobcats’ defense has been especially stingy on third down in the past two games. A week after limiting South Dakota State to a 1-for-13 performance on third down, MSU held San Diego to a 2 for 11 showing.
The Toreros avoided the shutout early in the fourth quarter when QB Dom Nankil threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Heverly.
STEEL-Y EFFORT: Dowler was again Lamson’s go-to receiver, making eight receptions for 116 yards — 73 of which came after the catch. But Dane Steel also factored heavily into the passing game early, and the redshirt freshman from Sheridan, Wyo., caught five balls for 44 yards while picking up slack in the absence of fellow wideout Chris Long.
In all, 10 players caught passes for the Bobcats as Lamson and backup Patrick Duchien combined to complete 87% of their throws.
WHAT’S NEXT: Now in the win column for the first time this season, the Bobcats aim to keep it going next week at home against Mercyhurst of Erie, Pa.
It is the second year in a row that Mercyhurst, of the FCS Northeast Conference, will visit Montana State — the Bobcats trounced the Lakers 52-13 last Sept. 21. Mercyhurst entered this week with a 1-1 record going into a matchup Saturday night against Big Sky opponent Sacramento State.
