Lumberjacks Fall in Montana
9/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2005
BOZEMAN, Montana -- - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday, as the Montana State Bobcats rolled to a 42-6 victory. The Lumberjacks took an early 3-0 lead on a Corey Long field goal, but Montana State reeled off 26 unanswered points to take control, then piled on the scoring late in the second half.
SFA could find no answer for MSU quarterback Travis Lulay and the Bobcat offense. Montana State piled up 433 yards of total offense behind Lulay's passing and running. The senior signal-caller completed 12-of-26 passes for 202 yards and four touchdowns. He also carried seven times for 106 yards.
Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks could not get going offensively. SFA managed just 185 yards. A week after throwing for a career-high 338 yards in the Lumberjacks' season-opening win against Henderson State, senior quarterback Zeke Dixon was 11-of-37 for 73 yards with three interceptions. Freshman Damian Perkins was SFA's ground leader with 16 carries for 96 yards.
The only points the Lumberjacks could put on the board came by way of a pair of field goals by Long. Long capped SFA's second drive of the game -- a nine-play, 77-yard march -- with a 23-yard field goal to give the Lumberjacks their first and only lead of the contest. Long later hit a 41-yarder in the second half to set SFA's final score.
Montana State, which is ranked No. 16 nationally in the most recent Sports Network Top 25 Division I-AA poll, improved its record to 1-1.
The Lumberjacks (1-1) will try to rebound with a home game next weekend. SFA is set to host Western Illinois on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at Homer Bryce Stadium.
-- SFA --
