GREELEY, Colo. — Justin Lamson aired it out and the defense was impenetrable Saturday as Montana State ran its winning streak to seven games.
Lamson threw for a season-high 331 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, and MSU’s defense got in on the scoring in a 55-7 road victory over Northern Colorado at Nottingham Field.
A Stanford transfer, Lamson was 16-for-22 passing while throwing two touchdowns to receiver Taco Dowler and another to tight end Rocky Lencioni. Lamson also rushed for a 15-yard score early in the fourth quarter as the Bobcats poured it on.
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MSU’s defense didn’t relent, either. The Bobcats forced Northern Colorado to punt on eight straight drives in the first half. The Bears’ offense reached the red zone just once in the first three quarters.
The defensive highlight of the game was when 280-pound defensive tackle Talon Marsh intercepted a tipped pass and rumbled 80 yards down the sideline for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
With the win, MSU (7-2, 5-0 Big Sky) remained unbeaten in the Big Sky Conference and kept pace at the top of the league standings.
LIGHTS-OUT DEFENSE: Perhaps this stat illustrates the Bobcats’ dominance — Northern Colorado had eight first-half possessions and punted on each one. By the end of the half, MSU’s defense had allowed just 66 total yards.
Defensive back Seth Johnson was one of MSU’s defensive stars. The freshman from Frisco, Texas, made two tackles but also had two pass breakups and was a force in the Bobcats’ collective effort to stymie UNC’s offense. Marsh’s interception return, meanwhile, prompted a major celebration along the MSU sideline.
LAMSON LETS IT FLY: Lamson continued his highly efficient play as MSU’s starting quarterback, and his ability to stretch the field through the air on Saturday was a factor. Lamson connected on deep balls with Ryan King (twice) and Taco Dowler in the first half, and threw two TDs to Dowler in the third quarter.
Included in that was a 67-yard catch-and-run to the end zone by Dowler on a screen pass that put the Bobcats ahead 27-0. Lamson also had 66 rushing yards and even caught a pass from wideout Dane Steel on a gadget play in the second half.
VIGEN JUST KEEPS WINNING: The victory was Brent Vigen’s 54th as head coach at Montana State, and his winning percentage increased to .818 (54-12).
Montana State is also now 34-0 against unranked opponents in the Vigen era, and is 34-3 in Big Sky games since Vigen was hired prior to the 2021 season. The Bobcats have now won 13 straight conference games — their last loss was a 37-7 loss to Montana on Nov. 18, 2023.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Bobcats, now 7-2 overall and 5-0 in the Big Sky, finally return home next week to face longtime Big Sky rival Weber State. It will be MSU’s first home game since Oct. 11 when it hosted Idaho State.
The Bobcats have owned the series with the Wildcats in recent years. Montana State blasted Weber State 40-0 in their most recent matchup on Sept. 23, 2023. Saturday’s game will kick off at 1 p.m. from Bobcat Stadium and will be broadcast by Scripps Sports.
