BOZEMAN — Facing repeated pressure inside its own 5-yard line, No. 1/1 Montana State turned toughness into a victory Saturday night, holding No. 18/17 Northern Arizona off the scoreboard on three separate short-yardage opportunities and beating the Lumberjacks, 28-14, at Bobcat Stadium.
Bobcats run past Lumberjacks, defense bends but does not break
Montana State improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Big Sky Conference play, piling up 491 yards of offense with a ground attack that dominated the night. Colson Coon led the charge with a career-high performance, rushing for 199 yards as the Bobcats totaled 287 rushing yards — an average of 8.7 yards per carry for the team.
The game’s turning points came on defense. Northern Arizona reached the short-yardage red zone three times inside the Bobcat 5-yard line but left each trip without a touchdown. Those goal-line stops proved decisive after NAU methodically moved the ball late in the fourth quarter and came up short on the drive that could have tied the game.
Trailing 21-14 in the fourth quarter, the Lumberjacks twice failed to convert on plays in close range. On the final occasion, with 4:27 left, an attempt from quarterback Ty Pennington to Myseth Currie in the end zone fell incomplete, turning the ball over on downs and squandering NAU’s last realistic chance.
After the stop, Montana State put the game away when Patrick Duchien, making his first collegiate start, broke loose for a 28-yard rushing touchdown following the two-minute warning, extending the lead and sealing the outcome.
Key moments and defensive grit
NAU’s final sustained drive earlier in the fourth covered 59 yards on 16 plays, yet it came up three yards short of the distance needed to pull even. The Lumberjacks were denied in the red zone multiple times despite productive runs by Quran Gossett and a late-season return to form from other offensive contributors.
Montana State’s defense answered on more than one occasion. In a pivotal fourth-and-1 defensive stand, Ammon Allen — playing his season debut after returning from injury — stuffed a Colson Coon run and caused a turnover on downs at the Montana State 45. Allen finished the night with nine tackles, a game-high return that swung momentum and highlighted the unit’s toughness.
NAU (now 3-2, 1-1 Big Sky) was shut out in the second half after a 14-14 tie at halftime. The Lumberjacks showed the ability to move the ball between the 20s but repeatedly came up empty when it mattered most, leaving Bozeman without the elusive road win they’ve been chasing since 2016.
Statistics at a glance
| Category | Montana State | Northern Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 28 | 14 |
| Record (overall) | 5-0 | 3-2 |
| Conference record | 2-0 | 1-1 |
| Total offense | 491 yards | — |
| Team rushing | 287 yards (8.7 avg.) | — |
| Leading rusher | Colson Coon, 199 yards | — |
What this means for each program
For Montana State, the win keeps the Bobcats perfect and reinforces the balance between a running-first offense and a defense capable of making stops when the game tightens. The ability to defend the goal line and finish drives with big runs should buoy confidence as the Big Sky schedule deepens.
Northern Arizona leaves Bozeman with a competitive effort that included long drives and physical play, but the team’s inability to convert in the red zone undermined those positives. The Lumberjacks will need to find a way to finish drives and capitalize on scoring chances if they want to climb in the conference standings.
- Montana State relied on a dominant ground game and clutch defense.
- Northern Arizona moved the ball but failed to score inside the 5-yard line three times.
- Key individual nights: Colson Coon (199 rushing yards) and Ammon Allen (nine tackles).
Montana State will look to carry the momentum forward as Big Sky play continues; Northern Arizona returns home to regroup and prepare for its next conference challenge.
Travis Wheeler, WE NEWS
