Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Idaho State
Weber State Outlasts Idaho State In Shootout
11/3/2007 6:00:00 AM | Football
OGDEN, Utah -- In the not so immortal words of Yogi Berra, "it was deja' vu all over again" for the Weber State Wildcat football team. Last week the ?Cats started out slow trailing 7-3 after the first quarter at Portland State but then put up 70 points over the next three quarters to survive a 73-68 shoot-out. That game set the all-time, all-division NCAA single game scoring record for two teams.
The Wildcats found themselves in a similar situation on Saturday as the trailed arch-rival Idaho State 10-0 after the first quarter but then put the petal to metal to post a 52-37 victory. Trevyn Smith (5-9, 210 Soph. RB) who had a WSU single career high 225 yards rushing at Portland State, surpassed that mark against the Bengals but did it with a combination of rushing and pass catching ability.
Smith became just the second player in Weber State football history to have 100 rushing and 100 receiving in the same game. He had 33 carries for 115 yards and three touchdowns and had a career high five pass receptions for a career high 120 yards and two touchdowns on the receiving end.
Smith was responsible for all three of WSU's first half touchdowns catching a 23-yard pass from Cameron Higgins (6-2, 190 RsFr. QB) and scoring on runs of nine yards and one yard.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 31-10 to open the third quarter. Mike Snoy kicked a 20-yard field goal and Higgins connected with Tim Toone (5-10, 175 Soph. WR) on a 35-yard pass.
The game then became a track meet on grass. On the ensuing kickoff after Toone's reception, ISU's JD Ponciano returned the kickoff 95-yards for a touchdown with 8:32 remaining in the third quarter.
After WSU's Mike Snoy missed on a 26-yard field attempt, the Bengals drove 85 yards in nine plays with Clint Knickerehm scoring on a one-yard closing the gap to one touchdown at 31-24. It took just four plays and a 1:36 of possession time to answer when Higgins again found Tim Toone this time from 47-yards out making it 38-24 with 10:39 left in the game to being the fourth quarter seesaw battle.
WSU tried a squib kick on the kickoff but it hit an ISU front man and the Bengals recovered at the WSU 47-yard line. Six plays later and just 1:24 of possession time the Bengals scored on a 14-yard pass from Russell Hill to Eddie Thompson as ISU again closed to within seven at 38-31 with 9:12 remaining.
The Wildcats again struck with lightning speed taking just three plays to got 63 yards with 59 of them coming on a screen pass from Higgins to Trevyn Smith who turned the corner and raced untouched to the end zone in just 57 seconds of possession time upping the count to 45-31 at the 8:08 mark.
Hill then engineered a nifty nine play, 59 yard drive. It culminated with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Clyde Logan with 4:41 remaining. But Branden Jones' PAT sailed wide left and the Wildcat enjoyed an eight-point margin at 45-37.
ISU's defense held the Wildcats to a three-and-out situation. It wouldn't have been that way had Toone not dropped a pass which, if caught, would not only have given WSU a first down but may have scored. Mike Snoy's punt of 49-yards was downed at the three-yard line. On its first play from scrimmage, Hill was sacked for a loss of three yards by Brandin Williams (5-10, 180 Sr. CB) and jarred the ball loose in the process. Clayton Swan (6-0, 230 Jr. LB) fell on the ball. It took just one play for Smith to score his fifth touchdown of the afternoon on a one-yard run and the Wildcats were up by the final margin of 52-37.
The Bengals make one last ditch effort driving to the WSU 15 yard line with 1:45 left but Hill's pass to the end zone was intercepted by Scotty Goodloe (6-0, 195 Jr. Safety) at the goal line and the Wildcats took over at the 15 following an ISU unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Smith rushed three straight times for four, three and two yards but forced ISU to use it's remaining time-outs. Snoy then punted the ball 41-yards down field where it was fumbled by Kenyon Blue on the return and recovered by Brandin Williams. WSU took a knee to end the game.
Cameron Higgins threw for a career high 432 yards and had four touchdown passes. He also rushed for 21 yards giving him 453 total offense yards. The 432 passing yards is the 10th best single game effort in Weber State football history and the 453 total yards ranks as the eight best single game mark in WSU history. Last week at Portland State, he threw for a then-career high 334 yards and had 106 yards rushing giving him 440 yards. He now has 893 total offense yards in the last two games.
Bryant Eteuati (5-7, 160 Jr.) who leads the Big Sky Conference and NCAA Division FCS in All-Purpose Yards Per Game at 210.6, increased that average with 260 all-purpose yards against the Bengals. He had three pass receptions for 72 yards; three punt returns for 21 yards and five kickoff returns for 167 yards. Last week at Portland State he had 341 all-purpose yards.
With the 73 points last week at Portland State and the 52 against Idaho State, the Wildcats have now scored more points in their last two games (125) than they did in their first seven games (108) of the season. It also marked the first time since 1988 the Wildcats have recorded back-to-back games scoring 50 points or more.
