Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Idaho State
WILDCATS ARE BIG SKY CHAMPS WITH A 59-27 WIN OVER IDAHO STATE
11/9/2008 7:00:00 AM | Football
WILDCATS CLINCH FIRST BIG SKY CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TITLE IN 40 (or 21) YEARS ...
EARN AUTOMATIC BERTH INTO THE 2008 NCAA DIVISION I FCS PLAYOFFS
It all depends on your point of view, but either way its been a long time since the Weber State University Wildcat football has been on top of the Big Sky Conference and Saturday afternoon in Pocatello, Idaho on the field of their fierce arch-rivals Idaho State, the ?Cats laid claim - at least a share for the moment - to the Big Sky Conference football title. Weber State can win it out right with a win at home over Eastern Washington on Nov. 22. If the Wildcats happen to lose that game, and Montana won their last two game (at home vs. Idaho State and Montana State), they would be co-champions with the Grizzlies.
Weber State has never won an out right football championship in the Big Sky Conference. They were co-champions with Idaho in 1965 and tri-champions with Montana and Idaho in 1968. The 1987 team posted a 7-1 mark and tied Idaho. The Big Sky did not recognize co-champions at that time and since Idaho beat the Wildcats (41-38 in Ogden), the Vandals were declared champions. On a side note, the Wildcats got revenge a month later, whipping the Vandals 59-30 in Moscow, Idaho in the first round of the then Division I-AA playoffs.
With that all said, the Wildcats stormed into Pocatello and defeated the Bengals 59-27 in a semi-bizarre game which featured a couple of career record-setting performances, a blocked punt for a safety, a reserve running back rushing for 113 yards in just 12 minutes and ended with a team celebration, but without head coach RON McBRIDE.
At around the 11 minute mark of the fourth quarter, McBride fell ill on the sideline complaining of chest pain and dizziness. After sitting briefly on the sideline, away from the team, he was taken by golf cart to the Portneuf Medical Center located approximately one-half mile south from Holt Arena. The team and members of the Athletic Administration visited with McBride two hours after the completion of the game. He was in good spirits, reading the final stats sheet, but doctors at the medical center decided to keep him overnight for observation. His condition will be updated on Sunday afternoon.
Like many of its games this season, the Wildcats started out slow, then put the pedal to the metal in the second quarter. The Wildcats and Bengals exchanged first quarter field goals and were tied 3-3 heading into the second quarter, a quarter in which WSU had out scored its opponents 125-49 coming into the game.
The Wildcats began the second quarter onslaught in less than two minutes when Wildcat cornerback JOSH MORRIS (6-0, 180 Jr.) picked off the first of his THREE passes on the day, giving WSU the ball at their own 35. On the first play quarterback CAMERON HIGGINS (6-2, 195 Soph.) found TIME TOONE (5-10, 165 Jr.) on a post-pattern for a 65-yard touchdown pass. Jon Williams added the PAT making it 10-3. It was TOONE's 18th career touchdown catch, tying him with Wade Orton for the most in WSU school history.
Williams' kickoff was taken by JD Ponciano at the ISU five and returned to the 25 where WSU defensive back BEAU HADLEY (6-0, 185 Jr.) jarred the ball loose and was recovered by freshman BLAKE KELLER (6-2, 195). The Wildcats went 30 yards in four plays with TREVYN SMITH (5-9, 210 Jr. RB) taking it in from one-yard out.
ISU came right back and marched 70 yards in nine plays with CLINT KNICKREHM scoring on a 10-yard run, but it was answered by the Wildcats going 80 yards in five plays with SMITH scoring on a 13-yard run, leaping the last three yards over a pile of bodies into the end zone. Two false start penalties pushed the PAT attempt by JON WILLIAMS (5-10, 200 Soph.) back to the 30 and he missed making it 23-10.
Idaho State got the ball back near midfield following the WSU touchdown. On the second play, ISU quarterback RUSSELL HILL was again intercepted by JOSH MORRIS and the Wildcats took over on their own 31. It took just 2:41 for the ?Cats to 68 yards in five plays with HIGGINS finding CODY NAKAMURA (6-1, 215 Jr. TE) on a 10-yard TD pass giving WSU a 31-10 half time lead. It was Nakamura's 9th touchdown reception of the season.
ISU won the opening coin toss and deferred, so they kicked off to the Wildcats to begin the second half. The ?Cats first play was an end-around to MIKE PHILLIPS (6-1, 185 Soph.) who scampered 30 yards to midfield. On a second-and-goal from the eight, backup quarterback BRENDON DOYLE (6-3, 245 Sr.) entered the game, sending CAMERON HIGGINS out as a wide receiver. DOYLE took the snap in shot-gun formation and rushed eight yards for the touchdown giving WSU a 38-10 lead.
The Wildcat defense forced an ISU punt on the next series and took over on their own 15 after a fair catch by TOONE. TREVYN SMITH then had runs of 16, 9 and 3 yards, followed by an 11 yard pass to TOONE. On first-and-ten from the ISU 41, SMITH broke loose for a 41-yard touchdown run giving the Wildcats a 45-10 lead and in the process, became WSU's career rushing leader passing Nick Chournos (3,593). SMITH ended the game with 143 rushing yards giving him 3,616 in 33 career games (109.6 ypg avg). He also had seven receptions for 86 yards giving him a season-high 229 all-purpose yards.
ISU didn't throw in the towel. The Bengals went 80 yards in 10 plays taking up 4:22 on the clock scoring with 50 seconds left in the third quarter to make it a 45-17 game. The Wildcats, however, kept the pressure on with HIGGINS finding TOONE on a 58-yard pass to begin the fourth quarter putting the ?Cats on the ISU 18. After a one-yard run by SMITH, HIGGINS found MIKE PHILLIPS on a 17-yd TD pass making it 52-17.
After the defense forced another ISU punt, the Wildcats came out with a variety of backups playing including DOYLE at quarterback and red-shirt freshman JUSTIN WHITE (5-10, 185) at running back. On third-and-15, DOYLE threw a pass to WHITE but the ISU defense snuffed it for a minus nine-yard gain and the Wildcats were forced to punt. Bengal tight end Trevor Messersmith broke through and blocked MIKE SNOY's (6-2, 175 Jr.) punt which went through the end zone for a safety.
Weber State then had to kickoff and JON WILLIAMS sailed the ball 68-yards to the ISU 12 where Kenyon Blue received it and scrambled 81 yards before being taken down at the WSU seven-yard line by JOSH MORRIS. ISU reserve quarterback Kyle Blum threw a seven-yard TD pass to Clint Knickrehm, then tossed a two-point conversion pass to Knickrehm and the Wildcats led 52-27.
Idaho State's kickoff went into the end zone for a touchback and the Wildcats took over at their own 20 with 7:34 to play. On the first play from scrimmage DOYLE handed off to WHITE who broke loose and used his tremendous speed to go the distance for the 80-yard touchdown - his first as a collegiate running back. He ended the game with carries for 113 yards (18.8 ypc). It marked the first time this season the Wildcats had two back rush for 100 or more yards in the same game.
The WSU defense held the Bengals to a three-and-out, getting the ball back with 6:56 left, but could only get to mid-field. MIKE SNOY then kicked a 49-yard punt which was downed at the ISU four and the Bengals had it with 3:26 left. Kyle Blum marched the Bengals down field aided by a 28-yard run by Knickrehm and a 26 yard pass to JD Ponciano putting the Bengals at the WSU 29. Blum then threw to the end zone looking for a touchdown by MORRIS made his third "pick" of the afternoon to end the rally. The ?Cats then took a knee twice to end the game.
The Wildcats rolled up a season high 666 total yards rushing for a season high 306 and passing for 360. It marked the first time this season the Wildcats had more than 200 yards rushing in a game. The offense did not have a single turnover while the defense intercepted three passes and recovered one fumble.
Cameron Higgins had another solid game completing a 18-23-0 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns. ... He is now 241-351-8 passing this season for 3,496 yards and 33 touchdowns. Those yards are the third most in an 11-game season at Weber State. Jamie Martin threw for 4,125 yards in 1991 and 3,700 yards in 1990. Martin has the 11-game record for Most Touchdown Passes in a season with 35. Higgins has 33. ... In 22 career games, Higgins has now thrown for 5,455 yards and 50 touchdowns. He is now fourth on the WSU career passing charts behind Jamie Martin (12,207); Jeff Carlson (6,147) and Tim Bernal (5,619). Higgins is also second in career Touchdown Passes with 50. Martin holds the school record with 87.
