CSUN Lacks Inspiration in Loss to Southern Utah

The scenery around this rural city, which is nestled just below Cedar Mountain on the easternmost edge of the Great Basin, can be spectacular on a clear evening such as Saturday’s.

So maybe that’s what happens. The Southern Utah State football team comes onto the field, takes a look around, and is so inspired they knock their opponents’ socks off.

That must be it.

Whatever the explanation, Southern Utah becomes another team whenever it plays within the friendly confines of Thunderbird Stadium.

A downright nasty team. Just ask Cal State Northridge.

The Matadors went into Saturday’s game riding high after a 3-0 start. And they were promptly knocked on their 12th-ranked keisters, 49-20, in their first Western Football Conference game of the year.

The Thunderbirds (5-1, 1-1 in the WFC) are now 38-23-3 since 1980--13-20-2 on the road and 25-3-1 at home.

And neither the coach or the players can explain why.

The best Coach Jack Bishop could offer was that the Thunderbirds record must have something to do with the bus trip in and out of central Utah.

Indeed, it appeared that Northridge was suffering from something--bus lag?--right from the start.

The Matadors trailed, 35-13, at the half, closed to within 15 points early in the second half, but never could stop the Thunderbirds’ veer offense, which was directed to near perfection by quarterback Chad Richard.

Richard completed only 8 of 18 pass attempts, but they went for 240 yards and three touchdowns. About par for the course. Last week, in a 55-22 win over Western State, Colo., he completed six passes, five for touchdowns.

Anyway, when he wasn’t driving the Matador secondary batty with passes, he was rushing for 36 yards and reading the Northridge defense like it was “Green Eggs and Ham.”

Shredded ham.

Northridge came into the game with the third best defense in Division II. The Matadors were allowing only 166.3 yards in total offense a game. They can kiss that standing--and their national ranking--goodby.

The Thunderbirds, ranked 19th, totaled 501 yards--their third consecutive game over 500. Not bad against a Northridge defense that hadn’t allowed a touchdown in nine quarters prior to Saturday night’s game.

Southern Utah had scored three before the first quarter was half over, and while the Matadors posted some pretty impressive offensive numbers themselves--311 yards in offense, including 225 on the ground--they never seriously threatened in the second half.

Bob Burt, Northridge coach, put it this way: “We were outplayed and we were out-coached. They’re a good team, but we probably couldn’t have beat Little Sisters of the Poor tonight.”

Northridge appeared doomed from its first play of scrimmage when Mike Kane fumbled a pitch, setting up a quick Thunderbird touchdown.

The Matadors either turned the ball over or had a penalty on the first play of four of its first five possessions.

Southern Utah scored the first three times it had the ball, the last time when Dennis Wells picked a punt off the foot of Chris Parker.

Parker just happened to be standing in the end zone at the time. That made it 21-0 Thunderbirds and there was still 8:50 left in the first quarter.

“That was the kind of play you dream of,” Wells said later. “It hit my hands perfect and went right into my chest. I couldn’t have asked for a better bounce.”

For Wells, a dream. For Northridge, a nightmare.

The Matadors managed to cut the lead to 21-7 early in the second quarter, driving 75 yards on 11 plays with Kane going over from the one for the score.

Such an impressive drive by the offense might have inspired some defenses. Northridge’s never got a chance, though.

There was that man Wells again.

Wells took the kickoff, followed a wedge of blockers right up the center of the field, broke one tackle, and went 94 yards for a touchdown.

End of rally.

After the Matador offense went, run, incomplete pass, incomplete pass, punt, Southern Utah quickly struck again.

The Thunderbirds went 88 yards on only five plays with Leo Garand running it in from nine yards out. The big play on the drive was a 52-yard pass from Richard to Troy Moynier.

Kyle Wilson ran in the two-point conversion and the Thunderbirds had a 35-7 lead after only 22 minutes of play.

An interception and 35-yard return by Dan Coleman set up an eight-yard touchdown pass from Parker to Chris VanDuin that cut the margin to 35-13 at the half.

The Matadors scored first in the second half, driving 52 yards on 11 plays. Richard Brown dove in from four yards out to cut the lead to 15.

The margin remained the way until Richard hooked up with Moynier again--this time on a short slant pass that turned into a 69-yard touchdown.

Richard drove the Thunderbirds 71 yards late in the fourth quarter for the last touchdown of the game, a six-yard pass to Rob Edwards.

The running of Kane and Richard Brown were about the only bright spots for the Matador offense.

Kane, 10th in Division II rushing coming into the game, ran for 158 yards--his third game over 100 yards this season.

It was only the second time in Kane’s collegiate career that he had rushed for more than 100 yards and the Matadors lost. Brown, meanwhile, gained 56 yards on seven carries.

Quarterback Chris Parker suffered through a terrible night, however, completing only 8 of 29 attempts for 86 yards, despite adequate protection.