Not So Easy Does It

Maybe it looked and felt too easy.

Maybe they started putting the game in the bag without checking it for holes.

Maybe they shifted into cruise control and nearly lost control.

Whatever the case, Cal State Northridge’s 31-22 victory over Idaho State in a Big Sky Conference football game Saturday night in front of 2,718 at North Campus Stadium was more survival than artistry.

“We are killing ourselves,” said Aaron Flowers, Northridge’s quarterback. “We don’t put teams away. . . . There’s no way we can win like this next week [at Eastern Washington].”

The Matadors (5-5, 3-3 in Big Sky play) dominated the first half before allowing Idaho State (2-7, 1-5) back in the game with a puzzling performance in the second half that nearly ended a three-game winning streak at home.

Northridge out-gained the Bengals 350 yards to 92 in the first half and intercepted three passes for a 28-6 lead at intermission. But penalties and turnovers later turned the tide enough to put the outcome in question deep into the fourth quarter.

The Matadors fumbled three times and were penalized 12 times for 108 yards.

“We just seem to sometimes make it real hard on ourselves,” said Jim Fenwick, Northridge’s coach.

The Bengals pulled to within 28-22 on Kevin McCarthy’s one-yard quarterback sneak with 10:12 to play and drove to the Northridge five with 4:33 to go before McCarthy was sacked by Dan Lazarovits for a 10-yard loss and James Ferrell missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt. Ferrell, who entered the game with 11 field goals in 14 tries, missed two.

“I think we just got complacent,” said receiver Aaron Arnold, who caught seven passes for 100 yards. “That always happens when you dominate.”

Flowers, rebounding from a subpar outing in Northridge’s 21-13 loss at Montana last week, completed 23 of 37 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns.

But he was less than pleased with how the Matadors played, pointing the finger at himself for fumbling early in the fourth quarter.

“That team didn’t earn anything,” Flowers said.

The Matadors scored on four of five first-half possessions.

They went ahead, 7-0, on a 28-yard screen pass from Flowers to Jahi Arnold that capped a 16-play, 95-yard drive at the 8:03 mark of the first quarter.

Northridge cornerback Bennie Herron picked off McCarthy’s pass on Idaho State’s first play from scrimmage and the Matadors capitalized six plays later on Marcus Harvey’s three-yard run for a 14-0 lead.

The Bengals cut the deficit to 14-6 on McCarthy’s one-yard sneak early in the second quarter but Northridge struck again moments later, proving that sometimes the ball takes all the right bounces.

Flowers threw a lateral to receiver Mike Ogas, who dropped the ball but picked it up and fired a strike to a wide-open Aaron Arnold for a 40-yard touchdown to put the Matadors ahead, 21-6.

Northridge scored again 2:34 before the half on a five-yard pass from Flowers to tight end Ryan Schatz, a transfer from Fullerton College. It was his third reception and first touchdown with the Matadors.

A safety, a two-yard run by Anthony Elgaaen and McCarthy’s one-yard sneak cut Northridge’s lead to 28-22. Manny Marquez kicked a 34-yard field goal for Northridge with 3:45 to go.