Bobcats Booted From Top Spot

Dan Frantz kicked a 37-yard field goal with four seconds remaining as Portland State dealt Montana State its first Big Sky Conference loss, 34-31, Saturday in Bozeman, Mont.

Portland State (3-3, 2-1 in Big Sky Conference play) led, 31-15, with 10:35 to play after a 65-yard pass from backup quarterback Tyson Parsons to Orshawante Bryant.

But Montana State’s Rob Compson threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Oscar Caballero with 6:45 left, and connected with Chip Hobbs on a 16-yard scoring pass with three minutes left. Montana State (4-2, 2-1) was successful on both two-point conversion attempts, tying the score, 31-31.

Portland State drove 60 yards in the final 2:55 to get into field-goal range for Frantz.

Eastern Washington 44, Idaho State 13--Mike MacKenzie rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns for Eastern Washington (3-3, 2-2) in Pocatello, Ida.

Idaho State (1-5, 1-3) committed three first-quarter turnovers leading to 14 Eastern Washington points.

Montana 33, Northern Arizona 20--Two weeks ago, Montana said quarterback Brian Ah Yat would play against Northridge, and he didn’t. On Thursday, Montana announced Ah Yat wouldn’t play against Northern Arizona, and on Saturday he did.

Ah Yat completed 33 of 50 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns, and he got good backup from the special teams.

Montana (4-3, 2-2), playing at home, took a 24-7 lead when Northern Arizona’s Justin Yuille fumbled the second-half kickoff in the end zone, where Calvin Coleman recovered.

Northern Arizona (4-3, 1-3) pulled within 24-13 with 55 seconds left in the third quarter after field goals of 30 and 43 yards by Mike Goldstein.

Ah Yat responded by throwing two more touchdown passes.

Boise State 24, Weber State 13--Eron Hurley rushed for a career-high 183 yards and quarterback Nate Sparks threw three touchdown passes as Boise State (4-3) halted a two-game losing streak with a nonconference victory in Boise, Ida.