Oct. 28, 2006

Final Stats |  Notes

NATCHITOCHES, La. - Northwestern State had only 94 yards of offense after three quarters but sustained a pair of fourth-quarter drives, including one capped by a 37-yard Greg Skidmore touchdown run en route to a 19-10 win over Texas State Saturday.

Freshman Germayne Edmonds, who did not start but played some prior to the fourth quarter, engineered a five-play, 72-yard drive that Skidmore finished off with his touchdown run.

Edmonds had back-to-back runs of 11 and 20 yards to move the ball into Texas State 38. After a one-yard run by Byron Lawrence, Skidmore ran off tackle, found a seam and sprinted to the end zone. With Robert Week's point-after, the Demons led 17-10 with 11:41 to play.

Texas State's ensuing possession was three-and-out but a muffed punt return almost gave the Bobcats an opportunity to even the score.

Chris MacDonald's 43-yard punt was muffed by C.L. Grogan at 25. The ball bounced back to the seven where NSU's Darrel Kitchen emerged from a pile up with the ball. From there, Northwestern used 14 plays to erase 6:47 off the clock before being forced to punt from the Texas State 35.

Marshal Burton's punt was downed at the Texas State two with 3:47 to play.

Sophomore running back Stan Zwinggi would carry for five yards on first down. Quarterback Bradley George's second down pass fell incomplete. George was called for intentionally grounding in the end zone resulting in a safety that gave NSU a 19-10 lead with 2:49 to play.

Texas State had its opportunities, but four turnovers coupled with NSU's 11:34 of possession time in the fourth quarter kept the Bobcats from maintaining a stranglehold of second place in the Southland Conference. The `Cats fell to 3-5 and 2-2 in conference play. Northwestern State is now 4-4 and 2-2.

Texas State was unable to take advantage of excellent field position on its opening two drives of the game.

The Bobcats' first series began at midfield following a 30-yard punt by Burton.

George would run for 21 yards to the 30 on the second play of the drive before a pair of dropped passes would play a role in stalling the series. Chase Wasson would drop a ball near the goal line and Zwinggi lost the handle of another George pass. Andrew Ireland would miss a 44-yard field goal attempt.

Morris Crosby would take Burton's second punt, a 35-yarder, and return it 11 yards to the Texas State 45. George would complete a 10-yard pass to tight end Galen Dunk to give the `Cats a first down at the NSU 40, but again, Texas State could not muster any more offense. A couple incompletions and a short gain by Alvin Canady led to a MacDonald 31-yard punt which pinned the Demons at their own eight.

The game of field position would move to the Texas State half of the field later in the quarter as Marshall booted a 54-yard punt and an illegal block penalty gave the Bobcats the ball at their own 20.

George completed a 12-yard pass to Cameron Luke to the Bobcat 33 for a first down.

But from there, turnovers would lead to both teams' first points.

On the next play, George would have a first-down pass picked off by Josh Adams who returned the ball 19 yards to the Texas State 20. A personal foul against the Demons on the return, would set the ball at the 35. After a six-yard run by Anton Robinson, Starting quarterback Roch Charpentier found Ben Bailey for a 29-yard touchdown pass with 2:37 to play in the first quarter.

Early in the second half, another 31-yard MacDonald punt would pin NSU at its own 10. The Demons would convert a third-and-three with a pass from Charpentier to Clayton Broyles. After a two-yard run by Bailey and facing second down, Charpentier would scramble and fumble during a hit by Courtney Smith. Smith would give the Bobcats the ball at the NSU 26.

George would complete a five-yard pass to Tyrone Scott. After George ran for no gain, he would find Scott in the corner of the end zone, and despite great coverage by the Demons' secondary, would snare a 21-yard touchdown pass. Ireland's point-after tied the game at 7-7 with 8:55 to play in the half.

George would be intercepted on the first play of the Bobcats' next possession by C.L. Grogan at the Texas State 15.

The Demons would covert a third-and-11 from the 16 when Charpentier completed a 13-yard pass to Dudley Guice. NSU would face first-and-goal from the three but Patrick Earl would lose two yards on first down. Charpentier would carry for two yard before throwing an incomplete pass. Robert Weeks would come on and kick a 21-yard field goal with 3:21 to play in the half.

Texas State would take advantage of a personal foul to extend a drive that led to a career-best 46-yard field goal by Andrew Ireland to tie the game 10-10 with 49 seconds to play in the half.

On a third-down pass route up the far sideline, Alex Darley took a hard hit on a pass the SLC officiating crew ruled uncatchable. But as Jason O'Brien ran off the field, he stopped on the playing field and launched a jump shot that sent yellow flags flying. The 15-yard penalty gave Texas State a first down at the NSU 38. George would convert a third down with an 11-yard pass to Darley but a pair of false start penalties would stall the Bobcats' series.