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No. 7 Weber State football cruises to 45-7 win over Idaho State, unofficially clinches playoff spot

By Brett Hein - Standard-Examiner | Nov 12, 2022
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Weber State running back Dontae McMillan (28) finishes a run against Idaho State defenders Jihad Brown (21) and Calvin Pitcher on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State tight end Hayden Meacham runs with a reception against Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State linebacker Raoul Johnson (15) forces a fumble against Idaho State quarterback Sagan Gronauer on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State receiver Jaden Thrower (85) runs with a reception as Idaho State defenders Jude Joseph, rear, and Quantraill Morris-Walker (9) pursue Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State's Jacob Sharp (14) runs with a reception as Idaho State's Tylor Bohannon (2) attempts a tackle Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State receiver Ty MacPherson catches a touchdown pass against Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State quarterback Bronson Barron runs the football against Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State linebacker Raoul Johnson (15) celebrates his interception as teammate Spencer Niutupuivaha (33) follows against Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State running back Damon Bankston (26) attempts to stiff-arm Idaho State's Dason Brooks on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State's Hudson Schenck (31) returns a kickoff as Idaho State's Preston Helu (45) pursues in a game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State running back Damon Bankston carries the football against Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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Weber State football players take the field before a game against Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.

OGDEN — Weber State football’s offense was slow to get going in the home regular-season finale Saturday against Idaho State, an inconsequential component to an otherwise thorough beating of the team the Big Sky Conference schedules as a rival for WSU.

Idaho State crossed the 50-yard line once in the first three quarters, Garrett Beck added a defensive touchdown for WSU, Dontae McMillan rushed for 139 yards and the Wildcats stamped out the Bengals 45-7 at Stewart Stadium.

The decision improves Weber State to 8-2 this season, with seven Division I wins including an FBS victory, and a 5-2 mark in Big Sky play — unofficially clinching a playoff spot in the process.

The win also makes Weber State 36-3 against Idaho State (1-9, 1-6) in the last 39 meetings.

“Good, sound football,” WSU head coach Jay Hill said. “The good thing is, I think we’ve got an opportunity to take another step and still play even better.”

Bronson Barron passed 19 of 31 for 226 yards and two touchdowns for Weber State. Ty MacPherson (four catches, 77 yards) and Justin Malone (five catches, 35 yards) led the way receiving, each catching one touchdown pass on Senior Day.

Weber State’s defense had its motor revved early. Senior linebacker Raoul Johnson sacked and forced a fumble from Idaho State quarterback Sagan Gronauer on the Bengals’ first possession (the fumble went out of bounds), and Johnson then intercepted Gronauer near midfield on ISU’s second time with the ball.

“You say that looked like Weber State defense, it did. There’s so many good things about that (game),” Hill said. “The positive, like I said, is I know we can even play better. Just continue to hone in on some things, stay the course.”

The Wildcats converted from there to open the scoring. A McMillan 18-yard run started a nine-play touchdown drive that ended with Barron tossing a 12-yard scoring loft to MacPherson for a 7-0 lead with 5:35 left in the first quarter.

WSU’s defense would finish the game with three forced-fumble sacks (one recovered) and two interceptions, even with several second- and third-string players mixing in throughout the game.

“The defense just really stuck together this week in practice. You felt the unity going into this game. I feel like everyone just gave 100% effort, just focused on doing their job,” Beck said. “It was really fun to get a lot of people on the field and they really showed up. They didn’t just come in to get playing time, they came in and did their job just like anybody else.”

Winston Reid got in on the defensive action (with more to come later) with a strip-sack of Gronauer the third time ISU had the ball — though it was recovered by a Bengals offensive lineman, resulting in a punt.

A 17-yard pass to MacPherson started a 10-play drive that Kris Jackson ended with a 2-yard plunge to make it 14-0 with 14:50 left in the second quarter.

McMillan later ripped a 26-yard run to spark a drive, Barron hit Hayden Meacham for a 19-yarder, and Damon Bankston ripped a 17-yard touchdown run for a 21-0 advantage with 6:26 left in the half.

That’s when Idaho State crossed the 50 for the only time in the first three quarters, mounting a 15-play, 89-yard drive that took 6:19 off the clock, helped when WSU jumped offside on a fourth-and-4 just across midfield. Gronauer tossed an 18-yard score to a leaping Christian Fredericksen with 5 seconds left, resulting in a 21-7 score at the break.

Weber State extended the lead in the third quarter despite blowing two scoring chances. Kyle Thompson booted a 41-yard field goal early in the half and senior safety Desmond Williams picked off Gronauer on the next play from scrimmage, dancing for a short return to the ISU 15.

From there, Weber did not move the ball and Thompson missed a 32-yard field goal to the left.

WSU’s defense forced a three-and-out and soon after, Donate McMillan went left tackle on a handoff and burst up the sideline for a 54-yard gain, caught at the ISU 3. Barron tossed a 3-yard score to Malone to make it 31-7.

The next time Weber had the ball, Barron passes of 31 yards to MacPherson and 21 yards to Jon Christensen got Weber to the ISU 9-yard line. But after three straight incomplete passes, a potential 26-yard field goal attempt didn’t get off the ground when Jack Burgess dropped the hold.

Even still, a three-score lead got larger early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Hunter Hays, in for an injured Gronauer, led the Bengals on a drive to the WSU 27 using several power-QB run calls. But on a second down, Reid flattened Hays on a blitz, forcing his second fumble of the afternoon.

The sophomore linebacker Beck was on the spot, scooped up the ball and took it 66 yards with an escort for a touchdown — and for what he said was his first score in his football career — to make it 38-7 early in the fourth quarter.

Weber scored one more time, peppering medium passes with success on the ground for a quick, eight-play drive McMillan finished with his lone touchdown of the day, a 4-yard score for the final 45-7 margin.

With a slew of young defenders in the game for Weber State, the Bengals took a drive to the Weber 40 before Kaufusi Pakofe batted down a fourth-down pass at the line of scrimmage. WSU backup QB Kylan Weisser completed passes to Tre Parks-Vinson, Tajon Evans and Marcus Chretien on the Wildcats’ final possession.

Reid led the defensive effort with seven tackles and his two forced-fumble sacks. Maxwell Anderson recorded six tackles, and Williams and Jack Kelly each had five. Sione Lapuaho added a sack.

WSU finished the game winning the yardage battle 455-230.

The Wildcats conclude the season at Northern Arizona (3-7, 2-5) on Nov. 19 and the playoff selection show is Nov. 20.

AROUND THE BIG SKY

UC Davis 44, Idaho 26

Montana State 72, Cal Poly 28

Sacramento State 45, Portland State 17

Montana 63, Eastern Washington 7

Northern Colorado 21, Northern Arizona 20

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