Northridge Loses Opener, 40-19 : Boise State Scores Pivotal Touchdowns in Fourth Quarter

BOISE, Ida. — Cal State Northridge tight end Travis Hall waved his left hand at the scoreboard, then his right.

Disbelief was the emotion of the moment, mainly because the officials had held both hands overhead a few times too often in the fateful fourth quarter.

“That’s not the right score,” Hall said, motioning repeatedly toward the glowing lights of the scoreboard. “It’s our game with 10 minutes left. We had ‘em.”

The Matadors had Boise State right where they wanted, but didn’t finish things off as the Broncos broke open a tie with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win, 40-19, Saturday night in a nonconference game before 19,489 at Bronco Stadium.

For Northridge, playing its opener, the game was marked by a frighteningly quick turn of events in the opening stages of the final quarter. Momentum came and went as fast as the stadium scoreboard operator could punch up the numbers.

Northridge trailed throughout the game, seemingly awaiting the big play. It finally came when defensive back Joseph Vaughn intercepted a badly overthrown pass by Bronco quarterback Tony Hilde and raced 30 yards to tie the score, 19-19, with 14 minutes 41 seconds remaining.

Boise State (2-0) began moving backward almost immediately.

On the ensuing possession, Hilde, who completed 18 of 32 for 252 yards, tripped over an official while taking a deep drop and lost 20 yards.

The Broncos, in fact, were faced with a third-and-29 play from their 16 and everything seemed right with the Matador world. The offense was salivating on the sideline.

“I was ready to get out on the field, that’s for sure,” said Northridge quarterback J.J. O’Laughlin, who completed 28 of 44 passes for 313 yards. “Then they bust it. An incredible play, but they busted it.”

On the pivotal play of the game, despite facing four Matador defensive backs in deep coverage, Hilde connected with receiver Jarett Hausske on an 84-yard pass play for a 26-19 lead with 13:18 left.

A bevy of tacklers had shots at Hausske before he even reached the first-down marker, but failed.

How absurd was it? The 84-yard scoring pass completed a three-play, 65-yard drive. Just like that, the Matador momentum was history.

“We got the game right there,” said Hall, who caught six passes for 92 yards. “All we had to do was contain them. Third and 29. . . . The only word I can think of is ‘shocking.’ ”

So was what followed. Northridge’s next possession stalled after three plays, yet punter Richard Pesti unloaded a 52-yard kick to the Boise State 21.

K.C. Adams, the Broncos’ starting tailback, caught the punt and bolted 79 yards for the game-breaking score, shaking off a handful of Matadors in the process as Boise State moved in front, 33-19.

In a matter of 3:13, the teams scored three touchdowns.

“We beat ourselves, basically,” Vaughn said. “We’ve got to learn from it. Things like that change momentum.”

Boise State added another touchdown with 2:38 left when reserve back Willie Bowens scored from 19 yards for a 40-19 lead.

Adams rushed for a game-high 131 yards in 24 carries while the Northridge ground game all but disappeared.

Tailbacks Mark Harper and Darren Walton combined for only 42 yards in 15 carries.

Northridge didn’t exactly have trouble moving the ball, though.

The Matadors rolled up 389 yards, but surrendered 418, which didn’t include Adams’ punt return.

The first half was frustrating for Northridge, which demonstrated the ability to move the ball effectively--but generally in the middle of the field.

The Matadors drove to the Boise State 15-yard line on their second possession, but fullback Shaun Coleman was stopped cold on a fourth-and-one run through the middle to end the drive.

On Boise State’s next possession, Hilde found Lee Schrak in the back of the end zone from 13 yards for the game’s first score.

Hilde mishandled the snap on the point-after kick, scrambled, and while backpedaling near the 20-yard line, somehow connected with kicker Greg Erickson for the two-point conversion.