BOZEMAN, Mont.—Denarius McGhee had the big numbers. Orenzo Davis had the two biggest plays.
Both overcame rare turnovers to help Montana State keep pace with the leaders in the Big Sky.
McGhee threw for a career-best 400 yards and four touchdowns, and Davis raced 77 yards on a shovel pass for the clinching touchdown with 6:03 to play as the Bobcats rallied from an early 11-point deficit to edge Northern Colorado 37-35 on Saturday.
Davis broke several tackles and had just enough speed to get to the end zone for a score that gave the Bobcats (6-2, 4-1) a 37-28 lead.
After the Bears (2-6, 1-5) pulled within two points on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Orms to Chris Morris with still 3:10 to play, Davis ran 38 yards for a first down to the Northern Colorado 3-yard line with 1:20 remaining, allowing the Bobcats to run out the clock.
Davis rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries and lost his first fumble of the season, early in the second quarter.
“He’s a great player,” McGhee said. “When plays have to be made, he’s there to make them. He has great balance.”
McGhee was 21 for 33 passing with a lost fumble and his first interception in four games. He surpassed his previous best of 385 yards against Sacramento State on Oct. 9, and his four TDs matched his career high set the same day. He is the first Montana State quarterback to throw for 400 yards since Travis Lulay in 2004.
Those flashy numbers came a week after McGhee threw for a season-low 107 yards in the Bobcats’ 34-7 loss at Northern Arizona.
“Last week, the big plays were there; we just didn’t make them,” he said. “This week we focused on making big plays in practice.”
The Bobcats needed the big plays after falling behind 14-3 early in the second quarter, thanks to a 68-yard touchdown reception by Jace Davis and subsequent 1-yard run by Andre Harris. McGhee found Julius Lloyd for two touchdowns in the second quarter, the first a 14-yarder and the second from 22 yards out to give Montana State a 17-14 lead with 1:45 remaining before halftime.
The Bobcats’ pushed the lead to 27-14 on a 19-yard strike from McGhee to Kyle Begger with 6:50 remaining in the third before Northern Colorado mounted a rally of its own. Orms connected with Jace Davis on a 20-yard TD pass with 5:46 left in the quarter and then with Doug Steele on a 3-yarder with 1:07 to play in the third quarter for a 28-27 lead.
The Bobcats’ took the lead for good two minutes later on a field goal by Jason Cunningham before dealing the decisive blow on Davis’ 77-yard tackle-breaking run after the flip from McGhee.
“I just followed my blockers,” Davis said. “I heard someone coming from behind me so I just kicked my legs up.”
The Bobcats rolled up total 539 yards and needed every one because Orms was 19 for 34 for 344 yards and four touchdowns, both career bests. Jace Davis had eight catches for 207 yards as the Bears piled up 458 yards.
“Extremely frustrating,” Orms said of the Bears’ third conference loss by a touchdown or less. “I don’t know what to tell you guys as to why we can’t get it done. It’s a mystery to me.”
The Bobcats are tied in the loss column with Big Sky leaders Montana (5-1) and Eastern Washington (5-1).
