BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Adam Jones rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns, while No. 2 Montana State used a season-high 227 yards to end No. 7 Stephen F. Austin's eight-game winning streak with a 44-28 victory Saturday in an FCS quarterfinal game.
Montana State will face the winner of No. 3 Montana State and No. 11 South Dakota State in the semifinals.
The Bobcats scored on six of their first eight possessions and never trailed, improving to 12-2 and earning a spot in the national semifinals. Stephen F. Austin, who hadn't lost since Sept. 6, finished the year 11-3.
Montana State struck first midway through the first quarter when Jones completed a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Justin Lamson added two touchdown passes in the second quarter, connecting with Jones for a 21-yard gain and Louvens Valcin for a 3-yard touchdown to take a 24-0 lead.
Stephen F. Austin responded just before halftime, driving 75 yards in 1:22 and converting the two-point play on an 11-yard pass from Sam Widlak to Clayton Wayland to tie the game 24-8.
The Lumberjacks cut the margin to 24-14 early in the third quarter on Jaylen Jenkins' 5-yard run, but Montana State responded with a Myles Sanstead field goal and Lamson's 5-yard rushing touchdown to regain control. Jenkins scored again in the bottom of the third to keep the Lumberjacks within striking distance.
Any momentum ended early in the fourth when Jones broke free for a 16-yard touchdown on the Bobcats' first snap of the quarter.
Stephen F. Austin became the second FCS team to score 28 points against Montana State this season. No other FCS opponent scored 17 points in regulation.
___ Get poll alerts and AP Top 25 updates throughout the season. Register here and here (AP News mobile app). AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football.
