Final Stats | Photo Gallery

BOZEMAN, Mont. - UC Davis held an early first-half lead against host Montana State and slowed the Bobcats to just 178 yards before halftime, but the Bobcats eventually wore down the Aggies during a 27-13 Big Sky football win before 15,767 fans on Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore Joshua Kelley nearly picked up his first career 100-yard game for the Aggies, gaining 99 yards on 10 carries, but UC Davis fell for the third straight game and is 2-8 overall and 1-6 in the Big Sky. The Bobcats, who rushed for 258 yards behind Chad Newell's 132, improved to 3-7 and 1-6.

The Aggies trailed just 17-13 at halftime after taking leads of 7-0 and 10-3 but Gabe Peppenger had a 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and quarterback Chris Murray raced up the middle 22 yards on a keeper just over two minutes later to help Montana State go up 27-13.

Senior Manusamoa Luuga's pounded in from two yards midway through the first and freshman Matt Blair kicked two field goals, including a career-high tying 48-yarder on UC Davis' final play of the first half. He was also good from 32 yards halfway through the second quarter.

Safety Zach Jones finished with a team-high seven tackles, including six solo, while safety Ryan Parenteau had six stops.

"The guys fought hard. We didn't come up with the plays that we had (in our hands)," said head coach Ron Gould. "We dropped an interception and we had a couple of dropped balls. Those are game-changers. On the flipside, they made their plays. They forced a fumble. That was the only turnover that we had.

"Overall, the kids fought hard, we just didn't make enough plays."

UC Davis held Montana State to just 178 yards in the first half to help keep the game close, including just 62 through the air. Luuga's touchdown capped a 13-play, 77-yard drive, the Aggies' longest of the game, as UC Davis took an early 7-0 lead.

A 58-yard drive that ended with Blair's first field goal followed as the Aggies found offensive rhythm. But the Bobcats turned the tables in the second half, not allowing a drive longer than 12 yards until UC Davis marched 67 yards on 18 plays in the fourth quarter. Montana State , though, stopped the Aggies on fourth down deep inside Bobcat territory.

Quarterback Ben Scott completed 10 passes for 174 yards, including seven to Keelan Doss, who finished with 55 yards. Chris Martin had four receptions for 59 yards. Kelley, who had a 37-yard scamper in the first half, eclipsed his previous career-high of 95 rushing yards which came at Eastern Washington earlier this season.

The Aggies turned back Montana State on a pair of three-and-outs to start the game and gave up just 38 yards in the first quarter. A couple of quick stops that gave up only 26 total yards started the second half before Montana State went 70 yards for a field goal over the latter part of the third and early part of the fourth.

Punter Colby Wadman had a strong day, punting five times for a 54.4 avg., including a 66-yarder in the third quarter.

UC Davis will finish its season at home next Saturday when it hosts Sacramento State in the 63rd annual Causeway Classic. Kickoff at Aggie Stadium is 1 p.m.