SectionsFootball wins at home
Jon Poorman
Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: Sports
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The conference win was the fourth of the season for the Bears and guaranteed them a winning record on the season with just one game left to play.
The game was also on senior day, and for the 10 MSU seniors, getting a win was very rewarding and special.
"It means a lot," offensive lineman Andy Watts said. "We've worked really hard for this and it feels good to go out on top on our last home game."
The victory was also very important to wide receiver Jared Emery, who caught two passes for 28 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
"I don't think it can get much better," Emery said. "I scored a touchdown and we won. That's about all you can ask for."
The scoring for the Bears started in the first quarter when senior kicker Matt Hottelman split the uprights from 27 yards to make the score 3-0.
That was followed by quarterback Cody Kirby's 11-yard touchdown strike to Emery in the second quarter to make the score 10-0.
The second half is when the Bears really started to pull away. In the third quarter, Kirby scored on a quarterback sneak to make it 17-0.
Later in the quarter, running back Chris Douglas dashed 15 yards for a touchdown to raise
the lead to 24.
Indiana State was able to scrap up a touchdown of their own in the fourth quarter to break the shut out and make the score 24-7.
However, the Bears answered right back. On the first offensive play after the ISU score, Douglas exploded for a 43-yard touchdown run to make it 31-7.
Douglas led the way for the Bears on the ground, as he had a career-high 72 yards with two touchdowns on the day.
Execution was key for the offense, the Bears responded by racking up 349 total yards and 31 points against the Sycamores.
"After the way we played last week, offensively we knew we had to come out and really play well," Emery said. "I think today was about the best offensive game we've had."
The Bears had to do some reshuffling on the offensive line due to injury, and a few of the lineman were moved to different positions.
I think we played pretty well," Watts said. "We believe in any guy we put in there. We're all coached the same way, we all believe that we can get it done, and I think today was one of the better performances we've had all year."
Kirby's touchdown pass gave him 37 for his career, and he now stands alone in first place for the most touchdown passes in school history.
Antoine Wilkinson followed a 20-tackle performance last week, with 13 tackles and an interception against the Sycamores.
Senior corner back Cedric Alvis also intercepted a pass for the Bears, the sixth of his career.
Wide receivers Cadarrius Dotson (38 yards) and Jermaine Saffold (65 yards) both recorded career highs in catches with five each.
Next week the Bears will travel to Carbondale, Ill. for a showdown against Southern Illinois (8-1, 7-0), a team that has not lost a game in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this year.
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