The Standard

Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: Sports

Missouri State, fresh off two lopsided road losses, found Indiana State to be the perfect ailment for its recent woes.

Senior running back Gerald Davis set a Missouri State single-game record for touchdowns with five and the Bears defense forced six turnovers in a 63-7 blowout of Indiana State at homecoming Saturday afternoon.

Davis' five touchdowns eclipsed the previous mark of four he previously held along with 10 other players. Davis scored four times in the season opener against Missouri-Rolla.

"I couldn't have done it without my line," Davis said. "Everyone in general just blocking, even receivers. They helped me out and were the reason it happened."

Missouri State (5-4, 2-3) scored on nine of its first 10 possessions en route to a 42-7 halftime lead. Five of the six Sycamore turnovers in the game led to Bears touchdowns.

Missouri State head coach Terry Allen said jumping out early was crucial considering the Sycamores' (0-9, 0-5) lone victory in the past three seasons came last year against Missouri State.

"We wanted to get going so it wouldn't happen again," Allen said.

Senior linebacker Jeron Poole said the fact that Sycamores were winless didn't cause the Bears to take the game lightly.

"They had not won a game last year before they beat us," Poole said. "You can't ever let the potential outcome of a game creep into your mind. You just go and play."

Davis had touchdown runs of 5, 4, 3 and 7 yards in the first half and then added his fifth TD on a 1-yard run in the third quarter.

"It worked out great because another senior, Jeremy Nicholson, caught a pass to set up (Davis' fifth TD) and that catch put (Nicholson) over 1,000 yards receiving for his career," Allen said.

Davis finished with 84 yards on 14 carries. His 16 touchdowns lead the Gateway Conference and put him two behind DeAndre Smith for the single-season Missouri State record.

Quarterback Cody Kirby was 10-for-12 passing for 183 yards, including a 33-yard pass to sophomore tight end Clay Harbor. Kirby sat out the second half.

He and sophomore backup Matt Krapfl spent most of the afternoon handing off, as the Bears ran for 326 yards led by freshman Kingjack Washington, with 104 yards and a TD on 13 carries.

"The running game was on fire and Gerald did a great job of running and the line opened some great holes," Kirby said.

Davis returned some of the blocking favor his teammates gave him. On the first possession, Washington lined up at quarterback and took the snap around the right side into the endzone with Davis serving as the lead blocker.

The Missouri State defense got in on the fun in their first series of the second half. Freshman linebacker Tony Randolph knocked the ball loose from unsuspecting Indiana State quarterback Charles Dowdell on a well timed hit.

Poole scooped up the fumble, returning it 43 yards for his first career touchdown.

"Tony made a great hit and the ball popped out, and I just picked up and ran with it," Poole said. "I wanted to make it count."

Sam Block, Derek Miller, Cedric Alvis and Justin Fuselier all had interceptions for the Bears. Defensive end Clayton Dickehut added a fumble recovery.

"Both sides made plays," Allen said. "For the offense to execute the way it did helped, Cody was efficient, and the defense created turnovers."

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