GAME #14: The Bobcats host a rematch with Idaho for a spot in the FCS semifinals

On By Littum


Miles Jackson tackles

R. Dean Hendrickson



Soccer


Bill Lamberty


Montana State topped the Vandals 38-7 in October




THE MATCHUP

Montana State advances to the FCS Playoff quarterfinals after beating UT Martin 49-17, and faces a familiar foe in the quarterfinals. Big Sky rival Idaho heads to Bozeman after beating Lehigh 34-13, this time with starting QB Jack Layne in the lineup.

GAME DATA
KICKOFF: 19.00 SITE: Bozeman STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals
Montana State set a school record with his 13th win in a 49-17 2nd round victory against UT Martin. Idaho is 10-3 after dominating Lehigh, 34-13.

SERIES
RECORD: 20-26-1 at Bozeman: 10-8 on UI Home: 8-16-1 Neutral: 1-2
Montana State’s 38-7 win against the Vandals on Oct. 12 gave the Cats their fifth straight home win in the series. Friday’s game marks MSU’s second postseason game against a league team it faced in the regular season (Weber State, 2022).

BOBCAT HOLD NOTES

* The Bobcats’ 13 wins and six road wins both rank as program bests.
* MSU’s current 13-game winning streak is the longest in program history, tied with a 13-game streak in 1976-77.
* Montana State’s quarterfinal appearance Friday is the program’s ninth, including four of the past five.

ABOUT THE MSU CRIME

* Tommy Mellott had his first 300-yard passing game as a Bobcat on Saturday, throwing for exactly that many against UT Martin (22-25-0, 4 TDs).
* Scott Humphrey is 3rd in the FCS in yards per carry. rush (7.49). Adam Jones is 4. (7.37).
* MSU is the only FCS team to score 30 points in every 2024 game.
* The Cats are averaging 41.3 points and 496.5 yards per game. battle to lead the FCS.
* Montana State gained over 400 total yards in 21 of its last 25 games.
* MSU had scored in 24 straight quarters before being shut out in the fourth quarter at UC Davis, and has scored in 47 of this season’s 52 quarters.

ABOUT MSU DEFENSE

* MSU has 13 sacks in the last 2 games, including 6 at UC Davis and 5 vs. UTM.
* Montana State is allowing 13.7 points per game. home match. Of the 96 points MSU has surrendered in Bobcat Stadium, only 20 came before halftime.
* The Cats are allowing 293.2 total yards per game. battle, 7. nationally.
* Montana State’s defense has allowed two TDs in the first quarter this season.
* Neil Daily has 25 total tackles, 4.5 for a loss, in his 5 games as a starter.

ON MSU SPECIAL TEAMS

* Taco Dowler is now MSU’s career punt return yards leader (1,021).
* Brendan Hall has put the enemy inside the 20 on an FCS-best 63% of his punts.

HISTORY OF THE STADIUM

* MSU is 34-1 at home since Sac State’s 34-21 win in 2019, the last win by a Big Sky foe at Bobcat Stadium, and 28-1 under Brent Vigen.
* MSU and the Vandals have met in 12 different stadiums in their 47 contests.