Isaiah Ifanse
Photo by: Garrett Becker
BOBCAT FOOTBALL SUNDAY NOTEBOOK #7: The Cats Scratched Out a Win in Rare Fashion Saturday
10/14/2018 1:44:00 PM | Football
MSU's first down and plays ran totals were the team's lowest in over a decade
PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS
OFFENSE: Troy Andersen, QB (6-3, 225, So, Dillon, MT) – Troy Andersen rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday, leading Montana State to a 24-23 win over Idaho in Bobcat Stadium. Andersen scored on a 35-yard run midway through the first quarter to get the Bobcats on the board, but the game's big play came after the MSU defense produced a fourth down stop late in the third quarter. On the next play, Andersen escaped the pocket on a pass play, breaking two tackles, then galloped 60 yards for a touchdown. The 159 yards rushing gives him 676 on the season and 1,191 in his career, already 28th in Bobcat history. Andersen averages 112.7 rushing yards per game, 12th in the FCS, and his 7.68 rush yards per carry is 7th in the FCS. The sophomore, who has also played running back and linebacker this season, has nine rushing touchdowns, 4th in the FCS this season. Andersen also completed 11 of his 21 pass attempts Saturday for 91 yards.
DEFENSE: Grant Collins, LB (6-4, 240, Sr, Bozeman, MT) – Grant Collins led the Bobcats with 10 tackles, including seven solos, on Saturday. Montana State held the Vandals to 23 points and 347 yards on Saturday.
SPECIAL TEAMS: none
POST-GAME NEWS & NOTES
Injury Report: Out Indefinitely –LB Josh Hill, WR Jabarri Johnson, RB Logan Jones, QB Tucker Rovig, RB Tyler Natee.
• Montana State's last win when recording as few as a dozen first downs or running as few as 53 plays came in 2006, when the Bobcats recorded 11 first downs and ran 53 plays in a 24-18 win at Weber State in 2006 – 141 games ago.
• After Eastern Washington became the first Bobcat opponent this season to score a touchdown on its first offensive possession in MSU's previous game, Idaho accomplished the same feat on Saturday. Eastern was the first team in seven games (dating to last season) to score a touchdown on its first possession against the Cats.
• In 17 career games, Andersen has rushed for 1,191 yards – 28th-most in MSU history – and 14 touchdowns, while spending time on defense and limited by a hand injury.
• Troy Andersen's four career 100-yard rushing games is tied for 19th in MSU history, and his three this season is tied for sixth.
• Isiah Ifanse became the first Bobcat freshman in history to rush for at least 100 yards in two of his first four games, and the second to string together back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, by gaining 100 against Portland State.
• Isaiah Ifanse's 345 rushing yards through six games is eighth-best among Bobcat freshmen all-time.
• Of Montana State's 1,136 rushing yards through six games, Troy Andersen has gained 676 (59.5%) and Isaiah Ifanse 345 (30.4%). The 1,021 combined rushing yards from Andersen and Ifanse accounts for 89.9% of the team's total.
• The Cats have surrendered just six sacks in 2018, and at 1.0 per game stands 14th in the FCS and first in the Big Sky.
• Junior end Bryce Sterk leads the Big Sky with 0.83 sacks per game (19th in the FCS), and 1.6 tackles-for-loss per game (17th).
• The Bobcats have lost just four fumbles in the last 17 games.
OFFENSE: Troy Andersen, QB (6-3, 225, So, Dillon, MT) – Troy Andersen rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday, leading Montana State to a 24-23 win over Idaho in Bobcat Stadium. Andersen scored on a 35-yard run midway through the first quarter to get the Bobcats on the board, but the game's big play came after the MSU defense produced a fourth down stop late in the third quarter. On the next play, Andersen escaped the pocket on a pass play, breaking two tackles, then galloped 60 yards for a touchdown. The 159 yards rushing gives him 676 on the season and 1,191 in his career, already 28th in Bobcat history. Andersen averages 112.7 rushing yards per game, 12th in the FCS, and his 7.68 rush yards per carry is 7th in the FCS. The sophomore, who has also played running back and linebacker this season, has nine rushing touchdowns, 4th in the FCS this season. Andersen also completed 11 of his 21 pass attempts Saturday for 91 yards.
DEFENSE: Grant Collins, LB (6-4, 240, Sr, Bozeman, MT) – Grant Collins led the Bobcats with 10 tackles, including seven solos, on Saturday. Montana State held the Vandals to 23 points and 347 yards on Saturday.
SPECIAL TEAMS: none
POST-GAME NEWS & NOTES
Injury Report: Out Indefinitely –LB Josh Hill, WR Jabarri Johnson, RB Logan Jones, QB Tucker Rovig, RB Tyler Natee.
• Montana State's last win when recording as few as a dozen first downs or running as few as 53 plays came in 2006, when the Bobcats recorded 11 first downs and ran 53 plays in a 24-18 win at Weber State in 2006 – 141 games ago.
• After Eastern Washington became the first Bobcat opponent this season to score a touchdown on its first offensive possession in MSU's previous game, Idaho accomplished the same feat on Saturday. Eastern was the first team in seven games (dating to last season) to score a touchdown on its first possession against the Cats.
• In 17 career games, Andersen has rushed for 1,191 yards – 28th-most in MSU history – and 14 touchdowns, while spending time on defense and limited by a hand injury.
• Troy Andersen's four career 100-yard rushing games is tied for 19th in MSU history, and his three this season is tied for sixth.
• Isiah Ifanse became the first Bobcat freshman in history to rush for at least 100 yards in two of his first four games, and the second to string together back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, by gaining 100 against Portland State.
• Isaiah Ifanse's 345 rushing yards through six games is eighth-best among Bobcat freshmen all-time.
• Of Montana State's 1,136 rushing yards through six games, Troy Andersen has gained 676 (59.5%) and Isaiah Ifanse 345 (30.4%). The 1,021 combined rushing yards from Andersen and Ifanse accounts for 89.9% of the team's total.
• The Cats have surrendered just six sacks in 2018, and at 1.0 per game stands 14th in the FCS and first in the Big Sky.
• Junior end Bryce Sterk leads the Big Sky with 0.83 sacks per game (19th in the FCS), and 1.6 tackles-for-loss per game (17th).
• The Bobcats have lost just four fumbles in the last 17 games.
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