BOBCAT CALENDAR: Montana State's Long Series with Idaho State has Produced Many Thrillers, Including the 14-13 Win in 1997
9/27/2020 2:00:00 PM | Football
Bobcats won in a defensive slugfest in Holt Arena
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football throughout history...
September 27
SPOTLIGHT: Montana State has long had the better of things in its ancient series against Idaho State, but even with neither team in serious title contention throughout the decade things have rarely been more intense than in the 1990s.
In the 10 meetings between the teams in that decade, eight were decided by less than two touchdowns and six were decided by four points or less. The closest occurred on this day in 1997.
In the Big Sky opener for both teams, Montana State traveled to Idaho State in a matchup of teams looking for some good mojo. The Cats had dropped a 28-26 squeaker the week before at Southwest Texas, while Idaho State had been waxed by Idaho and Utah State.
Neither offense got on track in Holt Arena that night, with the teams combining for 21 first downs and 454 yards. Lathian Tyler ran for 75 yards and Rob Compson threw for 75, but the junior signal caller scored on a one-yard run early in the game and threw a six-yard scoring pass to Craig Galle late in the third quarter for the winning margin. Neil Smith sacked ISU's Seth Burford three times, but the game's big play came with the Bengals driving late in the contest. On first-and-10 from the MSU 39, Burford aired one out toward the end zone, but Tyson Tucker batted it away. ISU settled for a field goal on that drive, and on its final drive the Bobcats held again to seal the victory.
This game ended a nine-game stretch in this long-time series in which the Bobcats out-scored their nearest out-of-state rivals 164-162. Interestingly, Montana State won six of those nine contests.
BONUS: Every now and again an opposing player is impactful enough, dazzling enough, that he leaves a permanent mark on the memory. Northern Colorado's Vincent Jackson was that kind of player.
A dual-sport star during Northern Colorado's last years as a Division II program, receiver Vince Jackson was that kind of player. He caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bears to a 14-10 victory in Bobcat Stadium that day, accounting for nearly half of UNC's 272 total yards. The Bears defense stymied MSU, holding the Bobcats to just 266 total yards.
Jackson caught 540 passes in his seven-year NFL career with San Diego and Tampa Bay. He was also a standout for the Bears basketball team.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2014 - MSU 29, UND 18 HC
2008 - MSU 37, South Dakota 18
2003 - UNC 14, MSU 10
1997 - MSU 14, at Idaho State 13
1986 - Nevada 61, MSU 10
1980 - MSU 18, Boise St 17
1975 - Fresno St 34, MSU 17
1969 - Fresno State 28, MSU 20
1958 - MSU 23, So Dak St 6
1941 - MSU 19, Western St 0
1940 - at Drake 54, MSU 0
1930 - MSU 7, at Idaho 6
September 27
SPOTLIGHT: Montana State has long had the better of things in its ancient series against Idaho State, but even with neither team in serious title contention throughout the decade things have rarely been more intense than in the 1990s.
In the 10 meetings between the teams in that decade, eight were decided by less than two touchdowns and six were decided by four points or less. The closest occurred on this day in 1997.
In the Big Sky opener for both teams, Montana State traveled to Idaho State in a matchup of teams looking for some good mojo. The Cats had dropped a 28-26 squeaker the week before at Southwest Texas, while Idaho State had been waxed by Idaho and Utah State.
Neither offense got on track in Holt Arena that night, with the teams combining for 21 first downs and 454 yards. Lathian Tyler ran for 75 yards and Rob Compson threw for 75, but the junior signal caller scored on a one-yard run early in the game and threw a six-yard scoring pass to Craig Galle late in the third quarter for the winning margin. Neil Smith sacked ISU's Seth Burford three times, but the game's big play came with the Bengals driving late in the contest. On first-and-10 from the MSU 39, Burford aired one out toward the end zone, but Tyson Tucker batted it away. ISU settled for a field goal on that drive, and on its final drive the Bobcats held again to seal the victory.
This game ended a nine-game stretch in this long-time series in which the Bobcats out-scored their nearest out-of-state rivals 164-162. Interestingly, Montana State won six of those nine contests.
BONUS: Every now and again an opposing player is impactful enough, dazzling enough, that he leaves a permanent mark on the memory. Northern Colorado's Vincent Jackson was that kind of player.
A dual-sport star during Northern Colorado's last years as a Division II program, receiver Vince Jackson was that kind of player. He caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bears to a 14-10 victory in Bobcat Stadium that day, accounting for nearly half of UNC's 272 total yards. The Bears defense stymied MSU, holding the Bobcats to just 266 total yards.
Jackson caught 540 passes in his seven-year NFL career with San Diego and Tampa Bay. He was also a standout for the Bears basketball team.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2014 - MSU 29, UND 18 HC
2008 - MSU 37, South Dakota 18
2003 - UNC 14, MSU 10
1997 - MSU 14, at Idaho State 13
1986 - Nevada 61, MSU 10
1980 - MSU 18, Boise St 17
1975 - Fresno St 34, MSU 17
1969 - Fresno State 28, MSU 20
1958 - MSU 23, So Dak St 6
1941 - MSU 19, Western St 0
1940 - at Drake 54, MSU 0
1930 - MSU 7, at Idaho 6
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