Bobcats Grind Out 37-6 Homecoming Win Over Idaho State

Saturday, October 8

BOZEMAN

2 pm MT

Montana State University

5-1 , 3-0

Idaho State

0-6 , 0-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Idaho St.

Montana St.

Photo by: Garrett Becker

10/8/2022 7:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score

MSU uses strong ground game, stingy defense to topple Bengals

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State answered Idaho State's early strike and never looked back, racing to a 37-6 Homecoming win in sold out Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.

After Sagan Gronauer found Chedon James alone for a 36 yard touchdown pass on the game's first drive, the Cats scored on six straight drives. RJ Fitzgerald plunged in from one yard out on the ensuring drive and then Sean Chambers scored the first of his three touchdowns. In the second quarter Blake Glessner connected on a 27 yard field goal, Chambers dashed into the end zone from 13 yards out, then plowed in from six yards away to put MSU up 31-6 with 29 seconds to play in the first half. On a third-and-one 20 seconds later Callahan O'Reilly forced an ISU fumble that Ty Okada recovered, Glessner nailed a 40-yard field goal, and MSU led 34-6 as the half ended.

"One thing we talked about was grabbing momentum right away," said Bobcat coach Brent Vigen said of ISU's early score. "But I thought we had a great drive to answer and then James (Campbell) got the pick the next possession and we just kept taking the ball away and finding a way (to score)."

Montana State took the ball away from ISU six times – three fumble recoveries, three interceptions – and turned five of those drives into points. Campbell's interception came a week after his first, and Jeffrey Manning Jr. logged his first of the season. Callahan O'Reilly intercepted his third pass of 2022, forced his second fumble, and led all players with nine tackles. Linebacker Nolan Askelson also forced a fumble. As a unit, MSU's defense limited the Bengals to 254 total yards, 178 after the game's first drive.

While the Cats clamped down on ISU's offense, MSU's run game geared up. The Cats rushed 52 times for 255 net yards, averaging 4.9 yards an attempt. Lane Sumner rambled for 100 yards in his return from injury, and Elijah Elliott added 68. Chambers gained 33 on the ground, but his three rushing touchdowns raised his season total to 15, well within reach of Troy Andersen's single season record of 21. Chambers also connected on 16 of his 22 pass attempts for 150 yards.

On a sunsplashed 59 degree afternoon, MSU fans packed Bobcat Stadium. The Blue and Gold faithful turned out 21,647 strong, the second-largest crowd in Bobcat history. MSU raised its record to 57-29-3 in Homecoming games, 13-2 against Idaho State. The game also extended MSU's home win streak to 16 games, matching the school's longest ever.

Montana State is now 5-1 on the season, 3-0 in the Big Sky, as the Cats head to Northern Colorado next Saturday. Idaho State falls to 0-6 overall, 0-3 in the Big Sky, and hosts Cal Poly next week.

#GoCatsGo