Tommy Mellott ran for 131 yards on Friday night against Idaho.
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Bobcats turn back Idaho again
12/13/2024 10:34:00 PM | Football, General
Adam Jones scored four rushing touchdowns and Tommy Mellott ran for 131 yards as Montana State ran away from Idaho Friday night in a FCS quarterfinal playoff game.
Mellott also threw for a pair of touchdowns, one to Taco Dowler and one to Rylan Schlepp, as the No. 1 ranked Bobcats rolled to a 52-19 win.
With a temperature of 28 degrees, the game was close for the first quarter as Idaho (10-4) became the first team to score in the opening period against MSU all season. Schlepp's score made it 7-0 but Jordan Dwyer hauled in a 55-yard pass from Jack Layne as the first quarter ended in a 7-all tie. MSU's Myles Sansted kicked a 46-yard field goal to put the Bobcats (14-0) back on top. A 32-yard field goal from Idaho's Cameron Pope tied the game again at 10 apiece.
Following their field goal, the Vandals attempted an onside kick that only traveled 3 yards. That was the break the Bobcats were seeking as Mellott scored the 40th touchdown of his stellar career on an 8-yard trot behind key blocks from Connor Moore and Blake Mastel and the 18,127 fans in attendance roared their approval under a nearly full moon.
On Idaho's next possession, Brody Grebe recovered a fumble and moments later Jones bulldozed into the end zone for his first score with 1:49 to play in the first half. The Bobcats forced a punt and Dowler returned the kick 15 yards. Mellott then took off on a 63-yard gallop behind blocks from Jones and Ryan Lonergan. That set up a 1-yard run by Jones and the halftime score was 31-10.
MSU's Jon Johnson intercepted a Vandal pass on the first offensive play of the second half and that led to a 9-yard touchdown by Jones and MSU led 38-10. Before the third quarter was over, Mellott found Dowler in the end zone making it 45-10. That was Mellott's 28th scoring pass of the season.
The barrage of scores continued in the fourth quarter. A 56-yard pass from Mellott to Jones put the ball on the 2-yard line from where Jones scored his fourth touchdown of the game. Jones now has 1,068 yards rushing on the season. Scottre Humphrey, who missed the game with an injury, leads the Bobcats this season with 1,325 yards.
All-in-all, MSU scored seven touchdowns, all by Montanans as Mellott hails from Butte, Jones from Missoula, Dowler from Billings and Schlepp from Bozeman. The game had a similar outcome to the Oct. 12 game between the two teams which MSU won 38-7.
Mellott connected on 12 of 18 passes for 174 yards and the two touchdowns. Jones totaled 95 yards on the ground and another 66 on pass receptions. Jones and Dowler led MSU with three receptions apiece.
The Bobcats ended up possessing the ball for nearly 39 minutes while gaining 457 total yards on 72 plays. Idaho, which had a six-game win streak end, had the ball for 21 minutes and ran 59 plays for 407 yards, mostly in the fourth quarter after the outcome had been decided.
Sparking the MSU defense was Johnson with his interception and Grebe with the fumble recovery. In addition, Hunter Sharbono, Kenneth Eiden and Logan Fredericksen combined for three sacks.
MSU is home again on Dec. 21 in a semifinal game against either South Dakota or UC Davis. A trip to the FCS national championship in Frisco, Texas, will be at stake.
Mellott also threw for a pair of touchdowns, one to Taco Dowler and one to Rylan Schlepp, as the No. 1 ranked Bobcats rolled to a 52-19 win.
With a temperature of 28 degrees, the game was close for the first quarter as Idaho (10-4) became the first team to score in the opening period against MSU all season. Schlepp's score made it 7-0 but Jordan Dwyer hauled in a 55-yard pass from Jack Layne as the first quarter ended in a 7-all tie. MSU's Myles Sansted kicked a 46-yard field goal to put the Bobcats (14-0) back on top. A 32-yard field goal from Idaho's Cameron Pope tied the game again at 10 apiece.
Following their field goal, the Vandals attempted an onside kick that only traveled 3 yards. That was the break the Bobcats were seeking as Mellott scored the 40th touchdown of his stellar career on an 8-yard trot behind key blocks from Connor Moore and Blake Mastel and the 18,127 fans in attendance roared their approval under a nearly full moon.
On Idaho's next possession, Brody Grebe recovered a fumble and moments later Jones bulldozed into the end zone for his first score with 1:49 to play in the first half. The Bobcats forced a punt and Dowler returned the kick 15 yards. Mellott then took off on a 63-yard gallop behind blocks from Jones and Ryan Lonergan. That set up a 1-yard run by Jones and the halftime score was 31-10.
MSU's Jon Johnson intercepted a Vandal pass on the first offensive play of the second half and that led to a 9-yard touchdown by Jones and MSU led 38-10. Before the third quarter was over, Mellott found Dowler in the end zone making it 45-10. That was Mellott's 28th scoring pass of the season.
The barrage of scores continued in the fourth quarter. A 56-yard pass from Mellott to Jones put the ball on the 2-yard line from where Jones scored his fourth touchdown of the game. Jones now has 1,068 yards rushing on the season. Scottre Humphrey, who missed the game with an injury, leads the Bobcats this season with 1,325 yards.
All-in-all, MSU scored seven touchdowns, all by Montanans as Mellott hails from Butte, Jones from Missoula, Dowler from Billings and Schlepp from Bozeman. The game had a similar outcome to the Oct. 12 game between the two teams which MSU won 38-7.
Mellott connected on 12 of 18 passes for 174 yards and the two touchdowns. Jones totaled 95 yards on the ground and another 66 on pass receptions. Jones and Dowler led MSU with three receptions apiece.
The Bobcats ended up possessing the ball for nearly 39 minutes while gaining 457 total yards on 72 plays. Idaho, which had a six-game win streak end, had the ball for 21 minutes and ran 59 plays for 407 yards, mostly in the fourth quarter after the outcome had been decided.
Sparking the MSU defense was Johnson with his interception and Grebe with the fumble recovery. In addition, Hunter Sharbono, Kenneth Eiden and Logan Fredericksen combined for three sacks.
MSU is home again on Dec. 21 in a semifinal game against either South Dakota or UC Davis. A trip to the FCS national championship in Frisco, Texas, will be at stake.
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