Photo by: Kelly Gorham
GAME #5: Bobcats Renew Century-Old Rivalry to Open Big Sky Play
9/25/2024 4:50:00 PM | Football
Montana State visits Idaho State for the 85th time for a 4 pm kickoff on Saturday
BOZEMAN, Montana – One of the Big Sky Conference's classic football rivalries renews on Saturday when league charter members Montana State and Idaho State get together in Pocatello's Holt Arena.
One century and one year after the teams first met in Pocatello, the 2-2 Bengals host 4-0 MSU in the conference opener for both teams. The 85th meeting – making it Montana State's longest out-of-state series – marks MSU's first visit to Idaho State since 2018 and sets up as a classic contrast of styles. The Bobcats' bruising ground game and efficient defense squares off with Idaho State's high-flying aerial offense and pressure defense.
Montana State coach Brent Vigen appreciates the progress his fourth team made through the non-conference portion of its schedule. "It's a good situation that we're in, going through the non-conference season and getting four Division I wins," he said. "We're about a month removed from that first game and I do think we've made significant progress. We got a lot of guys in games the last three times out and that group has continued to improve, and our top group on both sides of the ball have played quite well."
Second-year ISU coach Cody Hawkins has constructed an electrifying offensive attack which ranks ninth nationally in passing offense. Four players have thrown at least 10 passes for the Bengals, with starter Kobe Tracy throwing for 660 yards while completing 59.8% of his passes. He has a six-to-two touchdown-to-interception ratio. Ian Duarte (25 catches), Jeff Weimer (16 catches) and Christian Fredericksen (14 catches) have emerged as the team's top weapons in the pass game.
"Offensively they can be very explosive," Vigen said. "They average just under 280 passing (yards per game), and I know their rushing numbers ticked up last week, they're up to 140 (yards a game) rushing. They can get you both ways, and they're scoring right around 32 points a game."
The contrast in offensive styles is easy to spot. While ISU's leading rusher, Dason Brooks, has 184 yards on the ground this season, three Bobcats have eclipsed that mark and another is within 20 yards. Montana State averages 19 rushes a game more than ISU this season, but the Bengals' 42 passes a game far out-paces MSU's 24 tosses a game.
Montana State's defense has improved as the season has gone. "When you think about what our defense has done since halftime of that New Mexico game, there hasn't been a lot given up," he said. "We haven't taken the ball away, which I hope will come, but I think we've played really sound on the defensive side." To Vigen's point, New Mexico averaged 6.8 yards per play in the first half in Albuquerque, but in the seven halves of football since Bobcat opponents average 4.9 yards a play.
While the Bobcats remain a team that leans heavily on the run, quarterback Tommy Mellott's passing efficiency has allowed the team to throw it effectively. The senior signal caller is 10th in the FCS in completion percentage (.706) and 11th in passing efficiency. Still, the Bobcats rush for 330.8 yards a game, 2nd in the FCS, while throwing for 191.3 yards per game. One of the big differences this season has been Mellott's role in the run game. Last season he averaged nearly 10 carries a game, but this year he is only at five per game.
"Offensively we've been a fairly balanced outfit when we've intended to be," Vigen said, "but we've still been able to run the football effectively. We haven't had to tax Tommy (Mellott) a whole lot. I think he's under 25 carries right now, not that he won't carry the ball, but that was intentional as we went through the non-conference season."
Vigen said the Bengals defense presents challenges to the MSU offense. "Defensively they play a 3-3-5 (scheme) that to me seems very principled," he said. "I know numbers-wise, points per game probably isn't where they want to be. That North Dakota game got away from them, and there were a lot of reasons for that, but up front with Horton and George in particaulr that's where it starts for them. Then you look at their linebackers and safeties, it's a really aggressive group. They tackle the football, they move around really well."
While a handful of current Bobcats hail from southwestern Idaho, no current Bobcat has played Idaho State in Holt Arena. "It will be a big challenge," Vigen said. "Other than Coach Daly and Coach Owens playing there it's a new environment and a new team, because we haven't faced a Cody Hawkins-led Idaho State team."
Saturday's game kicks off at 4 pm, and airs statewide on MTN stations. Coverage begins at 3:30 pm with the Scripps Sports Saturday Showdown Pregame Show. In addition to streaming on ESPN+, MTN is available on DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, FUBO, and off-air with an antenna or TABLO. Learn more about the MTN channel and where to find it.
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One century and one year after the teams first met in Pocatello, the 2-2 Bengals host 4-0 MSU in the conference opener for both teams. The 85th meeting – making it Montana State's longest out-of-state series – marks MSU's first visit to Idaho State since 2018 and sets up as a classic contrast of styles. The Bobcats' bruising ground game and efficient defense squares off with Idaho State's high-flying aerial offense and pressure defense.
Montana State coach Brent Vigen appreciates the progress his fourth team made through the non-conference portion of its schedule. "It's a good situation that we're in, going through the non-conference season and getting four Division I wins," he said. "We're about a month removed from that first game and I do think we've made significant progress. We got a lot of guys in games the last three times out and that group has continued to improve, and our top group on both sides of the ball have played quite well."
Second-year ISU coach Cody Hawkins has constructed an electrifying offensive attack which ranks ninth nationally in passing offense. Four players have thrown at least 10 passes for the Bengals, with starter Kobe Tracy throwing for 660 yards while completing 59.8% of his passes. He has a six-to-two touchdown-to-interception ratio. Ian Duarte (25 catches), Jeff Weimer (16 catches) and Christian Fredericksen (14 catches) have emerged as the team's top weapons in the pass game.
"Offensively they can be very explosive," Vigen said. "They average just under 280 passing (yards per game), and I know their rushing numbers ticked up last week, they're up to 140 (yards a game) rushing. They can get you both ways, and they're scoring right around 32 points a game."
The contrast in offensive styles is easy to spot. While ISU's leading rusher, Dason Brooks, has 184 yards on the ground this season, three Bobcats have eclipsed that mark and another is within 20 yards. Montana State averages 19 rushes a game more than ISU this season, but the Bengals' 42 passes a game far out-paces MSU's 24 tosses a game.
Montana State's defense has improved as the season has gone. "When you think about what our defense has done since halftime of that New Mexico game, there hasn't been a lot given up," he said. "We haven't taken the ball away, which I hope will come, but I think we've played really sound on the defensive side." To Vigen's point, New Mexico averaged 6.8 yards per play in the first half in Albuquerque, but in the seven halves of football since Bobcat opponents average 4.9 yards a play.
While the Bobcats remain a team that leans heavily on the run, quarterback Tommy Mellott's passing efficiency has allowed the team to throw it effectively. The senior signal caller is 10th in the FCS in completion percentage (.706) and 11th in passing efficiency. Still, the Bobcats rush for 330.8 yards a game, 2nd in the FCS, while throwing for 191.3 yards per game. One of the big differences this season has been Mellott's role in the run game. Last season he averaged nearly 10 carries a game, but this year he is only at five per game.
"Offensively we've been a fairly balanced outfit when we've intended to be," Vigen said, "but we've still been able to run the football effectively. We haven't had to tax Tommy (Mellott) a whole lot. I think he's under 25 carries right now, not that he won't carry the ball, but that was intentional as we went through the non-conference season."
Vigen said the Bengals defense presents challenges to the MSU offense. "Defensively they play a 3-3-5 (scheme) that to me seems very principled," he said. "I know numbers-wise, points per game probably isn't where they want to be. That North Dakota game got away from them, and there were a lot of reasons for that, but up front with Horton and George in particaulr that's where it starts for them. Then you look at their linebackers and safeties, it's a really aggressive group. They tackle the football, they move around really well."
While a handful of current Bobcats hail from southwestern Idaho, no current Bobcat has played Idaho State in Holt Arena. "It will be a big challenge," Vigen said. "Other than Coach Daly and Coach Owens playing there it's a new environment and a new team, because we haven't faced a Cody Hawkins-led Idaho State team."
Saturday's game kicks off at 4 pm, and airs statewide on MTN stations. Coverage begins at 3:30 pm with the Scripps Sports Saturday Showdown Pregame Show. In addition to streaming on ESPN+, MTN is available on DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, FUBO, and off-air with an antenna or TABLO. Learn more about the MTN channel and where to find it.
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