BOZEMAN — Montana State extends their win streak to seven with a 27-9 victory over Idaho State to improve to 5-0 in the Big Sky as they head into their bye week.
Photo gallery of the game can be found here.
On the Bengals opening drive, Ty Okada forced a fumble on Montana State's 34-yard line, which was recovered by Amandre Williams. However, the Bobcats would give it right back to them with on a fumble from Matt McKay, which eventually set up a David Allish 44-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 3-0 lead.
Montana State's Blake Glessner answered back the following drive with a new career-best 54-yard field goal, which moves him into Montana State’s single-season top 10 list. He also booted another in the third quarter from 29-yards out.
Running back Isaiah Ifanse gave the Bobcats a one-score lead at the half with a 10-yard rushing touchdown, but that lead was cut to four on Idaho State's opening drive in the second half by Allish's 24-yard field goal.
However, Montana State took control in the fourth with Matt McKay's 27-yard touchdown pass to Lance McCutcheon to give the Bobcats a 20-6 lead. McKay tacked on another the following drive with a 65-yard pass to Willie Patterson, setting up the Bobcats for a comfortable 27-9 win.
TURNING POINT: With a narrow 13-6 lead over Idaho State heading into the fourth quarter, Matt McKay connected with Lance McCutcheon in the endzone from 27-yards out to give the Bobcats a comfortable lead with fourteen minutes left in the game. On their ensuing drive, McKay built on the Bobcats momentum with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Willie Patterson.
STAT OF THE GAME: 242 rushing yards.
After only being held to 146 yards on the ground last week at Weber State, which is nearly 130 yards less than what the Bobcats have averaged this season, Montana State bounced back against Idaho State rushing for 242 yards.
Ifanse did the brunt of the work rushing for 165 yards and one touchdown, while Matt McKay finished as the second-leading rusher with 52 yards.
GAME BALLS: Running back Isaiah Ifanse, kicker Blake Glessner, and linebacker Troy Andersen.
Ifanse controlled the ground game for the Bobcats rushing 17 times for 165 yards and one touchdown. Glessner continues to be a reliable kicker for the Bobcats nailing two field goals from 29-yards and 54-yards, which breaks his own freshman record and moves him into Montana State’s single-season top 10 list with 15 field goals made this season.
With linebacker Callahan O'Reilly out, Andersen stepped up to the plate and finished with a game-high 16 total tackles (9 solo) for a season-best. He also had one tackle for loss and two pass breakups.
WHAT'S NEXT: Montana State (7-1, 5-0) has a bye next week before traveling to Eastern Washington for a game on Saturday, Nov. 6. Idaho State (1-6,1-4) will return to host Weber State.
