The Montana State Bobcats showcased a dominant performance as they secured a 37-17 victory over Idaho State in their Big Sky Conference opener. The Bobcats, currently ranked third in the FCS coaches poll with a 5-0 record, were led by a stellar performance from Scottre Humphrey, who rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns during the game.

Throughout the game, the Bobcats faced some challenges on the offensive end, but the momentum shifted in their favor early in the fourth quarter when Tommy Mellott connected with Rohan Jones for a 70-yard touchdown. This pivotal moment helped the Bobcats establish control and pull away from Idaho State.

Idaho State attempted to close the gap with a field goal by Gabe Panikowski, bringing the score to 17-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. However, the Bobcats quickly responded as Mellott threw the longest touchdown pass of his career to further solidify their lead. Humphrey then sealed the victory with two more touchdown runs, one from 6 yards and another from 8 yards as time expired.

In the second quarter, Mallott contributed a 7-yard touchdown run, and Humphrey added another touchdown with an 18-yard run, extending the Bobcats’ lead to 17-0. Idaho State managed to score a 5-yard touchdown reception from Michael Shulikov just before the end of the quarter.

Despite a slow start offensively, the Bobcats amassed 410 total yards, with a significant portion of that coming in the second half. Their ground game was particularly impressive, with 268 rushing yards, although slightly below their average.

Idaho State, with a 2-3 record, struggled to gain momentum against the Bobcats’ defense. Tracy Kobe, the Bengals’ quarterback, completed 17 of 33 passes for 183 yards as they were limited to 276 total yards in the game.

Overall, with this victory, the Montana State Bobcats continued their undefeated streak and demonstrated their strength in the Big Sky Conference. The team’s well-rounded performance on both sides of the ball contributed to a decisive win against Idaho State.