Montana State defeats Weber State 33-25 in FCS playoffs
Isaiah Ifanse saw his first action of the season on Saturday, Dec. 3, against Weber State in a second-round FCS playoff game, which the Bobcats won 33-25. (Garrett Becker/MSU Athletics)
BOZEMAN — It was, “Second verse, same as the first” for the Montana State Bobcats Saturday, who rode Sean Chambers and another huge run game to a 33-25 FCS playoff win over Weber State.
Chambers threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, Blake Glessner kicked four field goals on the frozen turf at Bobcat Stadium and MSU advanced to the quarterfinals for a third straight season.
Montana State (11-1), the fourth seed, earned its ninth straight win since a 68-28 loss at Pac-12 Oregon State in September. Two of those have come against Weber State (10-3), which fell 43-38 at MSU Oct. 22. The Bobcats didn’t seem to mind the rematch.
“You saw it that (selection) Sunday; I don’t think our guys blinked,” second-year MSU coach Brent Vigen said. “It’s what you have to do against a team like that; they’re good in all three phases.”
In front of 16,397 fans, Weber State led early and threatened late before the Bobcats ground out the clock. The hosts ran for 388 yards, led by Tommy Mellott’s 158 on 22 carries, and brushed aside the axiom that it’s hard to beat a good team twice.
The Bobcats, who advanced to last year’s FCS title game, stay home against fifth-seeded No. 5 William & Mary next game, either Friday night or the next day. William & Mary beat Gardner-Webb 54-14.
The Wildcats got a 39-yard field goal from Kyle Thompson on the opening possession to grab a 3-0 lead.
Montana State answered with Chambers' 2-yard touchdown run to lead 7-3 after one quarter.
Glessner stretched the Bobcats lead to 10-3 with a 36-yard field goal, but Weber State (9-3) pulled even on Bronson Barron's 15-yard scoring strike to Ty MacPherson.
Glessner kicked a 33-yard field goal with 2:47 left in the second quarter and another — from 31 yards out — on the final play of the half to give Montana State a 16-10 lead.
The Bobcats gained separation in the third quarter. Glessner kicked a 32-yard field goal and Chambers connected with Derryk Snell for a 28-yard touchdown and a 26-10 Bobcats lead.
Chambers fired a 47-yard scoring strike to Willie Patterson 50 seconds into the final quarter on a double reverse and Montana State led 33-10.
It was the same trick play that MSU ran near the end of the first quarter: Chambers was downed by Weber’s Naseme Colvin for a 9-yard loss. That led to Glessner’s first field goal.
“I think we were able to just not get behind the chains in the third quarter,” Vigen said. “I think that was the biggest thing in order to put up sevens instead of threes.”
Backup quarterback Kylan Weisser, in for an injured Barron, threw touchdown passes covering 31 yards to Jon Christensen and an 8-yarder to Hayden Meacham to get the Wildcats within eight points with 4:42 remaining.
The Bobcats used seven running plays — Chambers ran seven times for 56 yards — and a kneel-down to run out the clock.
“Tough game. We knew it would be,” Weber State coach Jay Hill said. “They ran the ball even when everybody in the stadium knew they were going to run it. We knew they were going to run it. They’re very creative with their scheme. Their quarterbacks, they can both run and do a phenomenal job.”
Field goals aside, the Bobcats’ two-quarterback system again worked flawlessly. Mellott completed 13 of 19 passes for 91 yards. Chambers was 2-of-2 passing for 75 yards, and carried 13 times for 92 yards.
MSU entered play second in the nation averaging 325.7 yards rushing per game.
Isaiah Ifanse made his season debut for Montana State. Ifanse, fifth on the FCS all-time rushing yards list, carried 10 times for 91 yards, upping his career total to 3,552.
“You saw it on a few runs,” Vigen said of the running back. “I mean, he’s a different guy. He’s a hard guy to bring down. I think him getting out there and having an impact today was big. Closing it out like we did, moreso with the quarterbacks, was a good thing, too.”
The Bobcats shut down Weber State running back Josh Davis, No. 4 on the all-time list. Davis, a senior, carried six times for 29 yards and finished his career with 3,801 career yards.