No. 8 Idaho travels to No. 1 Montana State in the quarterfinals of the 2024 FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Bobcats defeated the Vandals 38-7 in Week 7.
The winner will advance to face the winner of No. 5 UC Davis at No. 4 South Dakota in the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs.
Tommy McCormick (DB): 99 Total Tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 3 INTs, 4 PBUs
Montana State dominated Idaho in the first matchup between these two programs this season. The Bobcats rushed for 360 yards and held the ball for over 37 minutes of the game, two things that the Vandals must limit this weekend. Idaho utilized that strategy in the 2023 season, holding the Bobcats to 128 rushing yards and limiting Montana State’s opportunities with 41 minutes of possession time.
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The return of quarterback Jack Layne has helped the Vandals reach new heights offensively. In the past three games, Layne has recorded 830 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and only one interception. Layne’s absence limited the impact of two of the best wide receivers in the Big Sky in the first game. Jordan Dwyer and Mark Hamper have combined for over 1,900 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns this season.
Injuries have limited the Idaho rushing attack, adding to the importance of Layne’s return at quarterback. Deshaun Buchanan has done a solid job leading the run game, posting 472 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Establishing the rushing attack will be important for the Vandals, but the Montana State defense has held opponents to 3.5 yards per carry.
The Bobcats have the most explosive offense in the nation, averaging over 7.5 yards per play and posting a success rate of 54.7% this season. Quarterback Tommy Mellott is playing the best football of his career, including a season-high 300 passing yards in the second round. The Vandals struggled to contain Mellott in the first game, allowing 140 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
Along with Mellott’s versatility, the Bobcats are dominant on the ground, ranking No. 2 nationally with 308.5 rushing yards per game. Scottre Humphrey leads the Bobcats with 1,325 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Freshman Adam Jones is the other half of an explosive 1-2 punch, posting 973 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
In this first matchup, Idaho struggled to generate pressure and create negative plays consistently. It will be essential for Idaho’s front seven to keep the Bobcats off-schedule and behind the chains. Defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby leads the Vandals with 14.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. The Vandals will need big games from linebackers Zach Johnson and Jaxton Eck, who have combined for over 200 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.
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Montana State’s defense is the most underrated aspect of this team. The Bobcats have held opponents to 285.2 yards per game, highlighted by an elite passing defense allowing only 5.73 yards per attempt. Brody Grebe leads the Bobcats with nine tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, while Kenneth Eiden IV can also take over a game off the edge. If the Bobcats can take away the deep ball, things can get very difficult for the Idaho offense.
This game will be more competitive than the last matchup, but I do not know if Idaho has enough firepower to escape with the upset win in Bozeman this weekend. Montana State is playing at an elite level on both sides of the ball, led by one of the most dynamic players in the nation. The Bobcats will pull away in the second half behind another signature performance from Tommy Mellott.
Prediction: Montana State (38-21)
Behind The Numbers: 2024 FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals Preview 2024 FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team 2024 FCS Playoffs: Second-Round Recap 2024-25 FCS Football Head Coaching Change Tracker
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GENESSE – The Avista planned power outage for Friday, April 24 in Genesee has been cancelled and rescheduled due to weather. Approximately 337 Avista electric customers in Genesee will experience a planned power outage on Tuesday, April 28. The planned outage will start at 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m.
All affected customers will be notified in advance. Traffic control will be in place from Laurel Street north of Chestnut Street.
During this time, Avista crews will be replacing aging infrastructure, including power poles and equipment, in the area. These updates are part of Avista’s ongoing efforts to enhance the safety and reliability of its infrastructure.
GARDEN CITY – A Boise-area girl is competing in the 2026 Junior Ranger Competition, and she needs your vote to advance.
Eleven-year-old Cali Lindsay of Garden City is currently in the top 10 in her age group. The first place contestant in each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will wrap on July 17.
The final round concludes on July 24. The winner will be awarded $20,000 and be featured on the cover of Ranger Rick Magazine. They’ll also win a trip with Jeff Corwin.
Cali’s mom, Emily Edginton, tells EastIdahoNews.com how the competition works.
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“You’re allowed one free vote every 24 hours. People can also pay (to vote),” Edginton says. “The contestants have challenges every week to learn about animals and share what they’ve learned. People vote for the answer they like best. If you have enough votes, you move to the next round.”
Cali needs to secure enough votes by Thursday in order to advance to the next round.
The competition is a fundraiser for the National Wildlife Federation, the largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization in the United States.
Edginton says they recently moved to Idaho from San Bernardino, California. Her daughter acquired a love of wildlife living in Lytle Creek, a community near the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino National Forest.
“She’s already like a junior ranger. We picked up trash (in the forest) for fun,” Edginton says. “We try to keep it clean because we get a lot of visitors up there in the summertime and they trash the place. It affects the animals.”
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Edginton says they moved to Idaho in February to be closer to family.
She’s grateful her daughter can be part of what she feels is a great cause, and hopes to see her advance, and even win the tournament.
“It’s a good cause, plus it’s a learning experience,” says Edginton.
To vote for Cali or learn more, click here.
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