BOZEMAN, Mont. — — Tommy Mellott threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores to help Montana State beat Idaho 38-7 Saturday night in a Big Sky Conference battle between two of the top teams in the FCS.

Montana State (7-0, 3-0 Big Sky), ranked No. 3 in FCS coaches poll, is off to its best start since the 1978 team won its first seven games of the season.

Mellott was 11-of-15 passing for 121 yards and added 11 carries for 140 yards rushing, including a 65-yard TD run that opened the scoring with 5:34 left in the first quarter.

No. 8 Idaho (4-3, 1-2 Big Sky Conference) went three-and-out for its second consecutive drive, the Vandals defense committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a third-and-17 that gave Montana State a fresh set of downs. Two plays later, Mellott faked a hand off and then hit Taco Dowler down the right sideline for a 34-yard touchdown that gave the Bobcats a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Mellott added a 7-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left in the second and Myles Sansted kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to make it 24-0 at halftime.

Rohan Jones caught an 11-yard scoring pass from Mellott to cap a five-play, 75-yard drive that opened the second half and two just more than 2 minutes off the clock and Adam Jones added a 4-yard TD run early in the fourth that made it 38-0.

Jack Wagner replaced Nick Josifek — who became the third player to start at quarterback for the Vandals this season — in the first quarter after Josifek was sacked by Paul Brott for a loss of 9. Wagner finished 11-of-23 passing for 134 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Deshaun Buchanan had nine carries for 49 yards rushing and his 9-yard touchdown reception from Wagner capped the scoring in the closing seconds.

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The Magic City Witch Dancers took the stage during the 20th annual Harvest Festival in downtown Billings on Saturday.

“This started because my sister’s crazy,” said Larissa McPheeters, one of two co-founding sisters to the group of 13 performers, ” Actually, this group has made my sister and I even closer than we were before. It’s given us (another) look on our relationship and life.”

The two founded the group four years ago after seeing a video of another dancing witch group from Germany.

“We have brought these ladies into our group, we have made some amazing friends. It’s fun to know that there’s as crazy people out there as we are,” said Tonya McPheeters.

Members like Cindy Walters said the group has encouraged them to feel more free to be themselves.

“For my personality, I can bring that personality out and I don’t have to worry about getting burned at the stake,” said Walters, “It’s okay to like the unexpected and the unusual.”

BOZEMAN — This is the postgame press conference from Montana State following its 38-7 win over Idaho on Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.

With the win, the Bobcats are 3-0 in Big Sky play and improved to 7-0 overall. They remain the only team left undefeated overall in the conference.

Head coach Brent Vigen, quarterback Tommy Mellott and defensive lineman Paul Brott spoke to the media following the victory over Idaho. Click the video reel above to watch.