BOZEMAN — When the Montana State football team brings both Sean Chambers and Tommy Mellott on the field at the same time, big plays usually follow.
This time, MSU offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright called a double reverse to open the fourth quarter. Mellott handed it to wideout Clevan Thomas Jr., who then pitched it back to Chambers. The quarterback — standing on the MSU 44 — launched a pass to a wide open Willie Patterson, who had already beaten multiple defenders.
Patterson caught the ball at the Weber State 10-yard line and then carried a defender into the end zone for a 47-yard touchdown.
No. 4 seed MSU got off to a slower start than usual (16 first-half points), but the Bobcats still had enough to defeat Weber State 33-25 in the second round of the FCS playoffs Saturday at Bobcat Stadium. The Bobcats (11-1) move on to the FCS quarterfinals for the third straight season, where they will host No. 5 seed William & Mary.
This was the second meeting in six weeks between MSU and WSU (10-3). The Bobcats won the first game, which featured four safeties, 43-38 on Oct. 22.
"They're good in all three phases and I think it was a completely different game than the first game," MSU head coach Brent Vigen said. "Good teams find ways to adjust. I think we probably both did that a little bit and ultimately to come out on top against them was a heck of an accomplishment.”
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MSU welcomed All-American running back Isaiah Ifanse back to the starting lineup for the first time this season. Ifanse — who hadn’t played since the FCS title game in January — finished with 10 carries for 91 yards.
“He's so hard to bring down,” Vigen said. “He can play so low to the ground. And at the same time there's probably a little rust there, so I think him getting out there and having an impact today was big.”
The Bobcats finished with 388 total rushing yards. That was enough to set a new single season rushing record (3,971 yards), which is a product of MSU’s consistency running the ball all season, Vigen said.
Mellott added that he’s “extremely proud” of how MSU’s offensive line has performed despite some uncertainty heading into the season.
“We all knew that they were going to dominate this year and that's what they're doing,” Mellott said. “So a lot of credit to those guys. And then we have a lot of guys in the entire offense that know how to make plays and they do it every Saturday.”
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Defensively, MSU had linebackers coach Bobby Daly filling in at defensive coordinator after Willie Mack Garza was suspended earlier in the week. Vigen said that defensive line coach Shawn Howe, assistant D-line coach Nic Jean-Baptiste and assistant defensive backs coach Bryan Shepherd also helped prepare the defense.
“We knew we'd be incredibly prepared, (Daly would) be incredibly prepared,” MSU nickelback Ty Okada said. “So it comes as no surprise, but I'm extremely happy for him.”
That defense made plays early in the game, forcing the Wildcats into a field goal attempt on the opening drive after MSU strong safety Rylan Ortt deflected a pass. Ortt almost came down with the acrobatic interception, too. WSU kicker Kyle Thompson connected from 39 yards out to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
MSU responded with an eight play, 75-yard drive led by the Bobcats’ highly touted ground game. Chambers capped off the drive with a 2-yard rushing score — his 18th rushing touchdown of the season.
Glessner added a 36-yard field goal at the beginning of the second quarter to extend the lead to 10-3.
Despite Okada sacking WSU quarterback Bronson Barron to set up third-and-15, Barron threw an absolute dime to second team All-Big Sky receiver Ty MacPherson for a 15-yard score on the next play. That was the Wildcats’ lone touchdown of the first half.
Glessner added two more field goals — from 33 and 31 yards, respectively — to send MSU into the break ahead 16-10. WSU head coach Jay Hill even tried to ice Glessner with three timeouts right before halftime, but much like the game-winning kick against Northern Arizona, that didn't faze Glessner.
MSU ate up clock on the next possession but was held to another field goal attempt. Glessner hit his fourth of the day, this time from 32 yards out.
Chambers later found tight end Derryk Snell for a walk-in 28-yard touchdown down the left sideline.
It didn’t help the Wildcats, either, that sure-handed returner Abraham Williams slipped and fell at the WSU 3-yard line on the ensuing kickoff. Kylan Weisser also took over at quarterback after Barron was shaken up on a previous drive.
The double reverse touchdown followed. And if that wasn’t enough, a pass intended for WSU wide receiver Hudson Schenck bounced off the shoulder of MSU free safety Jeffrey Manning Jr. and into the hands of linebacker Danny Uluilakepa. Much like his game-sealing pick against Eastern Washington, Uluilakepa was once again in the right place at the right time.
But MSU couldn’t capitalize, with Glessner kicking a 49-yard field goal attempt wide left. WSU responded with a 31-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jon Christensen. MacPherson caught the two-point conversion as well to cut the lead to 33-18.
The Wildcats also forced an MSU punt on the following possession. That marked MSU punter Bryce Leighton’s first action since the 7:09 mark in the third quarter against NAU on Nov. 5. WSU scored again as Weisser found tight end Hayden Meacham for the 8-yard score.
“When you get ahead by so much, thanks to these guys on offense, you start to try to keep everything in front of you,” Okada said. “But then (Weber starts) dinking and dunking and hitting a few shots here and there. It's kind of like, 'OK, now we've got to adjust, we've got to buckle down and play a little bit tighter defense.'”
It also helps having an O-line and rushing attack like MSU's that can close out games. The Bobcats relied on Chambers to move down the field, chew the clock and seal the victory.
Now MSU moves onto the next round of the playoffs, with preparation for William & Mary starting on Sunday, Vigen said.
“It's a great thing that you've got to be able to stack these weeks up because it ultimately brings out a true champion,” Vigen said. “I think this team has the right makeup and now we've got to go take on another challenge.”