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.
Idaho head coach Jason Eck said postgame that Josifek broke his collarbone and is likely out for the season.
Deshaun Buchanan had nine carries for 49 yards rushing and his 9-yard touchdown reception from Wagner capped the scoring in the closing seconds.
"We got our butts beat by a really good team and now we need to get back to work and get ready for next week's game against Cal Poly," Eck said postgame.
The Vandals host the Mustangs at the Kibbie Dome next Saturday. Kick off is set for 1 pm.
