BOZEMAN, Mont. (ABC4 Sports) – In a playoff rematch of two Big Sky opponents, Montana State scored 23 unanswered points, and held off a fourth quarter Weber State comeback to knock off the Wildcats 33-25 on a chilly day at Bobcat Stadium in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Montana State ran for 388 yards and totaled 554 yards of offense, compared to 317 yards for Weber State.
“We did not move the ball very well for a stretch,” said head coach Jay Hill. “I thought we did good in the first and fourth quarters, but I was proud of our guys how they fought. They never gave and still gave us a chance at the end. But you have to give Montana State credit.”
Montana State jumped out to a 33-10 lead early in the fourth quarter, before two Wildcat touchdowns cut the lead to eight. But the Bobcats converted on their final drive to seal the win.
The Wildcats scored first with a 39-yard field goal by Kyle Thompson on their first drive of the game. Montana State came right back with a 75-yard drive and a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead, then scored their first of three field goals and led 10-3 early in the second quarter.
Weber State tied the game 10-10 with 9:32 to play in the second quarter when Bronson Barron found Ty MacPherson for a 15-yard touchdown.
Montana State added three-straight field goals and led 19-10 early in the third quarter, then scored on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Sean Chambers to Derryk Snell to take a 26-10 lead with 2:36 to play in the third quarter.
Chambers threw another touchdown on a trick play to Willie Pattererson to give the Bobcats a 33-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Weber State got back on the board after a 31-yard touchdown from Kylan Weisser to Jon Christensen, and got a two-point conversion to make it 33-18 with 9:50 to play.
Weisser found Hayden Meacham for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:42 to play but the Wildcats couldn’t stop Montana State in the final drive, as the Bobcats grinded out the clock on the ground.
Tommy Mellott led Montana State with 167 yards on 21 carries.
Dontae McMillan led Weber State on the ground with 56 yards on nine carries.
“It has been a great season,” MacPherson said. “The fact that we won ten games, that means a lot. But of course the outcome hurts.”
The loss ends Weber State’s season at 10-3. The Wildcats have won at least 10 games in four of the last six seasons.
Weber State loses in FCS Playoffs, 33-25
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