- It’s a Big Sky rematch when No. 8 seed Idaho (10-3) visits top seed Montana State (13-0) in the FCS Quarterfinals Friday night at 9 p.m. on ESPN.
- Montana State stomped the Vandals 38-7 earlier this season. The Bobcats are a two-touchdown favorite.
- We’ve got everything you need to know for Idaho against Montana State, including the weather, the key players, a look at the best odds and a prediction.
Montana State (13-0, 7-6 ATS) looks to keep its best season in school history going when it hosts Idaho (10-3, 6-7 ATS) at Bobcat Stadium in the FCS Quarterfinals on Friday night.
Cold? You bet. But for Montana in December, it could be so much worse. Temperature are expected to be around 30 degrees at kickoff with a wind around 10 mph.
Montana State is reigning Big Sky Conference champions and the first team in league history to go 13-0.
We’ve got special insights on the Vandals and Bobcats and a prediction for this football playoff showdown.
Idaho vs Montana State odds
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | +14.0 (-110) | +440 | O 56.5 (-110) |
| Montana State | -14.0 (-110) | -600 | U 56.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Dec. 12 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Be sure to check the top DraftKings Sportsbook promos before making a bet on any college football playoff action.
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The Bobcats are 13.5-point favorites almost everywhere you look for Friday night, but DK moved the line a half point up Thursday morning. FanDuel and BetMGM have the total posted at 55.5, while DraftKings has it a point higher. The best moneyline bet is Idaho +400 at DraftKings and Montana State -490 atFanDuel.
Montana State has averaged 40.8 points in its last five games and its average margin of victory is 22.6 points during that time.
Idaho has won six games in a row, scoring over 30 points in each of those wins. These schools have played five times previously, with the home team winning all five.
Tommy Mellott was nearly perfect in Saturday’s playoff win for Montana State
22-25, 300 yds, 4 TDs pic.twitter.com/rNRAcDvqZR
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) December 8, 2024
Tommy Touchdowns
Bobcats coach Brent Vigen took over the program four years ago and basically handed the keys over to quarterback Tommy Mellott. He took the Bobcats all the way to the FCS championship game as a freshman (he got hurt early in the game, and the Bobcats lost to ND State).
Mellott is a four-year starter and the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year. He leads FCS in passing efficiency (yes, even in the cold, both teams pass a lot). He’s thrown for 26 touchdowns and one (repeat: one) interception. He’s also run for 659 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Bobcats running back Adam Jones is the conference Freshman of the Year, and edge rusher (and Thor lookalike) Brody Grebe was the conference Defensive Player of the Year. He’s got 7.5 sacks.
Montana State is the No. 1 team in FCS and the top seed, but they’ve never won a national title.
FCS Playoffs – Second Round
No. 8 seed Idaho 19, Lehigh 6 (Halftime)
Jack Layne: three TD passes (two to Jordan Dwyer)
— FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) December 8, 2024
Idaho Lowdown
The Vandals have been a perennial FCS power, but haven’t been to the semis since 1993. This is only the third team in school history with 10 wins.
Are they good? Heck, in the season opener at full strength they lost to FBS No. 1 Oregon 24-14.
The deal with the Vandals has been injuries. Starting QB Jack Layne missed a chunk of the season and the first match-up with Montana State. So did lead running back Nate Thomas. Idaho has used three different quarterbacks this season, but Layne is their guy. No, he’s not related to NFL QB legend Bobby Layne.
Idaho features two talented wide receivers (yes, they like to throw it around too). Redshirt sophomore Jordan Dwyer has 1,003 yards on 67 grabs, and Mark Hamper has 950 yards through the air.
Idaho vs Montana State Prediction
- Montana State -13.5 (at BetMGM)
- Under 55.5 (at BetMGM)
Rematches are a fickle thing in college football, but this time, we look at the first match-up and recognize that it wasn’t close. It was 38-0 before Idaho scored a cheap TD late.
Yes, Idaho fans can say they have their QB and lead RB for this one, but they couldn’t stop Tommy Mellott the first time with a full defense, so why think they will the second time around? We like Montana State to cruise, and we like the under.
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