The Montana State Bobcats outlast the Eastern Washington Eagles

CHENEY, Wash. – In one of the toughest tests of the season, the second-ranked Montana State football team secured a 42-28 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday at Roos Field.

The Bobcats improved to 9-0 for the second time in program history.

MSU's inaugural event stalled. The Bobcats were charged with a delay of game on the first play of the game and were forced to punt after an incomplete pass intended for wide receiver Ty McCullouch. The Eagles took the lead with a three-pointer on their first drive after MSU safety Rylan Ortt forced an incompletion.

MSU was cautioned for holding the ensuing punt return, and running back Adam Jones dropped a pass on first down. Fellow RB Julius Davis made his season debut on second down – a rush by quarterback Tommy Mellott for a first down – and got his first touch on the next play, which was a 10-yard run for another first down.

WR Ryan King (27 yards) and fullback Rohan Jones (24 yards) made key catches to get the Bobcats into the red zone. Adam Jones was later tackled at the 1-yard line and Scottre Humphrey hit the ball for the first score of the game.

On the next kickoff, EWU's Michael Wortham brought the ball out of the end zone and was tackled by MSU's Max Murphy, who knocked the ball loose. Carson Williams recovered it for the Bobcats at the EWU 19-yard line. Mellott found WR Taco Dowler for the 19-yard TD on the next play, making it 14-0 MSU.

Wortham took the ball to the EWU 37 on the next kickoff return. Eagles QB Jared Taylor – filling in for the injured Kekoa Visperas – nearly broke off a long touchdown run on a third-and-2, but then crashed into teammate JP Murphy and was attacked by Ortt.

EWU still capitalized on the 13-play, 63-yard drive with a 4-yard TD catch by Efton Chism III. Chism turned his head back in time to adjust to the back-shoulder throw in the end zone. The score marks the first time MSU has surrendered an offensive TD in the first quarter of 2024.

MSU added another TD on the following drive. Mellott broke off runs of 26 and 23 yards, respectively, and Adam Jones capped the drive with a 20-yard TD run. On his way to the end zone, Jones ran over EWU safety Armani Orange.

On the other hand, Wortham received a handoff from Taylor on a second-and-10. Wortham faked a pitch to Chism, had his offensive linemen seal the lead and went for the 75-yard TD run. It's the longest touchdown MSU's defense has thrown this season. MSU led 21-14.

The Bobcats converted three third downs on the following drive. On a third-and-6 at the EWU 38, Mellott rolled out and found Dowler for seven yards. Jones converted consecutive third-and-3s to get the ball to the EWU 6. Humphrey finished the drive with a 4-yard TD run.

The 16-play, 70-yard drive lasted 9 minutes and 33 seconds and was the second-longest drive of the season in terms of number of plays.

MSU safety Dru Polidore made his first career interception as a Bobcat on the ensuing EWU drive. The Bobcats looked to add another score before halftime, but after a catch by Dowler was overturned on replay, MSU elected to take a 28-14 lead into the break.

Taylor dropped the ball to the ground but picked it up and fired to WR Wesley Garrett for 19 yards. RB Tuna Altahir later had a 16-yard run and Wortham got a handoff from Taylor and threw an 18-yard pass to JP Murphy. Altahir capped the drive with a 3-yard TD reception on third-and-goal.

MSU led 28-21 after that drive — the most points allowed by the Bobcats' No. 1 defense all season.

Humphrey nearly broke off another TD run from scrimmage on the next play, but settled for 13 yards after being brought down by EWU safety McKel Broussard. Humphrey later added runs of 11 and 17, respectively, in the drive.

But Jones was stopped on a third-and-2 and Mellott was sacked for a 10-yard loss by EWU defensive back Brock Harrison on fourth-and-1. The Eagles took over EWU 36.

Two plays later, Altahir broke off a 33-yard run. He later scored an 11-yard touchdown to tie the game at 28-28 with 1:26 left in the third quarter. It's the first time MSU has tied with an opponent in the second half of this season.

The very next game, Mellott took matters into his own hands. He faked the handoff to Humphrey, evaded DE Jaden Radke at the rim and broke through the EWU defense for the 76-yard TD run. Mellott became the fourth Bobcat player and first QB to break the 3,000 career rushing yard mark.

It is also MSU's fifth play (third rush) of 70 yards this season, giving the Bobcats a 35-28 lead. It is the first time MSU has scored more than 30 goals in the first nine games of a season.

Meanwhile, Wortham's pass to Chism was too short for third-and-12. EWU faked the punt as punter Landon Ogles fired a pass to TE/FB Austin York for a first down. But the game was withdrawn due to an ineligible player in the minors. Dowler returned the next punt to the MSU 35.

The Bobcats had a three-and-out on the following drive and EWU – after a tackle by MSU DE Zac Crews on third-and-13 – also fumbled again.

MSU's offense later faced a third-and-five and Mellott threw his first interception of the season. EWU's Ahmani Williams picked off the pass intended for McCullouch. The Eagles took over at the MSU 32.

Taylor fumbled on the next play – forced by MSU nose tackle Paul Brott – but Altahir recovered it. But the Eagles turned the game around on downs when Taylor – under pressure from MSU DE Brody Grebe – threw a pass just in front of the post to Wortham on fourth-and-4.

After a false start in the third, Mellott fired a pass down the sideline to McCullouch for a 61-yard touchdown. McCullouch beat EWU cornerback Alphonse Oywak on a go route and scampered toward the end zone.

MSU will host Sacramento State next Saturday.

This story will be updated.