It was a hotly contested second round of the FCS playoffs. While East Tennessee State stormed back to defeat Kennesaw State narrowly, it was top-seeded Sam Houston needing a dramatic, last-second goal-line stand to overcome Incarnate Word’s valiant upset bid.
UIW came darn close to throwing the bracket into chaos, but the defending national champion Bearkats maintained order by staying undefeated at home in the postseason.
Next to visit Bowers Stadium is No. 8 seed Montana State, which knocked out UT Martin to punch a ticket to Huntsville. The Bobcats tangle with SHSU at 8:30 pm eastern Saturday on ESPN+.
Quarterfinal Previews
Montana vs. JMU
ETSU vs. NDSU
SDSU vs. Villanova
MSU vs. SHSU
Sam Houston’s Offense vs. Montana State’s Defense
At time of writing, Sam Houston offensive coordinator Ryan Carty, a Delaware alumnus having played for SHSU head coach KC Keeler with additional experience as former New Hampshire OC, is a hot name for the Blue Hens’ head coaching vacancy.
Despite that possible move looming, Sam Houston’s offense continues to hum. Carty certainly has the pieces at his disposal to make a title repeat on offense. Quarterback Eric Schmid, wideout Jequez Ezzard, and tailback Ramon Jefferson comprise a three-headed orange monster for defenses to lose sleep over.
Versatile Montana State linebacker and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Troy Andersen, who checks into the FCS top 15 in total tackles (9.9 stops per game), will be tasked with leading the effort to minimize SHSU’s scoreboard fireworks.
The Bobcats likely won’t be giving the Kats any free passes. MSU’s four penalties assessed per game is among the FCS lows.
Montana State’s Offense vs. Sam Houston’s Defense
Montana State’s offense became a national story when, days before the playoff run opener vs. UT Martin, then-starting QB Matthew McKay entered the transfer portal, leaving the program. McKay was later reported to have been losing his starting position prior to electing to transfer.
Freshman Tommy Mellott is his successor. Mellott cruised to 180 rushing yards while rolling UTM. Stud Bobcats running back Isaiah Ifanse was not to be outdone by much on the ground, galloping for 176 yards of his own.
Sam Houston is much stronger against the run, though, yielding just 2.62 yards per rush and ranking fourth in the FCS in rushing yards allowed per game (75.7).
Therefore, it’s the same story for MSU as in previous postseasons. Overall, the Bobcats are constructed to advance deep in December. The question remains whether they can be diverse enough on offense and steady enough at QB to overcome high seeds en route to Frisco. Sam Houston, for instance, can get it done offensively in multiple ways. It boasts Sam Herder’s pick for top offense left standing in the playoffs, but it also shuts down the run with a hard-nosed defense. Can Montana State say the same about its team balance?
Special Teams
Ezzard is a menace to special teams coverage units. Each time he touches the ball on a return, opposing fans should hold their collective breath.
Montana State freshman kicker Blake Glessner is a Third Team All-Big Sky selection. MSU will need to see him in action more often on PATs than field-goal tries, though, as scoring in 3s is unlikely to be enough against an SHSU outfit determined to repeat its championship feat of “immortality,” as Keeler terms it.
Willie Patterson and Coy Steel have recorded season-long punt returns of 47 and 45 yards, respectively, for the boys from Bozeman.
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