BOZEMAN — Another playoff win for Montana State and another huge game for running back Isiah Ifanse: 196 rushing yards and one touchdown in Friday's 24-10 win over Austin Peay.
Coming into the game, it was known how good the Governors' front defensive four was and how great they were at stopping the run. But Ifanse was not slowed down in that victory, and it definitely caught the praises of Austin Peay head coach Mark Hudspeth.
“He's a good player, we knew that coming in," said Hudspeth. "But you got to give credit to those guys up front, too. They're a good front.”
“He’s a tough runner. All of our running backs are tough runners. It gives us a little bit of reassurance when we watch, we get our blocks done and we kind of get to see Isaiah take off, drive someone to the ground or fight through a few tackles, drive his feet to get five or six extra yards," said Montana State offensive lineman Lewis Kidd. "It’s awesome to see, and it gets us excited. This guy is putting his whole body on the line for us, doing everything he can to fight for yards. We have to make it better for him."
“I just think our staff had a great plan, our young men believe in each other and our coaches, and it’s rarefied air for this program right now, and it’s pretty special," said MSU head coach Jeff Choate.
Ifanse and the rest of the Bobcats will take a much-deserved day off before they begin preparation for the FCS semifinal next weekend against top-ranked North Dakota State. The Bobcats (11-3) and Bison (14-0) will kick off inside the FargoDome on Dec. 21 at noon (MST). The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
