Mellott throws 4 TD passes to lead top-seeded Montana State past UT Martin 49-17 in FCS playoffs

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Tommy Mellott threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns and top-seeded Montana State tied a school record with its 13th straight win, dominating Tennessee-Martin 49-17 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs.

Scottre Humphrey ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, one of three rushing touchdowns for the Bobcats (13-0), who are home next weekend against the winner of Saturday's late game between Lehigh and eighth-seeded Idaho.

MSU, which has scored at least 30 points in every game this season, won 13 games in 1975-76.

Mellott threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and the Bobcats rolled to a 28-10 lead.

Mellott had touchdown passes of 24 yards to Hunter Provience and 12 yards to Taco Dowler in the first quarter and 39 yards to Ty McCullouch in the second. McCullouch also had a 6-yard touchdown run.

The pass to McCullouch ended a six-play, 73-yard drive that took just 53 seconds, and came immediately after Trevonte Rucker took a pass from Kinkead Dent 78 yards to the end zone that made it 21-10.

The Bobcats only allowed only 10 total points in the first half of home games in the regular season.

Humphrey had a 36-yard TD run and Mellott hit Dowler for a 29-yard score in the third quarter Adam Jones contributed a 30-yard scoring run in the fourth.

Mellott finished 22-of-25 passing and the Bobcats had 501 total yards.

Dent threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, both to Rucker, who had six receptions for 107 yards. The Skyhawks (9-6) finished with 264 yards.

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