It’s hard to figure whether Idaho State had an off game last week while putting away one-win Utah Tech 34-27, or if the Trailblazers are finding their Big Sky legs.

Either way, the Bengals are 6-3 and ranked No. 23 going their Saturday home game with No. 3 Montana State. They have Bobcat coach Brent Vigen’s full attention. 

“They’re a team that’s very much in the thick of things right now,” said MSU’s sixth-year head coach. “Their defense is probably more of the story. They’re really good against the run and the pass statistically at this point, good on third down and good at taking it away.” 

It’s true: ISU is No. 2 in the 13-team Big Sky Conference in total defense and No. 1 against the pass; the Bengals’ third-down defense is also No. 1 and they’re No. 2 in turnovers forced with 18 (Northern Arizona has forced 19).  

On Saturday the Bengals used a scoop-and-score fumble recovery by Zion To’oto’o with 7:54 left in the game and a 43-yard pick-6 from Trehsyn Fesili in the final minute to eat up a 27-20 deficit. So defense saved the day, on a day where quarterback Jordan Cooke and Co. were outgained 424-255. 

Put another way: Good teams find a way. It was the Bengals’ second straight win after three straight losses. 

“I think part of it is they’re a team that can get pressure, and pressure forces poor decisions,” Vigen said. “One (touchdown) was a sack-fumble and one was an ill-advised pass to a defensive lineman that was dropping.” 

Fesili had a sack Saturday, giving the ISU defensive end him six for the season. That ties him for second with two others. Montana’s Tyler King leads at 8.5. 

Dahlke making his mark

Meanwhile, MSU was all over Cal Poly from the jump in a 61-7 win. The rout started with Carter Dahlke taking the first kickoff return of his college career to the house. 

“It wasn’t all that well-blocked, but fortunately he broke a couple tackles,” Vigen said. “No moment has proven to be too big. He’s missed very few opportunities, I guess, but the opportunities have continued to present themselves more than we probably thought back in fall camp, for sure.” 

That’s largely because senior receiver Taco Dowler has been sidelined for the Bobcats’ last five games. Near the end of his Monday press conference, Vigen was asked if he knew if Dowler would return this season. 

“I don’t,” he said. “I really don’t. I’m not being anything but honest there.”   

Return of Solo

Solomon Tuliaupupu returned to the field for the Montana Grizzlies in their 42-33 win over Eastern Washington Saturday. He didn’t record a stat — he played sparingly — but his presence was felt. 

Montana coach Bobby Kennedy said he’d spoken often with the senior linebacker during what became a seven-week absence but that, “My talking was never in the direction of getting him back. But yeah, the door was always open.  

“Not only was I excited about it, but you talked to a number of guys on the team, the defensive linemen, they were all for it.” 

“No one had hard feelings when Solo left,” linebacker Colton Lentz said. “Welcoming him back on the team was pretty easy. Besides the fact that he’s a freak of nature, he’s a great leader. He’s old, he’s wise — I mean not old, hope he doesn’t see that. But he’s wise and just a great dude to have on the team. Overall it was nice to have him back.” 

In addition to Tuliaupupu, the Grizzlies got defensive backs Brock Beaner, Kade Cutler and Ashton Paine back after all had missed the previous game, a 42-35 loss to Idaho.   

Cutler, however, left the EWU game. His status for UM’s Saturday home game with Portland State is unclear. 

QUICK KICKS: King, Clay Oven and Peyton Wing all had two sacks Saturday at EWU. ... Eli Gillman is No. 2 in the Big Sky rushing ranks, behind Southern Utah’s Floyd Chalk. Chalk has 1,223 yards and Gillman 1,161. ... Keali’i Ah Yat’s 2,607 yards and 26 touchdowns passing both lead the Big Sky, and his efficiency rating of 168.8 is second only to MSU backup Patrick Duchien (172.0). Bobcat starter Justin Lamson checks in at 167.5. ... UM’s Brooks Davis leads all of FCS in receptions (73), yards (1,145) and touchdowns (12).