Although quarterback Tyler Bruggman and four other offensive players made their first college starts and a quartet of talented true freshman promptly burned their redshirts, Montana State’s old reliable tailback stole all the headlines in Moscow.
With senior running back Gunnar Brekke out battling pneumonia and the Bobcats employing a power run offense predicated on controlling the clock, Chad Newell took center stage. The powerful 6-foot-1, 220-pound captain carried the football 25 times for 105 yards and scored a touchdown to cut Idaho’s lead to 20-17 early in the second half. The margin would hold for the duration of the game, but Newell’s toughness and grit helped Montana State go toe-to-toe in Jeff Choate’s head coaching debut at the Kibbie Dome against an FBS foe.
Photos by Colter Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.