The top showdown in the Big Sky could come down to a battle between the big boys up front.

Idaho’s primetime showdown at Montana State this Saturday night on ESPN2 will surely hinge on the play of Vandal’s highly touted defensive line against the always formidable Bobcat offensive line…right?

Sometimes it seems that when everyone thinks they know what will determine the outcome of a game, they are almost always wrong.

However, one thing is certain: the battle between Idaho’s defensive line and MSU’s offensive line will be epic. And certainly a duel between two fronts in the Big Sky Conference. It may not decide the winner, but the overused cliché of the immovable object – MSU – versus the irresistible force – Idaho – applies wholeheartedly in this case.

The Bobcats have led defensive fronts dating back to 2018, when Troy Andersen was converted from running back/linebacker to quarterback and used his 6-4, 235-pound frame to compliment the skill of his offensive line and muscle his way into the immortality of the state of Montana.

This season, MSU has toned down its run game a bit in terms of yards per carry, not using its quarterback to run the ball as much as in years past. That fact could make what the Bobcats do this season more impressive, as teams aren’t paying as much attention to quarterback Tommy Mellott.

MSU may have dropped to 6.5 yards per carry compared to the 7.3 average from a year ago, but that’s likely because Mellott is only averaging six carries per game this season, while the combination of Mellott and his quarterback- sidekick the past two seasons, Sean Chambers averaged 21 carries per game the past two seasons. And many of those QB runs were explosive wounds for long gains.

Idaho doesn’t have the long history with its defensive line that MSU has with its offensive line, but the Vandals are on fire this season. UI leads the Big Sky Conference and is third in the nation in sacks with 18. Helena High product Keyshawn James-Newby leads the way with eight, including five sacks combined in UI’s 24-14 loss at Oregon and 17-13 win over Wyoming.

MSU head coach Brent Vigen is well aware of Idaho’s tendency to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

“Especially Keyshawn James-Newby, I think he has eight sacks and he’s been an absolute threat so far, especially on third down,” Vigen said. “I think what you see in the defense is that they fly to the football. They are very principled, generally in the right place and play with a lot of commitment.”

More importantly: the Vandals are the No. 2 defense in the Big Sky against the run, allowing just 2.8 yards per carry. This number comes despite playing two FBS teams: Oregon and No. 3-ranked Wyoming. They held the Ducks to just 133 yards on 31 attempts, discounting sacks and knees. Idaho has also battled UC Davis and preseason offensive MVP Lars Larison. The Vandals held Larison in check with just 46 yards on 18 carries.

“Defensively, I think you just look at their numbers,” Vigen said. “They’re giving up less than 20 points per game, less than 100 yards rushing per game, they’re having 19 sacks, so they’ve made it very difficult for opponents to run the ball at first, but then they’ve gotten into it. those passing situations, and they’ve really been able to get after the quarterback.

“They are generally a team with the right attitude. They are well coached and don’t put themselves in bad positions. They are playing free football and it will cost us a big effort on Saturday. We look forward to playing in the evening on ESPN2.”

MSU’s offensive line has been solid for years and machine-like this season. The Bobcats have been hit hard by injuries, but are showing no signs of slowing down. If a wheel or sprocket becomes damaged, a new part is ready to slide into place.

Just before the start of the season, the man considered the heart and soul of the line, senior captain center Justus Perkins, suffered a serious ankle sprain and has not been on the field until now. Guards JT Reed and Burke Mastel were also injured before the first game and there was a large-scale shuffling of the line. Senior Cole Sain moved to center, while tackles Marcus Wehr and Conner Moore moved to the guard positions. Cedric Jefferson and Titan Fleischmann came off the bench to fill in for Wehr and Moore, meaning no offensive lineman was in the position they would start the year at.

Still, the Bobcats threw for a total of 567 yards against FBS New Mexico on the road, 362 of which came from MSU’s vaunted running game. The Bobcats have seen Reed and Mastel return, but Sain, who should be in the running for the team’s most valuable player award, is still at center and performing at a high level.

Where the Bobcats will have to be careful is in the Idaho pass rush.

“They’ll chip with a back, which is what we should expect,” Idaho head coach Jason Eck said, referring to how MSU will use a running back to help its offensive line against the Idaho pass rush. “That offers opportunities for other boys. Look at (defensive end) Malakai Williams, who has had a sack in each of the last two games. There will be times when they trust their O-Line, it’s a good O-Line. Those guys played a lot of football. There will be times when we get one-on-ones and we hope to win those one-on-ones.”

Mellott has developed a decent play-action fake, and the offensive line will most likely need that to gain an edge against Idaho.

“The O-Line and the quarterback are really the difference makers,” Eck said. “The Oline is so good. Coach Johnson (like Eck, a Wisconsin alum) is doing a good job coaching those guys. They come off the ball on the court, they move well. It’s hard to do something that confuses them and takes them off their game.”

The game within the game of Idaho’s defensive line versus Montana State’s offensive line will be one to watch when “Big Sky After Dark” restarts Saturday night at 8:15 PM at Bobcat Stadium.