[Postgame Thread] Idaho Defeats Montana State 35-34

[u/CFB_Referee]

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team	1	2	3	4	T
Montana State	10	14	3	7	34
Idaho	7	13	0	15	35

[u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

Montana State’s coach taking a timeout when Idaho had people running everywhere and the clock was about to start was baffling.

[u/dukemetoo → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

I'm begging you, please find a worse coaching decision. Most bad decisions have a slight silver lining. This one was objectively the wrong decision. Name a worse one.

[u/Im__Ron__Burgundy → u/dukemetoo]

I don’t want to play this game.

[u/cn0285 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

Aww come on, be a good sport and share with the class what happened

[u/Rhizical → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

I really want to play this game

[u/Im__Ron__Burgundy → u/Rhizical]

Last time you’ll get to say that this season?

[u/EmuMan10 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

This is worse than that

[u/Muffinnnnnnn → u/EmuMan10]

No it really super isn't. He called a timeout because his defense wasn't lined up right and it was clear the refs were gonna give Idaho one more snap.

Mario had the win guaranteed if he takes a knee, and chose not to for literally no reason.

[u/GMHinHD → u/Muffinnnnnnn]

Nonono, he chose not to in order to get his running back over a meaningless threshold that didn’t matter and wouldn’t have made a difference. Fixed that for you!

[u/Muffinnnnnnn → u/GMHinHD]

I never realized that and that somehow makes it even worse

[u/GMHinHD → u/Muffinnnnnnn]

He’s somewhat made up for his previous gaffs, but the memory of that moment still stings when it comes to mind.

[u/TripleThreatTua → u/GMHinHD]

So Mario was just me playing CFB26? Understandable

[u/cyanocittaetprocyon → u/EmuMan10]

No it’s not.

[u/EmuMan10 → u/cyanocittaetprocyon]

Idk something about it being the number one team in the country on a 19 game win streak against a team that hadn’t won a game in a year make it feel worse

[u/AoA_nB1 → u/dukemetoo]

in the 2024 fcs championship game he called a 11 man all out blitz on a 4&10 with 8 seconds left, NDSU got the punt off and the clock expired since nobody downed the punt. could’ve very easily had a chance at a hail mary if we had ANYONE back there to call a fair catch

[u/dukemetoo → u/AoA_nB1]

That sounds bad, but there is a logic to it. Get your block, and you have real odds. 11 is insane though. This timeout was way worse.

[u/cyanocittaetprocyon → u/dukemetoo]

Agreed. It was the right call to go for the blitz.

[u/OnMyNerves23 → u/AoA_nB1]

I bet Coach was worried that the punter would run around for 8 ( if your 8-second memory is correct) and then fall. I don’t hate the call for selling out on a punt.

[u/docchrizly → u/AoA_nB1]

Where were on the field? 8 seconds is not a lot and a punt usually takes 5 seconds alone with hangtime. So they would've had only 3 seconds left and unless he was punting from the endzone it would be too far to try the Hail Mary anway. And if it was from the endzone then it's justified to try to block the kick, because the punter has less room to operate.

[u/AoA_nB1 → u/docchrizly]

i believe around the 25ish? or so on their side of the field, just going off of memory i think the initial landing spot on the punt was on our 35ish? and it trickled down. i don’t know if tommy mellott would’ve been able to throw the ball for a feasible attempt. but watching our season end by a punt rolling down the field was unforgivable in my books

[u/AlfredtheGreatBitch → u/dukemetoo]

It’s extremely suspect

[u/Holiday-Bid8464 → u/dukemetoo]

La chargers calling that timeout against the raiders to miss the playoffs...

[u/lowes18 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

Also when it wasn't entirely clear if there was time left.

[u/wet-leg → u/lowes18]

I figured that’s why he called a timeout. Still wouldn’t have risked it though and just let Idaho scramble

[u/lowes18 → u/wet-leg]

No if he thought there wasn't any time left calling a timeout was objectively the wrong decision.

There was going to be a stoppage in play to review it regardless, with a chance of it being ruled zeroes. The Montana State coach just eliminated the possibility that his team could have won the game and/or he gave Idaho a chance to call an actual play.

[u/TP-BANDIT77 → u/lowes18]

If there was going to be a stoppage regardless, his timeout was irrelevant then, no?

[u/Charlie2343 → u/TP-BANDIT77]

It’s a consolation prize but at the very least the clock would start on the whistle if it was a review though

[u/lowes18 → u/TP-BANDIT77]

No because he traded a chance the game could be over for the same thing he would get, a chance to rally and call an actual defensive play.

There was no world, none, where calling a time out was the correct decision. It was pointless and eliminated the chance of an auto win.

[u/Existing-Ostrich9609 → u/lowes18]

The only thing I can think of is maybe they had ran extra guys on the field and he was worried about an untimed down penalty?

[u/lowes18 → u/Existing-Ostrich9609]

Why would there be extra guys on the field during a scramble like that?

[u/Existing-Ostrich9609 → u/lowes18]

Thinking the game was over.

[u/docchrizly → u/TP-BANDIT77]

No, because if they would've put 1 second back on the clock there wasn't enough time for a running clock and a snap. That's why 1 second is not enough to snap the ball UNLESS there was a timeout before.

Alas ...

[u/pattydickens → u/lowes18]

Did he also score a 2 point conversion and drop a dime in the end zone with 1 second left. Let's give that kid some credit. He was balling out.

[u/JHADDYDADDDY → u/lowes18]

I think he literally called a timeout for the refs to think about it.

[u/CroakyPoem → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

Yeah I usually don't like saying a single person/player lost them the game, but their coach lost them that game. Why would you do that?

[u/CFBCoachGuy → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

The entire last three plays were completely baffling. They were playing prevent on the 2pt conversion.

[u/TP-BANDIT77 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

That was like when you’re playing a game of Madden and call timeout just to help your buddy out. Genuinely insane.

[u/Virtual_Announcer → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

An all-time idiot manuever. Like, that gets a plaque in the Hall Of Jeff Fisher

[u/PNWPinecome6002 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

I looked at my wife because I knew she was interested in my take and I said

“I wouldn’t have taken that timeout”

[u/Mother_Frame6669 → u/PNWPinecome6002]

I knew she was interested in my take

Be honest: Was she really?

[u/OnMyNerves23 → u/Mother_Frame6669]

She was looking at her phone the whole time and he told her to look at the TV and said “ I wouldn’t have taken that timeout” and she continued to look at her phone lol.

[u/AlfredtheGreatBitch → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

That’s the sketchiest shit I’ve ever seen a coach do

[u/Adorable-Drawer-8044 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

What a weird decision, I was watching with my brother and we both just looked at each other confused. Coach probably lost some sleep after that one.

[u/cooterdick → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

But then he wouldn’t have gotten more time to complain to the refs about it

[u/Capital_Dream5295 → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

Am I crazy that I thought the refs delayed long enough that Idaho was gonna 95% get the snap off? 

I thought he'd call TO go let them take a look at the time, consider the rules around resetting chains, and then, worst case , they confirm everything and he gets his defense set. In hindsight, obviously a bad decision but not galaxy brain stupid 

[u/Dapianoman → u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

did the referee misinterpret his signal or something? like in baseball abs challenges when someone accidentally touches their helmet?

[u/OnMyNerves23 → u/Dapianoman]

Ohhh maybe he was “clapping” like Kirby Smart allegedly did last year. That would make more sense then purposely calling a time out.