BOZEMAN — No. 3 Montana State rolled to a 55-17 win over Northern Colorado in the Bobcats’ Homecoming football game Saturday at Bobcat Stadium to improve to 6-0 for the first since 2012.

Homecoming festivities included honoring the 1984 national championship team.

Following a UNC punt, MSU opened with a 43-yard rush by running back Scottre Humphrey on the Bobcats’ first play. Quarterback Tommy Mellott capped off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ryan Lonergan. Mellott faked the handoff to RB Adam Jones, rolled right with UNC defensive end David Hoage in his face and found a wide open Lonergan in the end zone. Myles Sansted missed the point-after try to make it 6-0 MSU.

UNC’s next punt was a line drive, which MSU wide receiver Taco Dowler returned to the MSU 49-yard line. It ended in another scoring drive, with Mellott rolling left to find fullback Rohan Jones for the 6-yard score. That marked Jones’ fourth receiving TD this season, and the seventh receiving TD by a FB/TE in 2024.

Three punts followed (two UNC, one MSU) before the Bobcats scored again. WR Ty McCullouch went in motion to receive the handoff and threw a pass to Dowler for the 34-yard TD. The Bobcats led 20-0.

Linebacker Danny Uluilakepa picked off a pass on third down to give the ball right back to MSU. A few plays later, Mellott pump faked and burst through the UNC defense for a 13-yard rushing TD. That moved Mellott to No. 2 all-time on MSU’s career rushing TD list (33), tying him with Troy Andersen and Sean Chambers.

The UNC offense continued to struggle. On the Bears’ next drive — after UNC crossed midfield — a snap went over the head of QB Kia’i Keone, with MSU defensive end Zac Crews recovering the fumble.

UNC also had a chance on the final drive of the first half, highlighted by passes of 27 yards and 16 yards to tight end Cash Cheeks. Keone later found WR Jordan Riles on a pass to get the Bears to the MSU 6, but it was called back for an ineligible receiver downfield. UNC didn’t have any timeouts left and the clock ran out.

MSU went into halftime up 27-0. The Bobcats finished the first half with 211 yards (130 rushing, 81 passing) and were 3 for 3 in the red zone. The Bears had 20 total yards in the first quarter (21 rushing, -1 passing) and finished the first half with 124 yards.

Punts by both sides opened the second half. MSU converted a fourth and 1 near midfield with a 2-yard rush by Adam Jones. Mellott then faked the handoff and launched a pass down the sideline to McCullouch for the 50-yard TD. That put the Bobcats up 34-0.

MSU forced another punt, which Dowler returned to the UNC 42. But Dowler fumbled as he was tackled, which was recovered by the Bears. RB David Afare broke off a 17-yard run up the middle on the next play and Keone connected with Cheeks for another 24 yards. UNC scored on a double reverse, with RB Caden Meis handing off to WR Carver Cheeks for the 14-yard TD.

After a 3-yard rush by Humphrey, Mellott hit Dowler on a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage. Dowler then took off for the 72-yard TD to put MSU up 41-7. It was Mellott's fourth passing TD, the most he's thrown in a game during his four-year college career.

Keone found Meis for another 16 yards and rifled a 28-yard TD pass to Brayden Munroe, who dragged MSU defenders into the end zone. On the other side, Mellott threw a 56-yard dime to WR Aidan Garrigan and Humphrey punched in the 17-yard rushing TD.

Later in the fourth quarter, Carver Cheeks went up over MSU cornerback Jon Johnson for the 28-yard catch. Meis slipped on the next play and seemingly fumbled, but the call was overturned after replay review. UNC settled for a 29-yard field goal.

Chance Wilson scored on a 5-yard rush with 1:54 left for the game's final points.

Ryan Krahe prevented UNC from scoring with a sack that resulted in a fumble that rolled through the end zone for a touchback.

MSU will host No. 10 Idaho in a primetime Big Sky Conference matchup next Saturday.

This story will be updated.