FCS Playoffs: Montana State tops Incarnate Word in opener; Nicholls State to face Eastern Washington

Troy Andersen ran for a touchdown and threw for another, leading Montana State to a 35-14 win over Incarnate Word in the first round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday in Bozeman.

His touchdown run was his school-record 20th of the season, while his touchdown pass was just his third.

MSU got a key touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Travis Jonsen scored on a keeper from the 19, pushing the lead to 28-14 after a personal foul moved the ball back from the 4-yard line. Andersen hit Jonsen from 37 yards out to put the Bobcats up 35-14.

Sean Brophy, filling in for the injured Jon Copeland, was making his first start of the season after starting all the games last year for Incarnate Word.

MSU plays at North Dakota State on Saturday.

Nicholls State 49, San Diego 30: Chase Fourcade passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 82 yards and two scores, helping the Colonels (9-3) top the Toreros (9-3) in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

The Colonels advanced to a second-round matchup at No. 3 seed Eastern Washington (9-2) Saturday at 2 p.m. at Roos Field in Cheney.

Dontrell Taylor carried 14 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns for Nicholls.