Up by Seven, Montana State Coach Called Timeout With One Second Left. What Happened Next Was Pure Chaos.

Montana State football coach Brent Vigen called a questionable late-game timeout in his team’s loss to Idaho Friday night. | Screengrab on Twitter/@ESPN

Here's a cruel lesson in game clock management: Choose your timeouts wisely.

Montana State coach Brett Vigen arguably did not.

In one of the wildest college football finishes so far this season, Vigen’s team somehow lost to Idaho despite being up seven points with just one second remaining on the clock. Yes, exactly one second. Whether that second should have been on the clock or not remains up for debate.

The biggest question, though, is this: Why did Vigen call a timeout with one second left?

Here are the facts. Montana State was leading 34-27 late in the fourth quarter with Idaho furiously driving down the field for a last-gasp touchdown. With eight seconds remaining, Vandals quarterback Joshua Wood threw a deep pass to receiver Noah West-Baranco, who was tackled around the 25-yard line. At that point, some confusion arose. Time appeared to run out as West-Baranco fell to the ground after the catch. However, the referees determined one second should be added back to the clock, and temporarily stopped the clock to allow the chains to be set (since it was a first down).

As Idaho rushed to line up and snap the ball for one final play, Vigen called a timeout.

On the ensuing play, Idaho scored a touchdown. And then scored on its two-point conversion attempt. Because that’s just what happens in college football.

Watch that lamentable sequence of events unfold for the Bobcats:

ICYMI:

Idaho ends Montana State's 19-game win streak and upsets the Bobcats in epic fashion a with late TD and 2-point conversion 😳 pic.twitter.com/DVFb889soP

— ESPN (@espn) October 3, 2026

Montana State coach Brett Vigen explains his decision to call a timeout late in loss to Idaho

After the Vandals came away with the improbable 35–34 win, Vigen’s controversial timeout naturally drew a fair bit of criticism. Assuming Idaho had enough time to run one last play, Vigen gifted his opponent a glorious break to draw up what turned out to be the game-winning score.

Vigen explained his critical decision in a postgame interview in which he said he wanted to set his defense, rather than have his players, many of whom looked to be out of position, defend on an unpredictable last-snap play.

“That’s one of those situations, do you call a timeout, do you not call a timeout,” Vigen told reporters. “We wanted to get grouped up, regrouped on defense. Ultimately, they made the play.”

Here’s the answer from #MSUBobcatsFB head coach Brent Vigen about the second put back on the clock and the timeout he called before Idaho’s game-winning touchdown. pic.twitter.com/9o2vFdbc1r

— Victor Flores (@VictorFlores406) October 3, 2026

Had Montana State stopped Idaho’s offense on that final play of the game, this wouldn’t be as big a talking point as it is now. Vigen’s choice to take a timeout may have still raised some eyebrows, but his decision would have been validated by the result: He wanted to prepare his defense, and if they got the job done, it would’ve been viewed as the right move.

Alas, few things in life are predictable—especially not in this sport. Montana State, the defending FCS national champs on a 19-game win streak, was undefeated entering Friday’s matchup. Idaho was 0-4.

While Bobcat fans may sour on Vigen’s costly timeout call, due credit goes to Vandals QB Joshua Wood for rallying his team in the gotta-have-it clutch moments of the game. Wood needed just 49 seconds to drive Idaho’s offense downfield for 80 yards, found wideout Ryan Jezioro in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass and then ran it in himself for the successful two-point conversion.

Every hour is the witching hour in college football, and every second counts.

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