BOZEMAN – The quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs is just around the corner as No. 1 seed Montana State hosts No. 8 seed Idaho for the second time this season.

The first time the two met this year was Oct. 12 at Bobcat Stadium, where MSU earned a 38-7 win over the Vandals.

“Idaho has won six straight since we played in October. “I say the same thing,” Montana State coach Brent Vigen said.

“Beating a team twice is never easy,” Montana State linebacker McCade O’Reilly said. “I remember my junior year of high school (in Bozeman) when we (Kalispell) killed Flathead in the regular season and then lost (to them) in the semifinals. So, you know, I kind of go back to that memory and learn from it so we can prepare for this game and hopefully beat them as badly as we did the first time.

This time, Idaho will look a little different with starting quarterback Jack Layne back in action. He didn’t play in the Cats and Vandals’ first meeting of the year, missing the game because of a broken collarbone he suffered in week one against Oregon

“Obviously getting Layne back at quarterback was a big deal for them,” Vigen said. “That’s not to say the other two guys, (Jack) Wagner and (Nick) Josifek, didn’t do a good job during their time there, but there was a reason Layne was their starter coming out of fall camp.”

Facing undefeated MSU twice at night at Bobcat Stadium in one season is a tall order for any team. The Bobcats have a 29-1 record at home in four years under Vigen.

O’Reilly explained what it’s like to be on defense for his team in front of over 21,000 spectators.

“I kind of think about it like when you go to bed at night you turn on this white sound machine,” he said with a smile. “It just blocks everything out. You don’t think about anything other than what your eyes are on and what you need to do in that play call.”

On Montana State’s injury side, tight end Rohan Jones, who was sidelined with an injury against UT Martin in the second round, was upgraded to questionable to return this week. Running back Julius Davis is still out with an injury he suffered against Montana.

The Bobcats and Vandals kick off at Bobcat Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.