FRISCO, Texas — Only one game stands between Montana State and a national championship, and a meeting with North Dakota State in the final game of the season seems fitting.
Dec. 2, 2023 was when last season came to a halt for MSU in the second round of the FCS playoffs. NDSU blocked an extra point in overtime at Bobcat Stadium to beat Montana State.
That fateful afternoon sparked a historic level of drive and motivation when the Bobcats returned to campus after winter break in 2024. The team is 15-0, and now has a chance to cap off a perfect season with the program's first title in 40 years.
The Bocats and Bison (13-2) kick off the FCS title game Monday at 5 p.m. Mountain time at Toyota Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
"Yeah, I’ve definitely been looking forward to playing these guys again," Montana State defensive end Brody Grebe said about NDSU. "We never knew if we were going to be able to or not, and it ended up being that way.
"For it to come around from last season, and then full circle from my freshman year to now is pretty cool, and I’m excited to have this opportunity to just go out there and be able to play these guys again."
The Bobcats were last on the national championship stage during the 2021 season, also facing the Bison. NDSU won, 38-10.
Flash forward to this season, and the seniors as Grebe mentioned, were a part of that squad and have worked effortlessly the past few years to get back to this moment.
"The last couple years we’ve come up short," Montana State coach Brent Vigen explained. "I think this group of seniors in particular in coming up short and learning some hard lessons through their time, started going to work really about this time last year.
"When we got back to Bozeman for that second semester we really did a great job day in and day out of putting their best foot forward."
It’s a go-1-0-every-week" mentality hat’s a large part in MSU's ability to achieve a 15-0 record, the No. 1 seed and a chance at a national title.
"Forty years is a long time," Vigen said. "You know, the 40-year reunion was this fall, and Kelly Bradley, who was the quarterback of that team, came up to me and said, 'This has been great and all for us, but we need a new team to be remembered.' That goes a long ways with how our fan base has felt.
"Certainly a lot of ups and downs the last 40 years, recent history, quite a few ups, but just not quite getting over the hump."
What’s going to be key, as in all playoff games but specifically against another Missouri Valley Football Conference school, is the battle that’s won in the trenches.
"They have a great offensive line, obviously, with a good quarterback, good backs, so it’s going to be a challenge for sure, but I think our (defensive line) is up for the challenge," Grebe said.
And the team has enjoyed spending the last week of the season all together here in Frisco. But as the championship game nears, there’s only one thing the Bobcats have on their mind.
"It’s good to spend time with the team, time with the coaches," Montana State tight end Rohan Jones said. "I think it’s a good bonding experience, to appreciate the season we’ve had, but at the end of the day, we’re here to win a championship on Monday and get it done."
