BOZEMAN — It’s been a dream season for Montana State, and now that dream has led the Bobcats to a shot at their first national championship in 40 years.
Top-seeded MSU, again led by superstar quarterback Tommy Mellott, held off South Dakota 31-17 in the FCS semifinals on Saturday at Bobcat Stadum to earn a berth in the title game Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.
With the win, the Cats improved to 15-0 and earned their second trip to the championship in four seasons under coach Brent Vigen. The Bobcats will face FCS stalwart and No. 2-seed North Dakota State (13-2) in Frisco as they look to win their first crown since 1984.
The game took on a back-and-forth nature early before Mellott and the Bobcats established command, in spite of the efforts of South Dakota running back Travis Theis.
Photos: Montana State punches ticket to Frisco with win over South Dakota
MSU’s offense came out firing, and Mellott dropped a pretty 34-yard touchdown pass over the top into the arms of Taco Dowler for a 7-0 lead on the game’s first possession.
But the Coyotes didn’t need much time to produce an answer, as Theis broke free for a 55-yard TD run on their opening drive to even the score.
Late in the first quarter, Mellott found the end zone on a 5-yard run to put MSU back ahead 14-7. But back came South Dakota, as Charles Pierre Jr. broke loose down the sideline for a 45-yard TD run to tie it again early in the second.
The touchdown trade continued when MSU pushed back in front 21-14 on a 1-yard rush by Scottre Humphrey.
But it was a key sack by Kenneth Eiden IV of QB Aidan Bouman on USD’s next possession that allowed the Cats to gain some separation. The sack helped force a punt, and Myles Sansted later booted in a 28-yard field goal to make the score 24-14 with just seconds left before halftime.
The Coyotes got the ball to start the third quarter but went three and out, giving MSU a chance to further extend its lead. That’s exactly what happened.
And Mellott made the play of the game. On third-and-1, Mellott mishandled an errant snap but recovered it in the backfield, ran forward, jumped to elude a tackle, kept his balance and ran to the end zone for a 41-yard score.
That put the Bobcats ahead 31-14, and fans began thinking about their travel plans to Texas. But it wasn’t over quite yet.
Montana State defensive back Miles Jackson appeared to force a fumble and return it for a touchdown but it was called back after review, as Theis was ruled down by contact. USD’s Will Leyland then added a 46-yard field goal to make it a 31-17 score.
The Coyotes got to the doorstep of a touchdown later in the fourth, but a pass from Bouman to tight end J.J. Gilbreath was short of a first down on fourth-and-13 and MSU took over on its own 2. A bad snap earlier in the series hurt USD.
MSU’s defense stopped the Coyotes again on fourth down in the red zone on their next possession, as another problem with a snap factored into the series.
Mellott’s 41-yard TD run in the third quarter was about the only thing the Bobcats mustered on offense after halftime, but the defense stood tall.
A fumble on a hook-and-ladder play with 1:41 remaining was recovered by Brody Grebe, and the Bobcats were able to run out the clock and secure a title-game berth.
Turning point: Eiden's sack of Bouman midway through the second quarter, followed by a false start, set USD back with a second-and-22 play. The Coyotes eventually punted, and Sansted’s 24-yard field goal put MSU ahead by two possessions.
Stat of the game: The trip to the championship game further illustrates the heights to which the Bobcats have climbed under Vigen. MSU has now won 15 games, the most of any team from the Big Sky Conference since Montana’s national title season of 2001.
Under Vigen, the Bobcats are now 31-1 in home games since he was hired prior to the 2021 season. Vigen’s overall record at Montana State is now 47-9, a winning percentage of .839. The only thing missing? A national title.
Bobcat game balls: QB Tommy Mellott (Offense). By accounting for three touchdowns and making the most electrifying play of the game, the quarterback from Butte further cemented his legacy as an all-time Bobcat great.
DE Kenneth Eiden IV (Defense). The Bobcats were able to build a lead thanks to Eiden’s second-quarter sack, and the Bozeman High product helped get after Bouman and USD’s passing game.
P Brendan Hall (Special teams). The 6-foot-9 Hall continues to be a weapon, as he booted five punts for an average of 54.0 yards.
What’s next: The Bobcats will now try to finish what’s been a perfect season with the national title. And they’ll go up against the team that beat them in the 2021 championship game — perennial contender North Dakota State.
NDSU knocked off two-time reigning national champion and Missouri Valley Football Conference rival South Dakota State 28-21 in Saturday’s other semifinal in Fargo, N.D.
The most decorated program in FCS history, the Bison are returning to the title game for the 11th time in the past 14 years and are seeking their 10th crown.
