Montana State Bobcats Beat Illinois State Redbirds in OT for First FCS Title in 41 Years

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Montana State linebacker Neil Daily recently watched a documentary about the 1941 MSU football team, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. That team, which lost 10 members during World War II, was one of the inspirations for MSU’s No. 41 legacy number.

On Monday night, with 41 stitched onto multiple navy blue jerseys, the Bobcats won their first national championship in 41 years.

Second-seeded MSU (14-2) earned a 35-34 overtime win over unseeded Illinois State (12-5) in the FCS title game Monday at FirstBank Stadium. It’s the fourth national championship in program history and the second at the FCS/Division I-AA level, joining the 1984 team (MSU won the NAIA title in 1956 and the Division II title in 1976).

“A long time coming. Forty-one years in the making,” MSU head coach Brent Vigen said in his postgame press conference. “I couldn’t be more proud of our players. That’s what you keep coming back to, because players win games.”

A blocked field goal near the end of regulation, a blocked point-after attempt in overtime and a fourth-down touchdown pass turned a near-loss into maybe the most thrilling victory in MSU history.

The Bobcats became the first Big Sky Conference team since Eastern Washington in 2010 to claim the national title and the first team from the Treasure State since Montana in 2001.

Another first since 1984: a lead in a national title game. After MSU’s defense forced a punt, junior quarterback Justin Lamson put MSU up 7-0 on a 3-yard TD run to cap a 90-yard drive.

Lamson scored again to put the Cats ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter. ISU cut the lead in half with less than a minute left in the half, but MSU immediately answered with a TD drive that lasted 36 seconds. The score came on a 33-yard pass from Lamson to wide receiver Dane Steel, who broke a couple tackles and hurdled a defender en route to the end zone.

Lamson finished the first half 12 of 13 for 228 yards, while WR Taco Dowler had six receptions for 96 yards. 

“It’s easy to play receiver when Justin’s your quarterback and putting the ball right on your chest. It’s easy when you’re game-planned open,” Dowler said. “It’s easy when you have confidence in your teammates.”

Taco’s twin brother, All-American safety Caden Dowler, left the game in the first half, appearing to aggravate the right arm injury that knocked him out of the semifinal win over Montana. The Big Sky Conference defensive player of the year briefly returned before being replaced by Colter Petre.

MSU answered a long scoring drive with another TD, this one on a 22-yard run from Taco Dowler. That put the Cats ahead 28-14, which was the score entering the fourth quarter.

ISU cut the deficit to 28-21 early in the fourth and forced a punt on the following drive. They scored again to tie it up at 28-28 before forcing another punt and attempting a field goal on the following drive. MSU’s Jhase McMillan blocked the kick with about one minute left.

A fumbled snap forced MSU to punt it away on the next drive, and the game went to overtime for the first time in the 47-year history of the FCS/I-AA championship.

Illinois State scored first, but again, the kicking game proved the difference as MSU defensive end Hunter Parsons blocked the extra point attempt.

The Bobcats took possession back but were down to their final play when Lamson, under pressure, lofted a 14-yard pass to Taco Dowler in the end zone on fourth-and-10. Myles Sansted finished it off with the extra point, and the Bobcats spilled onto the field in celebration.

On Dowler’s TD, Lamson credited offensive coordinator Pete Sterbick for returning to the play (called “flag banger,” according to Lamson) that MSU ran earlier in the OT drive.

“That’s just good stuff out of a really good OC,” Lamson said. “Taco was wide open. I got hit. I just kind of gave him a chance, and the rest is history. Myles did his thing and won us the game.”

Lamson was voted the FCS championship’s most outstanding player. The Stanford transfer completed 18 of 27 passes for 280 yards, two TDs and no turnovers while rushing for 30 yards and two scores.

Dowler finished with eight catches for 111 yards.

“If you followed our season, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It was rocky at times,” Dowler said. “The game today is a testament to the good men in the program. I couldn’t be prouder of the guys.”

MSU’s 2025 roster featured nine seniors: Parsons, defensive lineman Paul Brott, running back Julius Davis, defensive back Jackson Harmon, DL Alec Eckert, DL Kenneth Eiden IV, WR Ryan King, WR Chris Long and offensive lineman JT Reed. Brott was this season’s No. 41 recipient, and Eiden has a patch with that number on the front of his jersey (every senior from Montana has worn the patch since last season).

Those veterans played key roles in MSU’s drought-ending season. They also embody this golden era of Bobcat football.

The 2021 Cats, led by an all-time senior class, lost to North Dakota State in the FCS title game. They fell short of the national championship a year later, too, but arguably got better. Their disappointing 2023 season ended on a blocked PAT in a 35-34 OT loss to NDSU, but they made championship-level strides that year.

Last season, led by an all-time senior class, MSU lost to NDSU by three points in the FCS title game. This year’s younger team didn’t reach the record 15 wins posted in 2024, but it’s hard to argue this season wasn’t better — 14 straight wins, two Brawl of the Wild victories and a trophy celebration 41 years in the making.

“It’s really hard to put in the words,” Vigen said. “You can think about it all you want, how you’re going to feel, what you’re going to say and all that stuff. Then it happens, and you look out there and the field is full, and the stands still seem full. Just so grateful to be at a place that is so well-supported and has so many people that care.

“Yes, players and coaches are champions, but all Bobcats are champions.”

This story originally appeared at 406mtsports.com.