From the Couch Sports

Montana State 48 Montana 23

I’m going to be honest here, I wasn’t well seasoned to this FCS rivalry. Sure I’ve heard of these teams and I know what kind of success they’ve had in the FCS. Heck, I’ve wanted to visit Montana for years and I looked into going to a game in the great state of Montana but I haven’t gotten around to it.

This year, at this time and on this weekend, the game meant everything. Montana and Montana State have played since 1897. Montana became a state in 1889. That means less than 10 years after Montana was admitted to the union, the rivalry of these universities was born. Talk about tradition.

This year, the two teams met in the regular season, Montana State won 31-28, but this meeting was different. This was the first time these two long-time rivals have met in the FCS Playoffs and no less this meeting was in the FCS Semi-Finals.

With a trip to the FCS National Championship on the line, this game in Bozeman was no doubt the biggest sporting event in the history of Montana.

Ticket prices for this one were insane, regardless of division, this was the most expensive ticket in college football this weekend. Prices were well over $500 on the secondary market! The fans at Bobcat Stadium shattered the previous attendance record of 22,227 by over 3,000.

25,437 fans packed out the place for what would turn into an epic college football game.

Montana came into the game with the leading passer in the FCS, Keali’i Ah Yat. The high-flying and productive Montana offense started out with the ball but quickly went three-and-out.

Montana State benefitted from a great punt return by Taco Dowler (all-name team) and quickly drove down the field for the game’s first touchdown. QB Justin Lamson ran one in from 4-yards out.

Another three-and-out by the Montana offense resulted in another solid punt return by Dowler. The Bobcats drove down the field again and scored from a rushing TD by RB Adam Jones.

Montana’s offense finally got things going with a great drive that ended with a field goal. They had some momentum and points on the board until Adam Jones went 54-yards down the field for another Bobcat rushing TD.

At this point the game was 20-3, Montana State’s crowd was buzzing and the Montana offense had little to no production. The Bobcats looked like they would literally run the Grizzlies across the mountains and back to Missoula.

Montana would respond, in a big way. Their offense got it going they added a much needed touchdown on their next drive. The Grizzlies forced a fumble and scored again, with another touchdown.

It was 20-16 Montana State at the half. Montana State hit the Grizzlies early but credit to Montana, they worked themselves back in the game.

In the 3rd quarter, Montana broke through again. The Grizzlies forced a punt then moved the ball down the field in chunks to score another touchdown. They took a 23-20 lead, their firs of the game.

The rivalry was heated, the intensity was hot. Montana was down by 17 points at one point, but worked their way back in the game.

This is why we watched this FCS game. A heated rivalry with intensity and excitement had started so one-favored but now, in the 3rd quarter was a neck-and-and neck game that could go wither way.

The home team responded, with the backs against the wall. Montana State converted a critical 3rd down on their next drive and moved down the field with ease. A Bobcat TD pass put them ahead again.

After that, it would be all Bobcats.

The Grizzlies punted and forced a long 3rd & 20 from deep inside Montana State territory.

Instead of a sure fire punt, the Bobcats would not only convert but the 3rd down play would result in one of the most impactful plays in school history.

QB Justin Lamson evaded the rush and stepped up in the pocket, he delivered a strike down the field to an open Taco Dowler, who split two defenders and made the catch around mid-field. He raced down the field and cut back inside to avoid defenders. he crossed teh goal-line and the crowd went NUTS.

With 12 minutes left in the 4th quarter, this WAS the pivotal play.

The Montana kid delivered. Taco Dowler had been through it all in this game. He had some great punt returns, some big receptions and suffered a big hit that almost knocked him out of the game.

In that moment, with that touchdown, he would place himself in Montana State immortality. The catch and subsequent run after, put the Bobcats up by 11 points, they never looked back.

The Montana State defense forced another punt and Lamson threw a deep ball to a freshman tight end on their next possession that set up a Bobcat TD.

Minutes later, the Cats forced an interception and took it to the house.

Game. Set. Match.

Montana State took an early lead, gave it up, but stole the game back in front of their record crowd.

What an incredible finish to a tense, tense rivalry game,

As the clock expired the fans in Bozeman rushed the the field, they powered their team to a trip to the FCS National Championship game.

Montana State will play the Cinderella team of this years’ tournament Indiana State on January 5th in Nashville.

1.9 million fans watched the game on ABC making it one of the highest viewed FCS Playoff games in history.