Montana State Beats Montana To Book 2025 FCS National Championship Place in first-ever playoff meeting
FCS Semifinal – Brawl of the Wild
No. 2 Montana State 48, No. 3 Montana 23
Bobcat Stadium | Bozeman, Mont. | ABC
Montana State defeated Montana 48-23 in the first-ever playoff meeting between the rivals, earning a berth in the FCS national championship game. The semifinal aired nationally on ABC and drew a Bobcat Stadium record crowd of 25,437, underscoring what many considered the biggest sports day in Montana history.
The Bobcats jumped out to a 20-3 lead before Montana responded with 20 unanswered points to take a 23-20 advantage midway through the third quarter. Montana State then seized control, scoring 28 straight points to pull away and put the game out of reach.
Bozeman native Rocky Lencioni’s 2-yard touchdown catch gave MSU the lead for good. Billings native Taco Dowler followed with a decisive 87-yard catch-and-run touchdown on third down, and quarterback Justin Lamson added a rushing score. Melstone’s Bryce Grebe sealed the win with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown. Running back Adam Jones, a Missoula native, rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
With the victory, Montana State advances to its third FCS national championship game since 2021 and will play Illinois State on Jan. 5 in Nashville. The Bobcats are seeking their first national title since 1984. Illinois State enters after a historic playoff run that included a road upset of No. 1 North Dakota State.
Montana State has now won 13 straight games after an 0-2 start and enters the title game as the favorite, with a chance to finish what slipped away in last season’s championship loss.
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