by Don Mooney
Montana State, seen here in pure elation support of their Bobcats, were on their feet from kick-off to triumph. photo by Don Mooney.
Nashville, TN—How one responds to adversity is a time honored tradition to measure of the person. Who will blink first? Collectively Montana State didn’t blink under moment. Starring at 4th-down – its do or die time. 24,105 screaming, fanatical fans cheering on their team. Legacy on the line the Bobcats proved worthy of the moment and tied the game at 34 all. As the extra point split the goal posts Bobcat fans rushed the field to what can best be described as a game for the ages – 35-34 at First Bank Stadium on Vanderbilt campus Monday night in Nashville.
Up by 14 in the first quarter Bobcats found themselves down by 14-point in the final quarter to tie the game and send it to overtime against Montana State. However, heartbreak followed for the Redbirds (12-5) as the Bobcats (14-2) blocked an extra point attempt in overtime and then scored the game winning touchdown and extra point on their try as ISU fell by a score of 35-34.
Bobcats lock down Illinois State running back during first half. photo by Don Mooney
The first half was marked by limited possessions and big Bobcat plays. The teams combined for only eight full possessions, but MSU averaged 10.6 yards per play and the Redbirds 5.6. While Tommy Rittenhouse broke ISU’s single-season passing yards record in the first half, they belonged to Lamson. Montana State’s junior gunslinger threw for 228 yards on 12-for-13 passing before the intermission, and he topped it by rushing for two touchdowns. Taco Dowler’s six catches produced 96 yards.
Taco Dowler sneaks past defense for reception. photo by Don Mooney
Illinois State set the tone on the first drive by running 10 plays and holding the ball for more than four minutes, but the Bobcats defense stiffened and ISU punted. Montana State then marched 90 yards in 10 plays, with Lamson scoring from three yards out. That drive consumed nearly six minutes.
The next two drives produced more of the same. The Redbirds’ 12 plays, including a running into the kicker penalty that extended the drive, produced 27 yards. It ended, though, in a punt. The Cats marched 80 yards in eight plays, and Lamson scored from two yards out.
The final 5:17 of the second quarter produced drama. The Redbirds finished an efficient 80-yard drive, with Rittenhouse finding Scottie Presson Jr. from six yards out for the score. ISU left the Cats 54 seconds, and MSU only needed 36 of them. Lamson found Jabez Woods for 20 yards on the first play, hit Chris Long for 12 on the second, and found Dane Steel in the flat, and the Sheridan, Wyo., product dashed, twisted, and hurdled his way into the end zone. MSU led 21-7 at the break.
photo by Don Mooney
The tide turned Illinois State’s way in the second half as the Redbirds tallied 269 yards of total offense to Montana State’s 105, with Montana State possessing the ball for just over eight minutes. However, a late blocked field goal served as a lifeline for the Bobcats to allow for an overtime shootout for the ages.
Montana State gained 19 yards in five plays to reach midfield before it was forced to punt on the first drive coming out of halftime. Illinois State then drove 85 yards down the field in 17 plays, putting seven points on the board as Logan Brasfield recovered an ISU goal-line fumble in the end zone to cut the Bobcats’ lead to seven, 21-14. The Redbirds’ drive took seven and a half minutes off the clock.
photo by Don Mooney
The Bobcats quickly responded with a 64-yard scoring drive of their own, capped off by a Taco Dowler 22-yard touchdown run to extend the lead back to 14 points, 28-14. The six-play drive consisted of three gains of 15 yards or more, including a 21-yard Lamson pass to Woods and a 17-yard rush by Lamson ahead of Dowler’s rushing touchdown.
The Redbirds gained momentum heading into the fourth quarter as ISU’s Rittenhouse turned a fourth and one play into a four-yard touchdown strike to Daniel Sobkowicz with 10:13 remaining in regulation. Montana State went three and out for the first time on the following drive, and Illinois State capitalized with an eight-play, 60-yard drive to tie the game at 28 points apiece with 5:10 to play.
Junior QB Justin Lamson celebrates after one of his evenings two scores. photo by Don Mooney
Another Montana State three and out allowed Illinois State to get the ball back with 3:09 on the clock, with the Redbirds setting up a 38-yard field goal attempt to take the lead at the 1:03 mark. However, Jhase McMillan had other plans, batting the kick down while Seth Johnson recovered to give the Cats the ball back. The Bobcats were unable to reach field goal range in the final minute, sending the contest to overtime tied at 28.
Illinois State took the first possession of the extra period and found the end zone on their second snap as Dylan Lord caught a 10-yard pass from Rittenhouse. The Bobcats came away with another blocked kick as Hunter Parsons swatted the extra point down, leaving the Redbirds with a 34-28 advantage.
Pass from senior QB Tommy Rittenhouse just out of reach of the redshirt freshman Dylan Lord, Chandler, AZ. photo by Don Mooney
Montana State then received the ball at the ISU 25-yard line, needing a touchdown to keep the game alive. Julius Davis recorded back-to-back rushes of 11 and three yards, respectively, to help the Cats reach the 14-yard line before a false start on second down set Montana State back to the 19-yard line. Adam Jones gained two yards before an incompletion set up a do-or-die fourth and 10 play from 14 yards out.
Defense back soph Tayden Gray and junior WR Taco Dowler celebrate win. photo by Don Mooney
Lamson snapped the ball and fired left, finding Dowler in the end zone to tie the game at 34 points apiece. Sansted placed the extra point attempt straight through the uprights to give the Bobcats the 35-34 victory and their first FCS national title since 1984.
Its a celebration after 41-year drought. photo by Don Mooney
Monday’s game was played in front of 24,105 fans, the largest crowd at an FCS title game since 1996 and the seventh-most attended FCS championship game all-time. The Bobcats conclude their season with a 14-2 record, including a perfect 8-0 record in Big Sky play, while winning each of their last 14 games to bring the national championship trophy back to Bozeman.