Montana State Edges Montana 31-28 to Claim Big Sky Title in Brawl of the Wild

Overview

• Caden Dowler returned a tipped pass 34 yards for a third-quarter touchdown that flipped the lead in Montana State’s favor.
• Quarterback Justin Lamson completed 18 of 20 passes for 175 yards and rushed for 80, logging both a passing and rushing score for the seventh straight game.
• Zac Crews blocked a 44-yard field-goal attempt, and the Bobcats ran out the final 6:59 with key late conversions and 106 rushing yards from Julius Davis.
• The victory delivers the Big Sky championship to Montana State and, per local reporting, positions the Bobcats for the No. 2 overall FCS playoff seed with a first-round bye, with seeding to be confirmed Sunday morning.
• Montana dropped to 11-1 yet remains in line for a high seed, as a record crowd was reported in Missoula and statewide watch parties in Kalispell and Billings underscored the rivalry’s reach.