BOZEMAN, Montana (Dec. 18, 2021) - Montana State didn't disappoint its over-capacity crowd and millions watching on ESPN2, as the Bobcats defeated South Dakota State 31-17 in the FCS Semifinals to advance to the National Championship Game for the first time since 1984.
Tommy Mellott led Montana State on Saturday after scoring four touchdowns and adding nearly 400 yards of total offense, as the freshman quarterback continued his hot streak in the FCS Playoffs. The Bobcat defense also picked off a pass and stopped South Dakota State on fourth down three times.
Montana State will now face North Dakota State in the FCS National Championship Game on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The appearance in the National Championship Game will be the first for Montana State since defeating Louisiana Tech 19-6 for the title in 1984.
Montana State's appearance in the National Championship Game will also mark the first trip for a Big Sky team since Eastern Washington played North Dakota State on Jan. 5, 2019. Overall, the Big Sky will have played for a national title in football 13 times since 1980.
Follow all things #BigSkyFB on Twitter and Instagram at @BigSkyFB. Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated.