FARMINGTON, Utah (Jan. 3, 2022) - For the first time since 1984, Montana State football will be playing for a national title, as the Bobcats face off against North Dakota State in the FCS National Championship Game on Saturday, Jan. 8, in Frisco, Texas. Kickoff between the Bobcats and Bison is slated for 10:00 a.m. MT and will be televised on ESPN2.
FULL BIG SKY FOOTBALL FCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NOTEBOOK (PDF)
• Montana State defeated South Dakota State 31-17 in the FCS Semifinals to reach its first National Championship Game since 1984. The Bobcats topped Louisiana Tech, 19-6, in 1984 to win the national title.
• The Bobcats were also crowned the Div. II national champions in 1976 prior to the 1978 I-AA move. Montana State defeated North Dakota State, 10-3, in the Grantland Rice Bowl on its way to a championship victory over Akron, 24-13, in the Pioneer Bowl.
• No. 8 Montana State is the lowest-seeded team to make the National Championship Game since Youngstown State made the title game in 1999 as the No. 9 seed. YSU also made it in 2016 but was unseeded.
• Montana State's foe North Dakota State is making its eighth appearance in the National Championship Game since 2011. The Bison are 8-0 in those eight appearances with the closest game coming against Illinois State, 29-27, in 2014.
• Montana State has faced North Dakota State 36 times dating back to 1914, while earning a 21-15 record overall against the Bison. NDSU has won the last three matchups, with all three contests coming in the FCS Playoffs (2019, 2018, 2010).
• Since 1978, the Big Sky has appeared in the National Championship Game a total of 15 times. Montana has earned seven of those title game appearances for the league. Montana State's trip will mark the first appearance for the Big Sky since Eastern Washington played NDSU in 2018.
• The Big Sky had a stretch between 2000-2010 with six National Championship Game appearances, winning twice. Since 1978, the Big Sky owns six National Championships in football, with the last coming in 2010 after Eastern Washington knocked off Delaware. Montana is the only Big Sky team to win twice since 1978.
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.
2021 FCS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE (Big Sky)
SATURDAY, Nov. 27 (1st Round)
South Dakota State 56, UC Davis 24
EWU 19, Northern Iowa 9
FRIDAY, DEC. 3 (2nd Round)
#6 Montana 57, EWU 41
SATURDAY, DEC. 4 (2nd Round)
#8 Montana State 26, UT Martin 7
South Dakota State 24, #4 Sac State 19
FRIDAY, DEC. 10 (Quarterfinals)
#3 James Madison 28, #6 Montana 6
SATURDAY, DEC. 11 (Quarterfinals)
#8 Montana State 42, #1 Sam Houston 19
SATURDAY, DEC. 18 (Semifinals)
#8 Montana State 31, South Dakota State 17
SATURDAY, JAN. 8 (Championship)
#8 Montana State vs. #2 NDSU - 10:00 a.m. MT (ESPN2)
Rankings are FCS National Seedings
All times MT