FARMINGTON, Utah (Jan. 16, 2025) – Four teams finished ranked in the Top 10, five made the FCS playoffs and Montana State played in its second national championship game since the 2021 season to highlight another standout football season for the Big Sky Conference in 2024. Below are news and notes to close out the 2024 season.
Montana State Wraps Up 2024 Season in Frisco
Montana State closed out the season representing the Big Sky Conference in the 2025 FCS National Championship Game, with the Bobcats falling 35-32 to North Dakota State in Frisco, Texas. Montana State outscored the Bison 29-14 in the second half, but couldn't overcome their slow start in the national title game.
The loss was the first of the season for Montana State, giving the Bobcats a 15-1 record to finish out the season which was the best in program history. The trip to the national championship game was Montana State's second since the 2021 season, with both games resulting in a loss to North Dakota State.
Big Sky’s History in Championship Game (6-11)
Season: Big Sky vs. Opponent - Result (Location)
2024: Montana State vs. North Dakota State - L/32-35 (Frisco, TX)
2023: Montana vs. South Dakota State - L/3-23 (Frisco, TX)
2021: Montana State vs. North Dakota State - L/10-38 (Frisco, TX)
2018: Eastern Washington vs. North Dakota State - L/24-38 (Frisco, TX)
2010: Eastern Washington vs. Delaware - W/20-19 (Frisco, TX)
2009: Montana vs. Villanova - L/23-31 (Chattanooga, TN)
2008: Montana vs. Richmond - L/7-24 (Chattanooga, TN)
2004: Montana vs. James Madison - L/21-31 (Chattanooga, TN)
2001: Montana vs. Furman W/13-6 (Chattanooga, TN)
2000: Montana vs. Georgia Southern - L/25-27 (Chattanooga, TN)
1996: Montana vs. Marshall - L/29-49 (Huntington, WV)
1995: Montana vs. Marshall - W/22-20 (
Huntington, WV)
1994: Boise State vs. Youngstown State - L/14-28 (Huntington, WV)
1990: Nevada vs. Georgia Southern - L/13-36 (Statesboro, GA)
1984: Montana State vs. LA Tech - W/19-6 (Charleston, SC)
1981: Idaho State vs. Eastern Kentucky - W/34-23 (Wichita Falls, TX)
1980: Boise State vs. Eastern Kentucky - W/31-29 (Sacramento, CA)
Nashville Named Host of 2026, 2027 FCS National Championship Games
The city of Nashville, Tennessee, and the Ohio Valley Conference were awarded the 2026 and 2027 Division I Football Championship games. The games, which will be co-hosted by the Ohio Valley Conference and the Nashville Sports Council, will be played at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt.
Nashville becomes the 11th city to host the FCS championship game since 1978. It will be the first time the game has been played in Tennessee since Chattanooga hosted from 1997 to 2009.
Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, the host of the game since 2010, originally had been slated to host through 2027. Due to a recently announced multiyear renovation project to begin after the 2025 contest, it became necessary to look at other sites. The location of the game beyond 2027 will be determined in a future bid cycle.
UC Davis Set to Open 2025 Season in 2025 FCS Kickoff Classic
UC Davis will go head-to-head with fellow FCS Quarterfinals participant and nationally-ranked Mercer in the 2025 FCS Kickoff Classic in downtown Montgomery, Ala., the Week 0 event is scheduled for Aug. 23, 2025, at the historic Cramton Bowl.
Mercer will make its second appearance in three seasons, having used a swarming defense to knock off North Alabama, 17-7, in a lightning-altered game that opened the 2023 college football season. UC Davis is the first California-based school to play in the FCS Kickoff Classic.
For the full release,
click here.
Montana's Hauck Named 2025 President of AFCA
Montana head coach Bobby Hauck will lead the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) in 2025 as president of the organization. Hauck, who moves up from first vice-president, succeeds outgoing president Jeff McMartin of Central College. Hauck was elected president by members attending the Association's 2025 Convention this past Tuesday.
For the full release,
click here.
Montana State Takes Home Two Honors at FCS Awards Banquet
Montana State's Tommy Mellott won the Walter Payton Award and Brent Vigen was honored as the Eddie Robinson Award winner, to highlight the Big Sky at the 2024 Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet, presented by FedEx Ground.
Mellott is the 10th Walter Payton Award recipient from the Big Sky and first since Eastern Washington’s Eric Barriere won the honor in 2021. Mellott is the first player from Montana State to win the Walter Payton Award, as the Butte native also swept the Walter Camp and ADA Offensive Player of the Year honors as well this past season.
Vigen was the first Bobcat head coach in program history to win the Eddie Robinson Award, and the first coach from the Big Sky to win the honor since 2019. Overall, the Big Sky has won the award five times, with Vigen joining Troy Taylor of Sacramento State (2019), Dan Hawkins of UC Davis (2018), Joe Glenn of Montana (2000) and Chris Ault of Nevada (1991) as Big Sky winners for the Eddie Robinson Award since it began in 1987.
Final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Features Five Big Sky Teams
Five Big Sky teams finished the 2024 season ranked in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, as Montana State led the league at No. 2 after its national championship game appearance. Joining Montana State was UC Davis at No. 5, Idaho at No. 7, Montana at No. 10 and Northern Arizona at No. 22.
All-American Round Up for Big Sky Football
Below is a list of Big Sky recipients that earned All-American honors from this past season.
Stats Perform FCS All-America Teams
First Team Big Sky Members
Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington
Marcus Wehr, OL, Montana State
Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State
David Meyer, LB, UC Davis
Rex Connors, DB, UC Davis
Junior Bergen, PR, Montana
Lan Larison, AP, UC Davis
Second Team Big Sky Members
Miles Hastings, QB, UC Davis
Rohan Jones, TE, Montana State
Brandon Casey, OL, Montana
Brody Grebe, DL, Montana State
Keyshawn James-Newby, DL, Idaho
Alex McLaughlin, DB, Northern Arizona
Gabe Panikowski, PK, Idaho State
Taco Dowler, PR, Montana State
Michael Wortham, AP, Eastern Washington
Third Team Big Sky Members
Scottre Humphrey, RB, Montana State
Conner Moore, OL, Montana State
Hunter Green, P, Northern Colorado
AP FCS All-America Teams
First Team Big Sky Members
Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
Lan Larison, RB, UC Davis
Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington
Marcus Wehr, OL, Montana State
Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State
Lan Larison, AP, UC Davis
Second Team Big Sky Members
Bryzai White, TE, Northern Arizona
Conner Moore, OL, Montana State
Brody Grebe, DL, Montana State
Rex Connors, DB, UC Davis
Gabe Panikowski, PK, Idaho State
Honorable Mention Big Sky Members
Rohan Jones, TE, Montana State
Brandon Casey, OL, Montana
Wyatt Hansen, OL, Eastern Washington
Ayden Knapik, OL, Idaho
Junior Bergen, AP, Montana
Taco Dowler, AP, Montana State
Keyshawn James-Newby, DL, Idaho
Alex McLaughlin, DB, Northern Arizona
Kyle Thompson, PK, Weber State
Hunter Green, P, Northern Colorado
AFCA FCS All-American Teams
First Team Big Sky Members
Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
Lan Larison, RB, UC Davis
Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington
Marcus Wehr, OL, Montana State
Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State
Keyshawn James-Newby, DL, Idaho
Tommy McCormick, DB, Idaho
Gabe Panikowski, PK, Idaho State
Tommy Sullivan, LS, Montana State
Second Team Big Sky Members
Bryzai White, TE, Northern Arizona
Conner Moore, OL, Montana State
Brandon Casey, OL, Montana
Brody Grebe, DL, Montana State
David Meyer, LB, UC Davis
Rex Connors, DB, UC Davis
Michael Wortham, AP, Eastern Washington
Walter Camp FCS All-America Team
First Team Big Sky Members
Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington
Marcus Wehr, OL, Montana State
Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State
Brody Grebe, DL, Montana State
David Meyer, LB, UC Davis
Gabe Panikowski, PK, Idaho State
Phil Steele FCS All-America Team
First Team Big Sky Members
Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State
Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington
Marcus Wehr, OL, Montana State
Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State
Brody Grebe, DL, Montana State
David Meyer, LB, UC Davis
Rex Connors, DB, UC Davis
Junior Bergen, PR, Montana
Hunter Green, P, Northern Colorado
Second Team Big Sky Members
Lan Larison, RB, UC Davis
Bryzai White, TE, Northern Arizona
Brandon Casey, OL, Montana
Keyshawn James-Newby, DL, Idaho
Tommy Sullivan, LS, Montana State
Junior Bergen, AP, Montana
Third Team Big Sky Members
McCade O'Reilly, LB, Montana State
Taco Dowler, PR, Montana State
Michael Wortham, AP, Eastern Washington
Fourth Team Big Sky Members
Scottre Humphrey, RB, Montana State
Conner Moore, OL, Montana State
Alex McLaughlin, DB, Northern Arizona
Michael Wortham, KR, Eastern Washington
Big Sky Makes 17th Appearance in FCS National Championship Game
With Montana State’s trip to the FCS National Championship Game this past season, the Big Sky booked its 17th appearance in the title game. The 17 appearances trail only the Missouri Valley’s 20 trips.
National Title Game Appearances By Conference
Conf. - App. (Titles)
Missouri Valley - 20 (13)
Big Sky - 17 (6)
SoCon - 16 (8)
CAA - 13 (6)
Marion Hired as New Sacramento State Head Coach
Following Andy Thompson's departure for Stanford, the Sacramento State Hornets named
Brennan Marion the program's 13th head football coach in school history.
One of the top offensive coordinators in the country, Marion comes to the Hornets after spending the last two seasons at UNLV. Under his watch, the Rebels had great success, posting a 19-8 overall record and qualifying for a pair of bowl games.
Ford Hired as New Idaho Head Coach
Following Jason Eck's departure for New Mexico, the Idaho Vandals named former assistant
Thomas Ford as the school's 37th head football coach in program history.
Ford spent the 2024 season as the running backs coach at Oregon State, and spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as Idaho's special teams coordinator and running backs coach.
Montana State Headlines Postseason Honors
After earning its first-ever 12-0 season and first outright Big Sky title since 2011, Montana State was rewarded with four of the five individual awards in the postseason voting. The Bobcats also had nine first teamers and 17 selections overall.
For the full release,
click here.
2024 Big Sky Football Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
Defensive Player of the Year: Brody Grebe, Montana State
Newcomer of the Year: Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona
Freshman of the Year: Adam Jones, Montana State
Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State
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