FARMINGTON, Utah (Jan. 2, 2026) – For the second-consecutive month, the Montana State football program has earned Big Sky Conference Commissioner’s Team of the Month honors from the league office.
In the month of December, the No. 2-seeded Bobcats went 3-0 in the FCS Playoffs to secure their spot in the National Championship Game on Monday, January 5.
The journey started in Bobcat Stadium against an unseeded Yale squad, which was Montana State’s first-ever matchup against an Ivy League team. In the closest contest they played all month, the ‘Cats prevailed 21-13 to advance into the quarterfinals.
When they stepped back on the field in Bozeman a week later, they handled business against No. 7-seeded Stephen F. Austin, pulling away to secure a 44-28 victory.
That win set up a rematch with their heated rivals, as the Montana Grizzlies traveled to Bobcat Stadium on December 20 for a semifinal showdown.
The second edition of the Brawl of the Wild for 2025 didn’t disappoint, and was an extremely tight contest for three quarters, but ultimately the Bobcats outscored the Grizzlies 21-0 in the fourth to book their ticket to Nashville and claim the right to play for another FCS National Championship.
For the ‘Cats, this will be their third trip to the National Championship since 2021. Montana State is 1-2 in the FCS National Championship Game since it began in 1978 and 2-2 in national title games overall.
Montana State will enter Monday’s matchup against Illinois State with a 13-2 overall record, suffering its last loss on September 6. The ‘Cats are looking to avenge their loss a season ago in the National Championship, where they fell to North Dakota State 35-32 in Frisco, Texas.
Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on X, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated to stay connected.
Previous Team of the Month Winners
2025
January – Montana State Women’s Basketball
February – Northern Arizona Women’s Indoor Track & Field
March – Sacramento State Women’s Golf
April – Idaho State Softball
May – Weber State Softball
June – Northern Arizona Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
July – Eastern Washington Women's Golf
August – Weber State Volleyball
September – Montana Athletics
October – Montana Soccer
November – Montana State Football
2024
January – Northern Arizona Indoor Track & Field Programs
February – Eastern Washington Basketball Programs
March – Northern Arizona Men’s Indoor Track & Field
April – Sacramento State Athletics
May – Idaho State & Montana State Campus Staffs
June – Montana Marketing Department
July – Weber State Women’s Cross Country
August – Montana State Football
September – Idaho State Volleyball
October – Montana Women’s Soccer
November – Northern Arizona Women’s Cross Country
December – Montana State Football