Montana and Montana State each stand one win away from playing in the 2025 FCS championship game. But the bitter rivals are going to have to take down the other in their first-ever matchup in the national playoffs.
At long last, the most heated rivalry in FCS football is getting an encore in the playoffs.
The 125th all-time meeting between rivals Montana and Montana State will occur in the semifinal round on Saturday – yup, for the first time in the playoffs – to determine which FCS power is headed to the national championship game.
It also marks their second meeting in the same season since home-and-home games in 1913.
The hostilities, er rematch comes less than a month after Montana State won 31-28 at Montana to determine the Big Sky championship, and that result has led to a switch in stadiums to Bozeman.
In the FCS playoffs, this will be Montana’s record 71st all-time game and Montana State’s 33rd – but, of course, their first against each other.
FCS Playoffs Semifinal
No. 3 Seed Montana (13-1) at No. 2 Seed Montana State (12-2)
Kickoff – 4 p.m. ET Saturday (ABC) at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana
Series – Montana leads 74-44-5 (last meeting: Montana State won 31-28 in Missoula on Nov. 22)
Wins in 2025 FCS Playoffs – Montana: South Dakota State (50-29), South Dakota (52-22); Montana State: Yale (21-13), Stephen F. Austin (44-28)
Coaches – Montana: Bobby Hauck (151-42, 15th season; 166-91 overall); Montana State: Brent Vigen (59-12, fifth season)
3 Players to Watch – Montana: QB Keali’I Ah Yat (3,819 pass yards, 69.6 completion%, 32 TDs, 8 INTs; 7 rush TDs), RB Eli Gillman (234 carries, 1,434 yards, 22 overall TDs), WR/KR Michael Wortham (163.9 all-purpose yards per game, 17 TDs); Montana State: QB Justin Lamson (238.9 offensive yards per game, 34 total TDs, 3 INTs), RB Adam Jones (1,201 scrimmage yards, 15 TDs), S Caden Dowler (90 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 6 INTs with 267 return yards)
Notable – In MSU’s regular season win over UM, the Bobcats took the lead for good 24-21 on Dowler’s 34-yard interception return for a late third-quarter touchdown (the game’s only turnover). Lamson accounted for 255 yards and two TDs … MSU has won the last four meetings in Bozeman since UM posted a 54-35 victory in 2015. … The host Bobcats, who are riding a 12-game winning streak, rank fourth in the FCS in rushing yards per game (234.1). Julius Davis leads with 1,044 yards, but Jones (916) has been over 100 in each playoff win. … Defensive end Kenneth Eiden IV is coming off a career-high three sacks against SFA. … Myles Sansted is 32 for 40 (80%) on career field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards. … MSU is 8-1 at home this season and has won 43 of its last 45 games inside Bobcat Stadium since 2019. Montana is 4-0 in road games this season. … UM’s offense ranks third nationally in points per game (42.3) and fourth in yards per game (464.9), but those averages are 51.0 and 500.5, respectively, in the playoffs. … Gillman has 15 career games with 100+ rushing yards, but the loss was against MSU on Nov. 22. … Safety Diezel Wilkinson leads the Grizzlies with 70 tackles and four other players have at least 67 stops. Cornerback Kenzel Lawler has two of the team’s 21 interceptions as well as 13 pass breakups.
Opta Win Probabilities – Montana State: 72.9%; Montana: 27.1%
Up Next – The Montana vs. Montana State winner will play No. 12 seed Villanova (12-2) or Illinois State (11-4) in the FCS championship game on Jan. 5 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Prediction – Montana 28, Montana State 24
Top photos via Montana and Montana State Athletics. For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
FCS Playoffs Semifinal: Montana vs. Montana State Preview & Prediction Opta Analyst.
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