MSU outscoring opponents by 30 points per game over 6-0 stretch
By Colter Nuanez SKYLINE SPORTS
The standard of excellence established during four-and-a-half seasons under Brent Vigen’s guidance at Montana State has become so elevated that Saturday’s 17-point win at Cal Poly might seem lackluster.
On one hand, Montana State dominated the Mustangs for three full quarters on Oct. 25, allowing just 105 total yards and just five first downs entering the final frame. On that same hand, Montana State out-rushed Cal Poly 290 yards to 50.
On the other hand, the Mustangs scored 14 straight in the fourth quarter to cut a 27-3 advantage to 27-17 before the Bobcats slammed the door in the Mustangs’ faces.
Julius Davis rushed for a career-high 175 yards and Adam Jones scored a touchdown with 3 minutes, 35 seconds remaining that proved to be the final dagger as Montana State emerged with a 34-17 win in San Luis Obispo, California.
Following the game, Vigen did not mince words as he described playing to the standard he’s set for his team following MSU’s sixth straight victory.
“A three-score win on the road and a game where we had dominance on both sides, but at the same time it was a messy win,” Vigen said following his 53rd win in his five years as Bobcat head coach.
“It felt methodical at times. Our inability to put up touchdowns early while our defense was really suffocating them. Fortunately, we got that score before the half and came out and scored in quick fashion, opened up a 27-3 lead and that’s when the knockout punch needs to come,” he added.
The win moves No. 5 MSU to 4-0 in the Big Sky Conference and 6-2 overall. The Mustangs fell to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the league.
Montana State’s football program was the class of the Big Sky Conference under Jim Sweeney in the 1960s and Sonny Holland in the 1970s. Sweeney led MSU to three of the first five Big Sky Conference championships before bolting to Washington State. Holland led MSU to three more Big Sky titles between 1971 and 1977, including the 1976 Division II national championship. His legend grew so great, there’s a statue of his image in his honor in front of Bobcat Stadium.
Sonny Lubick led MSU to the 1979 Big Sky title and Dave Arnold led MSU to the Division I-AA national title in 1984. Then Montana State football fell into hibernation.
Over the next 18 years, MSU did not make the playoffs or win the Big Sky. Four winning seasons under Cliff Hysell (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) were the only four between 1985 and 2002.
Even when Mike Kramer led the Bobcats back to Big Sky glory with shared titles in 2002, 2003 and 2005, Bobcat fans were always weary of the projected success on road trips, especially to places like Cal Poly, Weber State and Northern Arizona.
Montana State won or shared seven Big Sky Conference championships before Vigen took over. The Bobcats made the playoffs nine times between 2002 and 2019 and advanced to the semifinals of the FCS playoffs in Jeff Choate’s final season.
Yet there’s never been a run of success, particularly against FCS and Big Sky competition, like Vigen has been able to construct.
Saturday marked his 33rd win in 36 Big Sky games. His teams have now won 12 conference games in a row. He has 53 wins against just 12 losses. Of those 12 losses, three—Wyoming in 2021, Oregon State in 2022 and Oregon this season—came against FBS competition. Two have come in national championship games at the hands of North Dakota State and three more have come to South Dakota State, including in the semifinals of the 2022 playoffs, early in the 2023 season and earlier this season in Bozeman. Two more have been rivalry losses to Montana in Missoula. The lone outlier was a 24-21 loss at Idaho in 2023, although that UI team was ranked No. 9 in the country and advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
In other words, don’t take a 17-point win in San Luis Obispo for granted. It’s never been as easy for the Bobcats as it seems under Vigen.
Montana State has swiftly rebounded from an 0-2 start to take a six-game winning streak into November. The Bobcats have held six of their seven FCS opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense. MSU is averaging 38.5 points per contest and giving up just 8.5 points per game during the winning streak.
A collision course seems to be in the works if both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies can take care of business down the stretch. Montana moved to 8-0 with a 49-35 win at Sacramento State on Friday night, Oct. 24. With South Dakota State’s 38-7 loss to North Dakota State, both the Treasure State powers are primed to move up in the polls.
Montana State will try to keep its momentum rolling at Northern Colorado next week.
“Up 27-3, we need to be able to deliver the knockout punch on defense,” Vigen said. “Credit to Cal Poly for continuing to fight. When we get out on offense, we have to respond and not fumble.
“These other teams are well coached and they will try to take advantage of any opportunity,” he continued. “It wasn’t that our backs were against the wall, but we had to respond. We did. We definitely have some things to clean up. But that’s a road win against a good team and now it’s on to November.
Colter Nuanez has covered the Big Sky Conference for 19 seasons and has directly covered Montana State since 2011. His work can be found at skylinesportsmt.com and he can be reached at Colter.Nuanez@gmail.com.
