NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Talk about an instant classic. The Montana State Bobcats will celebrate Monday night's FCS Championship win for decades — after waiting decades to achieve it.
In a game the Bobcats never trailed during regulation, they held off a salty, Cinderella Illinois State team 35-34 in overtime to capture their fourth national title and first since 1984.
The Bobcats, who led 21-7 at halftime and 28-14 in the fourth quarter, needed fourth-down heroics twice to escape. Tied 28-28 with 57 seconds left in regulation, Michael Cosentino lined up for a 38-yard go-ahead field goal attempt on fourth and 1, but Jhase McMillan darted in for the block to help force overtime.
Hear postgame reaction from the Bobcats:
Then with the Bobcats facing fourth and 10 and trailing 34-28 in OT (after Cosentino's PAT was blocked by Hunter Parsons), Justin Lamson hit Taco Dowler with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 34-34. Myles Stansted's made PAT sent the blue and gold into a frenzied celebration.
Dowler was superb, totaling eight catches for 111 yards and scoring twice. His 1,025 receiving yards this season rank sixth in Bobcat history, and his 1,873 career receiving yards are ninth on the program’s all-time list. Lamson closed with 280 yards passing and two TDs. He also ran for two more scores.
Tommy Rittenhouse finished with 311 yards passing and four TDs for the Redbirds. Dylan Lord had 13 catches for 161 yards receiving and two TDs.
