BOZEMAN — Montana State University's championship parade starts Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Bobcat Stadium, featuring a six-mile route through downtown Bozeman.
“Watching it all come together for them was the best,” Holly Eiden said, reflecting on the moment her beloved Bobcats became national champions.
WATCH - Bobcats celebrate title win:
Like thousands of other Bobcat fans, Eiden was in Nashville to watch the team win a national championship. But for Holly, she's cheering for more than a team.
“My son just finished playing for them — Kenneth Eiden IV — and he played defensive end, number 11,” she said.
Holly’s husband, Kenneth Eiden III, was also a Bobcat, playing from 1987 to 1991. For the Eidens, the Bobcat community runs deep, making the team’s NCAA national championship victory especially meaningful.
It was an emotional moment for the family, watching their son on stage holding the trophy.
“Seeing Kenneth up there on that stadium stage, I was just so excited for him. And so proud,” she said.
The Eidens weren’t alone in their emotions. Hundreds of former players felt the same, including Rick Vancleeve, who helped secure a national championship himself in 1976.
“The extra point — I don’t even remember. I lost my mind,” Vancleeve recalled. “I’ve watched it a million times now, it was a pretty good kick. My son told me the second the game was over, ‘We did it.’”
Vancleeve doesn’t remember a parade being held for either the 1976 or 1984 championship wins, which is why the announcement of this year’s parade was big news.
I asked if Vancleeve would be there. He didn’t hesitate: “Yes, for sure.”
The Bobcat championship parade will kick off Saturday at 10 a.m. from Bobcat Stadium and follow a 6-mile route. The parade will travel north on South 11th Avenue to Main Street, east on Main to Highland Boulevard, west on Kagy Boulevard, and finish back at Bobcat Stadium. Fans will cheer for the football team and coaches, the Spirit of the West marching band, the Spirit Squad, the MSU rodeo team, and more.
The parade is expected to last about an hour. To understand how it might affect downtown operations, Bozeman Street Superintendent Matt Workman explained:
“This is going to be our normal parade closure. It’ll be closed off from 11th all the way to Wallace. The best place to stage and watch the show will be from 7th to Wallace.”
Workman said Main Street will be closed from about 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Streets such as 11th and Highland Boulevard, also part of the parade route, will not be closed.
“They’ll be within traffic and have a police escort, but it’s not going to be a slow-moving parade-type event,” he said.
Meaning downtown is the place for the parade. Bozeman’s parking manager encouraged attendees to walk, bike, take public transportation, or carpool. All public parking areas, including the parking garage and lots, will remain open.
I also reached out to Streamline. An employee told me they expect no detours but caution riders about possible delays.
For those heading to Bobcat Stadium after the parade for speeches and celebrations at 11:30 a.m., Workman advised: “Park on the south side of Main Street so you’re not stuck while we’re opening the road.”
Saturday promises to be an eventful day in downtown Bozeman for Bobcat fans.
“That’s going to be a special thing,” Vancleeve said. “I have people calling me from Great Falls and from out of state saying, ‘Hey, give me the skinny on it — I’m coming.’”
While the parade will end Saturday, the feeling of victory will linger.
“For the guys to get there three times in five years, winning on the third? They should be remembered forever,” Eiden said.
