Montana

FCS National Championship Preview & Prediction: Montana State vs. North Dakota State

Published

1 year ago

January 4, 2025

FCS National Championship Preview & Prediction: Montana State vs. North Dakota State

No. 1 Montana State will face No. 2 North Dakota State in the 2025 Division I FCS National Championship game. Kickoff is scheduled for Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

It would be Montana State’s first FCS national championship since 1984 when the Bobcats defeated Louisiana Tech in Charleston, South Carolina. North Dakota State is seeking its tenth FCS national championship, but the Bison have not won it all since 2021 when they defeated the Bobcats.

2024 FCS Playoff Bracket

2024 Prediction Record: 175-46
2022-23 Record: 207-75

Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)
Line: Montana State (-3.5)
Series History: Montana State leads 21-17

Key Players: Montana State

Tommy Mellott (QB): 190-for-276 (68.8%), 2,564 Passing Yards, 29 Passing TDs, 2 INTs, 915 Rushing Yards, 14 Rushing TDs

Scottre Humphrey (RB): 188 Carries, 1,360 Rushing Yards, 7.2 YPC, 15 Rushing TDs

Adam Jones (RB): 173 Carries, 1,134 Rushing Yards, 6.6 YPC, 14 Rushing TDs

Brody Grebe (DL): 35 Total Tackles, 10 TFLs, 8.5 Sacks, 5 PBUs, 8 QBHs, 1 FF, 2 FRs

Kenneth Eiden IV (DL): 26 Total Tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 8 Sacks, 5 QBHs, 1 FR

Key Players: North Dakota State

Cam Miller (QB): 239-for-329 (72.6%), 3,052 Passing Yards, 31 Passing TDs, 4 INTs, 510 Rushing Yards, 10 Rushing TDs

CharMar Brown (RB): 227 Carries, 1,104 Rushing Yards, 4.9 YPC, 14 Rushing TDs

Bryce Lance (WR): 66 Receptions, 964 Receiving Yards, 14.6 YPC, 16 Receiving TDs

Logan Kopp (LB): 69 Total Tackles, 8 TFLs, 3 Sacks, 3 INTs, 6 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR

Eli Mostaert (DL): 56 Total Tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 6 Sacks, 4 QBHs

Montana State has a chance to make history, becoming only the third team in college football history to finish 16-0, joining 2019 North Dakota State and 1894 Yale. The Bobcats have been the most dominant team in the nation all season, winning by an average of 24 points per game.

It starts with the most electric player at the FCS level, quarterback Tommy Mellott. Mellott is completing over 68% of his passes for 2,564 yards, 29 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. He leads the nation in passing efficiency while being dangerous outside the pocket with his legs. Averaging over 8.4 yards per carry, Mellott has recorded over 900 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns for the Bobcats. His playmaking ability will test North Dakota State’s linebackers and safeties in space.

The Bobcats are averaging 301 rushing yards per game this season, ranking No. 2 nationally. The dynamic duo of Scottre Humphrey and Adam Jones have combined for over 1,500 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Montana State’s offensive line is the catalyst for its dominance on the ground, headlined by All-American Marcus Wehr.

The Bison defense has done an excellent job of generating negative plays, which will be a huge key in this game. North Dakota State led all playoff teams with a tackle-for-loss rate of over 10%, led by Eli Mostaert (11.5 TFLs) and Kody Huisman (7.5 TFLs). The interior of the Bison defensive line has continued to be dominant, which will be something to watch against an impressive Montana State offensive line.

North Dakota State’s linebackers will be in the spotlight against this dynamic Montana State offense. Logan Kopp leads the unit with 69 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, and three interceptions. The Bison rank No. 116 nationally in tackling this season, which will be a point of emphasis on Monday night.

While Mellott will challenge the Bison defense, North Dakota State has its own dynamic weapon in quarterback Cam Miller. Miller has completed 72.6% of his passes for 3,052 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. In multiple games this season, Miller has shown an elite ability to make a play when the Bison need it most, leading game-winning drives in key moments. His connection with wide receiver Bryce Lance is dangerous, leading to a single-season record 16 receiving touchdowns.

Montana State’s secondary will be tested in this game, but the Bobcats have been outstanding against the pass, holding opponents to 190.2 passing yards per game. A key aspect of this Montana State defense is the pass rush, led by Brody Grebe and Kenneth Eiden IV. The duo has combined for 19.5 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks. North Dakota State’s offensive line allows pressure on less than 20% of all dropbacks, anchored by All-Americans Grey Zabel and Mason Miller. Will the Bobcats be able to make Miller uncomfortable in the pocket on Monday night? It will be one of the biggest keys of the game.

North Dakota State has ended Montana State’s postseason journey four times since 2018, including a dominant win over the Bobcats in the FCS National Championship game three seasons ago. Will the Bobcats finally find a way past the Bison in the postseason?

I expect an extremely competitive game on Monday night at Toyota Stadium. This North Dakota State team has silenced the doubters all season long, but there is a special feeling around this Montana State squad. From Week 0 until now, the Bobcats have been the nation’s most dominant and consistent team. Mellott leads Montana State on a game-winning drive late, securing the program’s first national championship since 1984.

Prediction: Montana State (38-31)

Behind The Numbers: FCS National Championship Preview
FCS National Championship: Offensive Spotlight
FCS National Championship: Defensive Spotlight
History Of The FCS National Championship Game
2024 FCS Playoffs: Official Bracket, Schedule, Scores

Follow FCS Football Central on social media for ongoing coverage of FCS football, including on X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Source link

Montana

Apparent AI Glitch in Filing by Montana Public Defender, Recent Congressional Candidate

Published

11 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Apparent AI Glitch in Filing by Montana Public Defender, Recent Congressional Candidate

Everyone makes mistakes, even experienced professionals; a good reminder for the rest of us to learn from those mistakes. The motion in State v. Stroup starts off well in its initial pages (no case law hallucinations), but is then followed by several pages of two other motions, which I don’t think the lawyer was planning to file, and which appear to have been AI-generated: It begins with the “Below is concise motion language you can drop into …” language quoted above.

Griffen Smith (Missoulian) reported on the story, and included the prosecutor’s motion to strike that filing, on the grounds that it violates a local rule (3(G)) requiring disclosure of the use of generative AI:

The document does not include a generative artificial intelligence disclosure as required. However, page 7 begins as follows: “Below is concise motion language you can drop into a ‘Motion to Admit Mental-Disease Evidence and for Related Instructions’ keyed to 45-6-204, 45-6-201, and 4614-102. Adjust headings/captions to your local practice.” Page 10 states “Below is a full motion you can paste into your pleading, then adjust names, dates, and styles to fit local practice.” These pages also include several apparent hyperlinks to “ppl-ai-file-upload.s3.amazonaws,” “ppl-ai-fileupload.s3.amazonaws+1,” and others. The document includes what appears to be an attempt at a second case caption on page 12. It is not plausible on its face that any source other than generative AI would have created such language for a filed version of a brief….

There’s more in that filing, but here’s one passage:

While generative AI can be a useful tool for some purposes and may have greater application in the future, when used improperly, and without meaningful review, it can ultimately damage both the perception and the reality of the profession. One assumes that Mr. Stroup has had, or will at some point have, an opportunity to review the filing made on his behalf. What impression could a review of pgs. 12-19 leave upon a defendant who struggles with paranoia and delusional thinking? While AI could theoretically one day become a replacement for portions of staff of experienced attorneys, it is readily apparent that this day has not yet arrived.

The Missoulan article includes this response:

In a Wednesday interview, Office of Public Defender Division Administrator Brian Smith told the Missoulian the AI-generated language was inadvertently included in an unrelated filing. And he criticized the county attorney’s office for filing a “four-page diatribe about the dangers of AI” instead of working with the defense to correct her mistake.
“That’s not helping the client or the case,” Smith said, “and all you are doing is trying to throw a professional colleague under the bus.”

As I mentioned, the lawyer involved seems quite experienced, and ran for the Montana Public Service Commission in 2020 (getting nearly 48% of the vote) and for the House of Representatives in Montana’s first district in 2022 (getting over 46% of the vote) and in 2024 (getting over 44%). “Его пример другим наука,” Pushkin wrote in Eugene Onegin—”May his example profit others,” in the Falen translation.

Thanks to Matthew Monforton for the pointer.

Source link

Montana

Your guide to local sports events, plus what’s on TV

Published

23 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Your guide to local sports events, plus what’s on TV

State

Zip Code

Country

Source link

Montana

Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026

HELENA — You probably have goals and plans for 2026—the Montana Department of Agriculture does too.

“We’re really focusing on innovative agricultural practices,” Montana Department of Agriculture director Jillien Streit said.

It’s no secret that agriculture—farming and ranching—is not easy. There are long days, planning, monitoring crops and livestock, and other challenges beyond farmers’ and ranchers’ control.

(WATCH: Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026)

Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026

“We have very low commodity prices across the board,” Streit said. “We still have very high input prices across the board, and we have really high prices when it comes to our equipment, and so, it’s a really tough year.”

But innovation, including new practices, partnerships and technology use, can help navigate some of those challenges.

“We can’t make more time and we can’t make more land, so we need to start putting together innovative practices that help us maximize what our time and land can do,” Streit said.

Practices range from using technology like autonomous tractors and virtual fencing—allowing rangers to contain and move cattle right from their phones—to regenerative farming and ranching.

“It is bringing cattle back into farming operations to be able to work with cover cropping practices to invigorate the soil for new soil health benefits,” Streit said.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is working to help producers learn, share, and collaborate on new ideas to work in their operations.

The department will share stories of practices that work from farms and ranches across the state. Also, within the next year or so, Streit said the department is hoping to roll out technology to help producers collaborate.

“(It’s) providing a communication platform where people can get together and really help each other out by utilizing each other’s assets,” she said.

While not easy, agriculture is still one of Montana’s largest industries, and Streit said innovating and sharing ideas across the state can keep it going long into the future.

Source link