On Saturday, Yale will face the Montana State Bobcats in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in what’s forecasted to be a snowy Bozeman, Montana, where the altitude is thousands of feet higher than what the Bulldogs are used to in New Haven.

Audrey Kim

5:35 am, Dec 05, 2025

Contributing Reporter

Martina Nolte via Wikimedia Commons

When the Yale Bulldogs (9–2, 6–1 Ivy) face the Montana State Bobcats (10–2, 8–0 Big Sky) on Saturday in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, they will have to brave frigid temperatures in a hostile road environment just like they did last week in Youngstown, Ohio.

The Weather Channel predicts the temperature in Bozeman on Saturday to be between 27 and 37 degrees fahrenheit. Snow is also forecasted to fall in Bozeman Thursday through Saturday — a weather challenge the Elis have not yet encountered this season.

“The snow makes the ball slippery so passing is more difficult. You want to ‘take the air out of the ball’ and run it more often,” offensive lineman Charlie Humphreys ’28 said. “Skill positions, receivers and defensive backs, both have a more difficult time cutting back and forth on the snowy ground. I will also say hitting in the cold hurts more, but that doesn’t affect strategy or decision making in any way, it just kind of sucks.”

Playing in the snow will require the Bulldogs to make notable adjustments, particularly for making or defending pass plays. Receivers and defensive backs are required to constantly run across the field and keep their eyes on their opponent and the ball. However, snow in the air can decrease visibility for players, and snow on the ground can make it slippery and harder for players to maneuver. 

This means that Yale will likely be relying on the run game even more than usual this weekend, and that fans can expect a large load for team captain and star running back Josh Pitsenberger ’26. Pitsenberger was named the 2025 Ivy offensive player of the year and played a key role in the Bulldogs’ victory over Youngstown State, scoring three touchdowns and rushing for 209 yards.

The weather can also change the pressure of the ball — a change that could potentially affect the effectiveness of quarterback Dante Reno ’28.

The Bulldogs will also be playing at a higher elevation than they have all season. Bozeman has an elevation of roughly 4,800 feet, while New Haven’s recorded elevation is 59 feet. 

At higher elevations, there is less oxygen in the air, which can cause altitude sickness and reduced stamina. Typically, 4,800 feet is not a high enough elevation to induce altitude sickness, but the Elis will have to adjust to the thin air in addition to the snow. 

Though players have acknowledged the unfamiliar weather and altitude, they say they aren’t dwelling on those circumstances as they embark for Bozeman.

“All we can do is focus on the things we can control,” kicker Nick Conforti ’26 told the News.

The Saturday forecast for Bozeman is cloudy with morning snow showers.