Montana

Kolpack: Five Things to watch in the Bison-Montana game

Published

1 year ago

December 15, 2023

Kolpack: Five Things to watch in the Bison-Montana game

FARGO — When it comes to North Dakota State at the University of Montana, the first order of business for Five Things was to figure out tickets. So taking cue from last week when some Bison fans figured out the password to restricted USD seats — “playoffs” — he decided to try and do the same thing.

Five Things, after all, is all about finding the locals good places to watch the Bison.

The first attempt — “wideright2003” — didn’t work. Not sure why.

That was followed by the ensuing password tries:

”WhereisBobStitt?”
“FlySweep!!*”
“WeKilledBobcats23!”
“Bobcatssuck!!!!!!!!”

All failed, maybe the last one didn’t have enough exclamation points. Sorry Bison fans, you’re on your own to figure out a way into Washington-Grizzly Stadium, one of the favorite venues in all of college football for Five Things. In September, there is nothing like a haze of smoke that greets the opening month of college football.
In December, it is a thing of beauty to see the snow on the neighboring Bitterroot Mountains and a game that really matters to two of the blue-blood programs in Division I FCS football.

Montana is 12-1 and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, but Vegas doesn’t seem to care that NDSU, 11-3 and on the road for the third straight week, is unseeded. The game is a tossup by the offshore betting site 5Dimes.

It wasn’t a tossup in 2003 when the Division II Bison upset the Griz, thanks to a last-second missed field goal. It was a tossup in 2015 when first-year head coach Bob Stitt beat NDSU 38-35 in the season opener, in which in the postgame press conference he declared Montana’s swagger was back.

Chris Klieman, then the head Bison coach, took exception after NDSU’s 37-6 playoff victory later that year when he declared, “You don’t win national championships in August, you win those suckers in December.”

In a tossup game, this is a challenge for Five Things to come up with five factors that will make a difference Saturday, especially for loyal readers of this column knowing that the backup quarterback is writing it instead of The Forum’s columnist.

But here it goes:

Montana started the season like a team destined for the middle of the pack in the Big Sky Conference. A 35-20 season-opening win over non-scholarship Butler University (Ind.) of the Pioneer Football League wasn’t impressive. Most top teams in the FCS beat a Pioneer team by 40-something or 50-something to less than 10.

You know, like NDSU beating Drake 66-3 in the first round of the playoffs.

The Grizzlies went on the road and handled Utah Tech, formerly junior college Dixie State which is trying to make a go of it in the FCS. Then came Ferris State, a very good Division II team, but still Division II.

Ferris led 10-3 at halftime before the Grizzlies rallied with two touchdowns in the second half to win 17-10. The Griz had to stop a late Ferris drive via turnover on downs to secure the win.

There were two more meh performances in September: A 28-14 loss at Northern Arizona, a team that finished 5-6, and a less-than-impressive 28-20 win over Idaho State, a team that finished 3-8. That required a fourth-quarter touchdown run from running back Eli Gillman to secure that win.

That was Montana quarterback Clifton McDowell’s first game as a starter. That was the start of the resurgence of the season that has the Grizzlies playing into the semifinals.

McDowell’s dual-threat running and passing ability has been tough on opponents. It’s not his first rodeo, either. He’s on his fourth school starting with FBS Louisiana for two years, Kilgore College (Texas) for one, Central Arkansas for one before settling on a home in Missoula.

He has looked at home at quarterback.

NDSU will have to contain at least one of his threats, most likely the run game. Whereas NDSU’s Cam Miller leads the FCS in completion percentage, McDowell is completing 122 of 205 passes for 59.5%.

Somebody flipped a switch somewhere with the Bison, perhaps starting with a 34-10 win at home against nationally ranked Southern Illinois. It came one week after another defeat at South Dakota State, when the NDSU season was already at a rare three-loss mark.

But the Bison have won five straight and never looked better this season than in last weeks’ 45-17 win at South Dakota in the quarterfinals.

North Dakota State players thank the Bison fans after the win over South Dakota in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.

David Samson/The Forum

“It’s been great to be on a little win streak here,” said senior wide receiver Zach Mathis. “No better time to have it than at this time of the year. Most of the national championship teams I was a part of were undefeated teams that just kind of swept through everyone. To have a season like this, one, it was different, it was a shock early on but we’re making the most of it and it’s been amazing to be a part of it.”

In that regard, NDSU and Montana mirrored each other: Slow starts, questionable season outlooks but strong when it’s counted.

It’s the second trip back to the state of Montana in three weeks for the Bison, who at least got a home game and layup against Drake University (Iowa) in the first round. That was on Nov. 25, but it seems longer ago than that.

The trip to Montana State was not only on the road, it was exhausting with a 35-34 overtime win thanks to a blocked extra point in OT by Hunter Poncius. Last week, the Bison got on the bus for a 3-1/2-hour drive to Sioux Falls on Friday and the 45-minute drive to Vermillion on Saturday morning for the quarterfinal game.

On Friday, it’s back on the plane for the charter to Missoula.

Too much travel? Five Things will note that South Dakota State hit the road in 2021 for playoff games at Sacramento State, Villanova and Montana State, with the Jackrabbits clearly running out of gas in the second half at MSU. The Bobcats owned the final two quarters in a 31-17 win.

NDSU linebacker Luke Weerts said the team is taking a “road dog” mentality.

“Most of the time you see comments and tweets that the playoffs have to go through the Fargodome,” Mathis said. “I kind of feel like the playoffs have to go through the Bison no matter what, home or away. We’re making that impact at whatever stadium or venue we’re playing at.”

NDSU has gone years without needing a silent count on offense. I mean, years. Five Things can count on two fingers the number of stadiums in the Missouri Valley Football Conference where the crowd makes a difference: the University of North Dakota and South Dakota State. The University of South Dakota and Northern Iowa have their moments, but it’s not a consistent thing.

Otherwise, the Bison quarterback sometimes doesn’t have to raise his voice.

North Dakota State and Montana dueled in a 2015 game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Not in Missoula. Washington-Grizzly fans are close to the field and when it’s cold, the best way to warm up is to yell and be loud. Five Things expects those who participate in mind-enhancing drinks will double their recipes in the tailgate lot and be ready to go.

So do the Bison players and coaches.

“It’s something different to experience that I haven’t experienced before,” Mathis said.

For the first half of the season, NDSU backup quarterback Cole Payton was his team’s leading rusher. Then came a silent stretch where he hardly got the ball and on a couple occasions when he did, he looked hesitant.

No longer.

Perhaps starting with a 65-yard touchdown run against Northern Iowa in the last regular season game, Payton’s roar has been restored. He had two touchdowns and 104 yards rushing against Drake. He had a key completion to get the Bison out of the shadow of their end zone against Montana State, a game in which the Bobcats keyed on the NDSU QB running game paving the way for TaMerik Williams’ 162 yards and two touchdowns.

Last week, Payton smashed USD with two key touchdown runs.

Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he’s covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU’s Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: “Horns Up,” “North Dakota Tough” and “Covid Kids.” He is the radio host of “The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack” April through August.

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Montana

Montana Lottery Lucky For Life, Big Sky Bonus results for Dec. 22, 2024

Published

6 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2024, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

04-07-37-43-47, Lucky Ball: 08

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-12-23-27, Bonus: 06

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9:00 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Montana

FCS Championship Game: Montana St vs NDSU Tale of the Tape | Opta Analyst

Published

14 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

FCS Championship Game: Montana St vs NDSU Tale of the Tape | Opta Analyst

It’s a dream matchup, with No. 1 seed Montana State considered a slight favorite over No. 2 seed North Dakota State heading into the 2024 FCS championship game. As they build off rousing semifinal-round wins, we preview what to expect when each finalist has the ball.

If it feels like Montana State and North Dakota State are standing in opposite corners staring across at each other, you have it right.

The 2024 FCS championship game is a heavyweight bout between the top two seeds from an original 24-team field that embarked on the Road to Frisco.

Come the night of the Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, Montana State (15-0) will have spent over two months as the FCS’ last unbeaten team. But the No. 1-seeded Bobcats’ last defeat occurred against NDSU – a 35-34 overtime thriller in the 2023 playoff second round.

The No. 2-seeded Bison (13-2) are back where most of their recent seasons have gone. They’ve already captured nine FCS championships prior to their 11th appearance in Frisco since the 2011 season – both all-time highs for the Division I subdivision.

A tale of the tape suggests a lot with this season’s FCS championship game. Maybe Michael Buffer should be brought in for pregame introductions.

When Montana State Has the Ball

Incredibly, the Bobcats have scored in 54 of their 60 quarters this season while averaging an FCS-high 41.3 points per game. They want to pound the run – plain and simple.

Coach Brent Vigen’s squad ranks No. 2 in the FCS in rushing yards per game (301.0), with their devasting attack set up by an offensive line whose five starters are all listed as being at least 6-foot-4, 300 pounds (right tackle Marcus Wehr is a two-time first-team All-American).

North Dakota State rarely surrenders 85 rushing yards to an opposing quarterback, but that’s what Tommy Mellott needs for the Bobcats to gain a third 1,000-yard rusher along with their standout running backs, the physical Scottre Humphrey (1,360 yards, 15 touchdowns) and the big-play Adam Jones (1,134, 14). Mellott has 15 career games of 100+ rushing yards, including in their last two playoff wins.

Graphic by Graham Bell.

Ty McCullouch is by far Montana State’s top pass catcher over his two seasons in the program, but fellow wide receiver Taco Dowler has been the go-to target of Mellott (2,564 yards, 29 TDs to just two interceptions) during the playoffs, catching four touchdowns across the three wins.

The NDSU program has long subscribed to the concept that field goals won’t beat it, and the Bison have done well to defend their red zone, allowing touchdowns on just 57.9% of their opponents’ opportunities.

The defense, anchored by tackle Eli Mostaert, allows 119.3 rushing yards per game. The Bobcats, though, have been over 200 rushing yards in each of their playoff wins.

When North Dakota State Has the Ball

NDSU’s offense is different in coach Tim Polasek’s first season from many recent years.

Oh yes, the Bison still flex their muscle with a ground game that’s paved by a huge starting offensive line (it’s a little bigger than Montana State’s, with tackles Grey Zabel and Mason Miller as anchors).

But Bison quarterback Cam Miller, whose 44 career wins as a starter include against the Bobcats in the 2021 FCS championship game, has set career highs in most passing statistics, including completions (239), completion percentage (72.6), passing yards (3,052) and TD passes (31).

NDSU’s 225.9 overall passing yards per game mark their highest average since 2007 and are nearly 26 more per game than in any other season since then. The breakout season of wide receiver Bryce Lance (66 receptions, 964 yards, NDSU-record 16 TD catches) has contributed significantly to it happening.

fcs-championship-game-ndsu-vs-montana-state — *Graphic by Graham Bell.*

Make no mistake, the Bison’s 192.7 rushing yards per game are excellent, ranking 20th out of 129 FCS teams. However, in a program that’s been ground and pound over time, it’s the lowest average since the first FCS title season in 2011.

A recent toe injury has slowed top rusher CharMar Brown (1,104 yards, 14 TDs), but Barika Kpeenu has over 1,200 yards the last two seasons and Miller’s been over 500 rushing yards in three straight seasons.

NDSU’s six turnovers are the fewest in the FCS, but Montana State’s defense is disruptive. Half of the Bobcats’ 36 sacks have come in their last five games – defensive ends Brody Grebe and Kenneth Eiden IV have a combined for 16.5 this season – and 12 different players have at least one takeaway.

And Then There’s the FCS National Awards

Montana State and North Dakota State also will see a lot of each other at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet – two nights before the FCS championship game.

Vigen will receive the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS coach of the year and Brown will receive the Jerry Rice Award as the FCS freshman player of the year (Jones was second in the voting). Additionally, the Walter Payton Award for FCS offensive player of the year is down to Mellott, Miller and Southern Utah running back Targhee Lambson.

Top Photo: Montana State vs. NDSU in 2023 FCS playoffs. (Garrett Becker/MSU Athletics)

Follow all of our FCS football coverage, including on X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

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Montana

Montana State’s Touchdown Tommy Leads Wyoming Supporting Cast Into FCS Title Game

Published

22 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Montana State’s Touchdown Tommy Leads Wyoming Supporting Cast Into FCS Title Game

BOZEMAN, Mont. — With eight and a half minutes left in the second quarter, Tommy Mellott — aka Touchdown Tommy, aka The Boy From Butte — ran a quarterback draw straight up the middle, dodging several South Dakota defensive players.

Just a few yards from the end zone, Touchdown Tommy elevated like a Marvel superhero and dove for the goal line. A South Dakota defender upended his legs, flipping Mellott, who landed on the turf just shy of scoring.

On the next play, Mellot handed off to Scottre Humphrey for the go-ahead score Saturday in the FCS semifinals at Bobcat Stadium, putting the home team up 21-14. The Cats never looked back as they punished the Coyotes with physical play on defense and magical moves by Mr. Mellott.

Mellott went on to lead the undefeated Bobcats to a 15th straight victory 31-17 over South Dakota and a trip to the FCS national championship game Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.

Four MSU teammates with Wyoming roots will be with Mellott playing for the title.

Meanwhile on the South Dakota sideline, Garrett Coon of Sheridan wore shorts and a sweatshirt during the unseasonably warm game. He didn’t dress out in Bozeman, but his brother Colson on the opposite MSU sideline did.

Along with Coon, Montana State boasts three other players who played high school football in Wyoming.

These supporting cast members in the Tommy Mellott show include Dane and Brock Steel, also both from Sheridan, and Jake Vigen, son of MSU Head Coach Brent Vigen, who spent seven years as an assistant coach at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

Coach Brent Vigen, former assistant at the University of Wyoming, is beloved in Bozeman. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
MSU transfer, current South Dakota player and former Sheridan Bronc Garrett Coon did not dress for the game against his former team, missing the chance to blast down the sideline past his brother, MSU running back Colson Coon. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
Laramie’s loss, Bozeman’s gain: No. 44 Jake Vigen left Laramie High to play for Gallatin High School in Bozeman. He’s now a sophomore defensive end playing for his father’s undefeated Bobcats. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
Coach Brent Vigen, former assistant at the University of Wyoming, is beloved in Bozeman. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
Sheridan product Dane Steel is a freshman wide receiver for Montana State. His brother Brock is a sophomore defensive back. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
A sold out crowd packed the parking lot around Bobcat Stadium before the semifinal showdown with South Dakota. Ryan Harris, Montana State University class of 2011, made the trip up from Golden, Colorado, and brought a hat made with a real bobcat pelt. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
A sold out crowd packed the parking lot around Bobcat Stadium before the semifinal showdown with South Dakota. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)
Drum Major Major Dani Espiritu led Montana State’s Spirit of the West Marching Band throughout the spirited game. (David Madison, Cowboy State Daily)

Looks Like An Average Guy

Mellott stands a modest 6 feet tall, weighs 208 pounds and looks like the living cliché of the nice boy next door.

But on the field, the pride of Butte High School is a cold-blooded offensive assassin.

Now preparing for the final game of his college career, Mellott continues to rack up the accolades.

He was named Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP and a top three finalist for the Walter Payton Award. Coming into the game against South Dakota, Mellott led the nation in points responsible for (246) and passing efficiency (183.21).

Mellott has thrown 259 passes, completing 182 for 2,430 yards and 28 touchdowns on just two interceptions. Mellott also has rushed for 790 yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. His 8.6 yards per carry would lead the nation if he qualified for that NCAA stat, according to the American Football Coaches Association.

He squats as much as an offensive tackle and can outrun some FCS receivers. He’s well-known around Montana, but one of the most under-the-radar football talents now catching the attention of NFL scouts.

“Tommy Mellott, a dual-threat quarterback from Montana State, has emerged as an intriguing prospect for the NFL Draft,” reports nfldraftbuzz.com. “He ranks seventh in Montana State history with 2,474 career rushing yards and is tied for third with 29 rushing touchdowns. His passing ability has also improved, accumulating 3,241 career passing yards, good for 10th in school history. In 2023, Mellott was named Second Team All-Big Sky and won the FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, showcasing his academic prowess as a financial engineering major.

“In the 2021 playoffs, he became the first player to catch, throw, and rush for a touchdown in the first 16 minutes of a game against Sam Houston State.”

Mellott’s size could limit his opportunities as an NFL QB, but he might turn heads as a Wes Welker- or Julian Edelman-style slot receiver at the next level.

On To Frisco

The Bobcats will carry a lot of emotion into the national championship game vs. North Dakota State in Frisco, Texas.

Coach Vigen played for the Bison, then started his coaching career in Fargo. North Dakota State is also Montana State’s biggest rival after the Grizzlies at the University of Montana.

That’s because the Bison have trampled the Bobcats five times, ending their seasons and leaving hoofprints all over their game plans for a national championship.

But now a former Bison is leading the Cats as Montana State, powered by Mellott, competes for its first title since 1984.

David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.

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