BOBCATS 2025 Season/Schedule

[The MICKSTER]

BOBCATS 2025 Schedule (another 12 game season...7 home - 5 away)
Aug 30th………@Oregon
Sep 6th………..SDSU (Gold Rush...I think)
Sep 13th………San Diego
Sep 20th………Mercyhurst
Sep 27th………EWU
Oct 4th………..@NAU
Oct 11th……….ISU
Oct 18th……….bye
Oct 25th……….@CP
Nov 1st…………@NCU
Nov 8th…………WSU
Nov 15th……….UCD
Nov 22nd……….@gris

A few things to note.........

• with the ducks and the wabbits on our OoC schedule, our SoS should be higher than last year

• UCD & um to end the season........same as last year

• we don't play Sac, PSU, or Idaho

• bye is nicely placed.....gris have their bye week 1, then play 12 straight games incl a DII team

• Biggest Gold Rush game ever...??? It will be rockin'!!!

• @NAU on Oct 4th could be a big game

• Hard to say who the best FCS team will be next year because both SDSU & NDSU lose a lot of talent (like us), not sure about S Dakota,....winning Gold Rush will go a long way in the seeding...even with SDSU loosing their coach & QB, they should still be ranked high

• I don't think we'll be as good in 2025, but I don't think anybody else will be either

GO CATS!!!

[Bocephus]

4 straight home games in September in Bozeman!

[nanacat]

I don't think we'll be as good in 2025, but I don't think anybody else will be either

It will certainly be an interesting year in the Big Sky. So many teams in rebuilding mode. There may be some tighter games. Still thinking MSU has more stability and players who had real game time experience than some of the others however.

[TomCat88]

80% 11-1 or 20% 10-2. Not a difficult schedule. Toughest two FCs games at home, at least. But neither team is as good as MSU. Nau and UM are tough venues but teams MSU is better than.

I think MSU is a vastly improved road team since 2022. Ability to keep head down and just play without getting distracted is just part of the routine now. That was very apparent in the UCD game.

[VimSince03]

Beating South Dakota State will decide if we have a shot at home field advantage through the playoffs. Love that we get a chance right out of the gate next year.

[coloradocat]

80% 11-1 or 20% 10-2. Not a difficult schedule. Toughest two FCs games at home, at least. But neither team is as good as MSU. Nau and UM are tough venues but teams MSU is better than.

I think MSU is a vastly improved road team since 2022. Ability to keep head down and just play without getting distracted is just part of the routine now. That was very apparent in the UCD game.

I'd be shocked if we finished 11-1 and very surprised if we landed at 10-2. I see SDSU, @NAU, and @griz as potential/likely FCS losses and ISU and UCD as tough games that depend on our QB performance and team health. The rest would be upsets if we lost. I'd say 75% 9-3, 15% 10-2, 8% 8-4. 2% less than 8 wins.

[DMMDCats]

Any word on price increases for tickets and parking?

[TomCat88]

80% 11-1 or 20% 10-2. Not a difficult schedule. Toughest two FCs games at home, at least. But neither team is as good as MSU. Nau and UM are tough venues but teams MSU is better than.

I think MSU is a vastly improved road team since 2022. Ability to keep head down and just play without getting distracted is just part of the routine now. That was very apparent in the UCD game.

I'd be shocked if we finished 11-1 and very surprised if we landed at 10-2. I see SDSU, @NAU, and @griz as potential/likely FCS losses and ISU and UCD as tough games that depend on our QB performance and team health. The rest would be upsets if we lost. I'd say 75% 9-3, 15% 10-2, 8% 8-4. 2% less than 8 wins.

Pick the team that you think is most likely to beat the Bobcats. Except Oregon

[4KornerKat]

80% 11-1 or 20% 10-2. Not a difficult schedule. Toughest two FCs games at home, at least. But neither team is as good as MSU. Nau and UM are tough venues but teams MSU is better than.

I think MSU is a vastly improved road team since 2022. Ability to keep head down and just play without getting distracted is just part of the routine now. That was very apparent in the UCD game.

I'd be shocked if we finished 11-1 and very surprised if we landed at 10-2. I see SDSU, @NAU, and @griz as potential/likely FCS losses and ISU and UCD as tough games that depend on our QB performance and team health. The rest would be upsets if we lost. I'd say 75% 9-3, 15% 10-2, 8% 8-4. 2% less than 8 wins.

Pick the team that you think is most likely to beat the Bobcats. Except Oregon

I'll Rank:

1. UM in Missoula, because it's happened the last two times there. Maybe this is the year Vigen gets them ready to play over there.
2. NAU in Flagstaff - they were a playoff team this year, I think they are headed the right direction
3. UC Davis in Bozeman - I know they lose a lot, but I think TP is a solid coach.
4. SDSU in Bozeman - Second game of the year, they have new coaching staff and lots of new faces, hard to see them winning for Gold Rush.
5/6/7 ISU/WSU/EWU in Bozeman - Let down game that we have yet to have under Vigen.
8/9: CP/UNC on the road - Really don't see this happening.
10/11: San Diego/Mercyhurst in Bozeman, because we give scholarships and they don't.

[coloradocat]

80% 11-1 or 20% 10-2. Not a difficult schedule. Toughest two FCs games at home, at least. But neither team is as good as MSU. Nau and UM are tough venues but teams MSU is better than.

I think MSU is a vastly improved road team since 2022. Ability to keep head down and just play without getting distracted is just part of the routine now. That was very apparent in the UCD game.

I'd be shocked if we finished 11-1 and very surprised if we landed at 10-2. I see SDSU, @NAU, and @griz as potential/likely FCS losses and ISU and UCD as tough games that depend on our QB performance and team health. The rest would be upsets if we lost. I'd say 75% 9-3, 15% 10-2, 8% 8-4. 2% less than 8 wins.

Pick the team that you think is most likely to beat the Bobcats. Except Oregon

I'd rank them 1 - griz, 2 - SDSU, 3 - NAU. We're going to have a non-MT QB and a lot of out of out of state 1st year transfers playing in Missoula for the first time and Vigen still has to prove he can bring a team into that stadium and leave with the trophy. The griz should be worn out by then but they definitely get up for that game when it's at home. After that, SDSU lost a ton but they are a program, not a team, and they get Sac St at home in week 1 compared to use having to go to Niketown for a paycheck. NAU is always harder to play on the road than they should be.

It's January 9th so many things will change over the next 8+ months but that's what I see today.

[TomCat88]

Okay, you’re saying UM in Missoula.

The first time MSU lost there it was common knowledge that the Griz had home field, a great STs and a good defense. The second time home field, good STs and great defense and offense on a roll.
Next year: they got home field. I can’t see any unit that I can say I think will be good.

So, if that’s the most likely loss, MSU has a pretty good chance of getting to 11-1.

[4KornerKat]

Okay, you’re saying UM in Missoula.

The first time MSU lost there it was common knowledge that the Griz had home field, a great STs and a good defense. The second time home field, good STs and great defense and offense on a roll.
Next year: they got home field. I can’t see any unit that I can say I think will be good.

So, if that’s the most likely loss, MSU has a pretty good chance of getting to 11-1.

I'd agree, but I'd also say that while UM is most likely, the likelihood of one of those top 3 or 4 happening is also high, I'd say 50/40/10 on 11-1, 10-2, 9-3.

[coochorama42]

Did SDSU get rocked by the portal (on the lines especially)? They are too strong a program to be taken this lightly. NAU and - to a lesser extent- Davis are not in the same stratosphere as SDSU, MSU, and NDSU.

UM is always tough in WGS.

1. SDSU
2. UM

Huge Gap

3. Davis

Huge Gap

4. NAU

[MSU01]

4 straight home games in September in Bozeman!

I can see a lot of out-of-town fans deciding not to make the drive to Bozeman for the Mercyhurst blowout on the 20th. And don't be surprised if the weather for at least one of those is colder than it was for this year's 3 straight December home games!

[coloradocat]

4 straight home games in September in Bozeman!

I can see a lot of out-of-town fans deciding not to make the drive to Bozeman for the Mercyhurst blowout on the 20th. And don't be surprised if the weather for at least one of those is colder than it was for this year's 3 straight December home games!

My parents have already decided there's no way they are driving to Bozeman 4 straight weeks. I'm planning to come up for the first two but won't stick around longer than that (if EWU and Mercy were switched I'd make it 3).

[TomCat88]

Okay, you’re saying UM in Missoula.

The first time MSU lost there it was common knowledge that the Griz had home field, a great STs and a good defense. The second time home field, good STs and great defense and offense on a roll.
Next year: they got home field. I can’t see any unit that I can say I think will be good.

So, if that’s the most likely loss, MSU has a pretty good chance of getting to 11-1.

I'd agree, but I'd also say that while UM is most likely, the likelihood of one of those top 3 or 4 happening is also high, I'd say 50/40/10 on 11-1, 10-2, 9-3.

The most likely doesn’t look very likely. MSU doesn’t lose games it should win often under Vigen.
Wyoming
Oregon St.
UM 2
Idaho 2023
SDSU 2
Ndsu 3 2023, 2024
I would say MSU has lost three games it should have won. When it has I think those teams are better than any the Bobcats face in 2025.

2023 Idaho, 2023 and 2024 ndsu are better than 2025 UM.

And as an aside MSU has only lost once at home and that was a huge anomaly. I don’t see MSU losing at home next year. That leaves roadies vs NAU and UM. I can’t see MSU losing both.

[4KornerKat]

Okay, you’re saying UM in Missoula.

The first time MSU lost there it was common knowledge that the Griz had home field, a great STs and a good defense. The second time home field, good STs and great defense and offense on a roll.
Next year: they got home field. I can’t see any unit that I can say I think will be good.

So, if that’s the most likely loss, MSU has a pretty good chance of getting to 11-1.

I'd agree, but I'd also say that while UM is most likely, the likelihood of one of those top 3 or 4 happening is also high, I'd say 50/40/10 on 11-1, 10-2, 9-3.

The most likely doesn’t look very likely. MSU doesn’t lose games it should win often under Vigen.
Wyoming
Oregon St.
UM 2
Idaho 2023
SDSU 2
Ndsu 3 2023, 2024
I would say MSU has lost three games it should have won. When it has I think those teams are better than any the Bobcats face in 2025.

2023 Idaho, 2023 and 2024 ndsu are better than 2025 UM.

And as an aside MSU has only lost once at home and that was a huge anomaly. I don’t see MSU losing at home next year. That leaves roadies vs NAU and UM. I can’t see MSU losing both.

Pace yourself Tom. I'll wait till they get through spring ball before I get that confident about next season.

[TomCat88]

Okay, you’re saying UM in Missoula.

The first time MSU lost there it was common knowledge that the Griz had home field, a great STs and a good defense. The second time home field, good STs and great defense and offense on a roll.
Next year: they got home field. I can’t see any unit that I can say I think will be good.

So, if that’s the most likely loss, MSU has a pretty good chance of getting to 11-1.

I'd agree, but I'd also say that while UM is most likely, the likelihood of one of those top 3 or 4 happening is also high, I'd say 50/40/10 on 11-1, 10-2, 9-3.

The most likely doesn’t look very likely. MSU doesn’t lose games it should win often under Vigen.
Wyoming
Oregon St.
UM 2
Idaho 2023
SDSU 2
Ndsu 3 2023, 2024
I would say MSU has lost three games it should have won. When it has I think those teams are better than any the Bobcats face in 2025.

2023 Idaho, 2023 and 2024 ndsu are better than 2025 UM.

And as an aside MSU has only lost once at home and that was a huge anomaly. I don’t see MSU losing at home next year. That leaves roadies vs NAU and UM. I can’t see MSU losing both.

Pace yourself Tom. I'll wait till they get through spring ball before I get that confident about next season.

Likewise. I’ll wait until spring before I get that down. But seriously, I’m just calling it the way I see it presently.

[MinnesotaBobcat]

The new TV contract calls for 4 Nationally televised Big Sky games on ESPN, but only 3 can involve Montana Teams. I would imagine Cats/UCD and UM/Idaho are likely. Outside of CAT/Griz, Those are each team’s best conference game (based what is imagine pre/season predictions would be. Bobcats/NAU and Sac St./UM would be the next likeliest games to me with a Montana School for the potential 3rd game.

Long story short….Cat/Gtiz is far and away the Bog Sky’s best game to showcase the conference next season (and let’s face it, most seasons). Would there be any chance we get an 8:00 kickoff for Cat Griz? I’m assuming there is a lot of opposition to this since it hasn’t happened before, but Cat/Griz under the lights would sure be fun!

[D-Wreck]

The new TV contract calls for 4 Nationally televised Big Sky games on ESPN, but only 3 can involve Montana Teams. I would imagine Cats/UCD and UM/Idaho are likely. Outside of CAT/Griz, Those are each team’s best conference game (based what is imagine pre/season predictions would be. Bobcats/NAU and Sac St./UM would be the next likeliest games to me with a Montana School for the potential 3rd game.

Long story short….Cat/Gtiz is far and away the Bog Sky’s best game to showcase the conference next season (and let’s face it, most seasons). Would there be any chance we get an 8:00 kickoff for Cat Griz? I’m assuming there is a lot of opposition to this since it hasn’t happened before, but Cat/Griz under the lights would sure be fun!

IIRC, the new contract also has one or two Friday night games in it. If they tried to move Cat gris, would the whole state revolt?