The Bobcat Nation

Going to be a great time in Nashville!!! My feelings on this game have been up and down. But I’m feeling good right now.

Cats: 41
Birds: 24

Cats eat birds
37-24

I think this game will live up to the billing, two great teams grinding hard and clawing for everything they can get. The Cat’s do Cat things, 38-27 Cat’s and some shiny new jewelry comes home to Bozeman!

After watching the UC Davis qrtr final game against them, we should be able to run all over these guys. UC Davis had a ton of success running the ball all while the entire team was fighting the flu. Don’t buy the hype our DB’s can’t hang with their top receiver. He’s good…a slightly better version of UNC’s portaling receiver Cheeks. Damn near identical measurable’s (height, weight, hands, speed, route running, etc) and we handled him fine, CATS win 38-22.

They are a big physical team that wants to control the clock with a gamer at QB. However, if we get the edge in the run game...that opens up the rest of our offense and those big boys are going to be gassed by the 4th. We need to score first and set the pace of the game because Spack wants to make this a Mercyhurst/Yale type game (heavy TOP advantage and shorten the game).

If they struggle with our speed and our defense comes to play, we win by 20+.

If they struggle with our speed but our defense struggles, we win by 10+.

If we aren't efficient on offense and our defense struggles...it's a toss up.

VimSince03 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 01, 2026 12:04 pm

They are a big physical team that wants to control the clock with a gamer at QB. However, if we get the edge in the run game...that opens up the rest of our offense and those big boys are going to be gassed by the 4th. We need to score first and set the pace of the game because Spack wants to make this a Mercyhurst/Yale type game (heavy TOP advantage and shorten the game).

If they struggle with our speed and our defense comes to play, we win by 20+.

If they struggle with our speed but our defense struggles, we win by 10+.

If we aren't efficient on offense and our defense struggles...it's a toss up.

I completely agree with this take!

ISU will hit some plays but the defense will keep them in the 20s.
Cats will score over 30.

Cats 34
Birds 24

We jump up early, they keep pace for awhile, and taco breaks the game open with a PR touchdown. 45-24.

VimSince03 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 01, 2026 12:04 pm

They are a big physical team that wants to control the clock with a gamer at QB. However, if we get the edge in the run game...that opens up the rest of our offense and those big boys are going to be gassed by the 4th. We need to score first and set the pace of the game because Spack wants to make this a Mercyhurst/Yale type game (heavy TOP advantage and shorten the game).

If they struggle with our speed and our defense comes to play, we win by 20+.

If they struggle with our speed but our defense struggles, we win by 10+.

If we aren't efficient on offense and our defense struggles...it's a toss up.

Do they have depth on dline. Starters there and LB seem to have most of stats. Do they funnel plays for LB to get tackles similar to what Griz have done in past.

Montana State—41
Red Birds—21

GO CATS!!!

I would love it if somebody wanted to go through position by position and take a guess at which positions the Cats are likely going to win the majority of their 1 on 1's, versus lose them. I know, I know... that would be a bit of work! Whoever did that for Cat Griz 2 completely nailed it in terms of the Cats having the upper hand at the vast majority of the positions, and it played out that way on the field.

That this sign will be getting some company soon!

Rewatched ISU UCD first half. UCD did what they want on offense in first half. Got to edge and lot of crossing routes. Ran fake fg inside 20 1 yd short and failed on 4th and 2 from 3 and trailed 21 17. ISU scores were 93 yard pass and KO return. Then 2nd half it looked like ISU wore them out. Rush 3 a lot 4 sometimes with a Blitzer for 5. Swing pass to Jones, crossed to Long and some TE passes may work. I think they spied Pinnick at times.

My predictions are that we come out slow as is our typical post bye response. I also think we will play soft on the DB sets and try to keep everything in front of us allowing the Birds to dink and dunk down the field. As the field shortens I think the D tightens up and we limit the Birds. Our Offense has shown that against teams that are stout against the run up front, we lean on them and begin to whittle away the edges opening up the quick passing strikes as well.

I predict Lamson will be the key to our win. He’s going to settle in, and begin to ball. His legs will open up his passing and we will see Taco and the WR’s making their plays.

I predict Davis will have a huge game running the ball. Adam will garner the attention in the backfield because of his playoff production and he will be featured, but I’m thinking he’s going to do his damage on wheel routes.

The score will be a 10+ win for the Cats. Numbers don’t matter, but I think 35- 24 Cats is reasonable!

Any possible score combination that adds up to 41, from 41-0 all the way to 21-20 as long as the Cats win.

28-13 sounds very doable.

A kid suggested 7-6 and now for some strange reason that seems to be stuck in my head.

I’m thinking Lamson comes out strong and often. The 4th quarter sees the Redbirds exhausted. 42-17 Cats.

Here's a great article on the championship game. It highlights that either team can be viewed as the team of destiny.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/ ... r-AA1TrQZo
(This time I figured out how to ensure the link is clickable.)

tetoncat wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 01, 2026 11:54 pm

Rewatched ISU UCD first half. UCD did what they want on offense in first half. Got to edge and lot of crossing routes. Ran fake fg inside 20 1 yd short and failed on 4th and 2 from 3 and trailed 21 17. ISU scores were 93 yard pass and KO return. Then 2nd half it looked like ISU wore them out. Rush 3 a lot 4 sometimes with a Blitzer for 5. Swing pass to Jones, crossed to Long and some TE passes may work. I think they spied Pinnick at times.

This. Davis marched the ball up and down the field early in that game, but couldn't finish off some of the drives. Twice in the first quarter they settled for FG attempts(including the failed fake) from inside the 20. Then in the 2nd qtr they had 1st and 10 at the 11 and came away with nothing. For all Davis' offensive skill, they were not a very good red zone team. We are one of the best red zone teams in the country.

Meanwhile ISU piled up early points with huge plays. Their first three scores were a 91 yard kick return, a 37 yard TD pass, and a 93 yard TD pass. All in the first quarter. Relying on big plays is a tough way to make a living against the Cats.

If we take care of the ball and don't have stupid penalties, there's no reason we shouldn't hang 40 on that defense. 45-31 Cats

ToP might be a SoB for both teams. I think it's going to be an old fashioned slugfest similar to Yale, with both teams having long extended drives limiting possessions. I do think ISU makes more mistakes than MSU, which gives us the edge in a very physical battle...

MSU -28
ISU- 20

Bobcats 24
Illinois State 21

Their oline goes 6’4” 300-330. Rushed for 173 yds and passed for 250 vs NDSU. Held the Bison 59 yds rushing.

If we can match their physicality Cats can win. If we don’t could be a slow death.