Call me crazy but if they pick up that first down on their 3rd possession of the game from around the 50, I think we score again and make it a three possession game. Our hypothetical blowout hinged on us making it a 3 possession game and we never could get over the hump. Funny thing is we didn't get a procedural penalty on the 3rd and 1 but JT Reed literally snapped it early and the rest of the line was not expecting that along with Lamson. Led to a 5 yard loss...but hey no penalty!TomCat88 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:04 pmGood episode. The only bone I have to pick is the fourth and 1 discussion. I think it’s important to note that the timing wasn’t thrown off by the snap or hold and the kick wasn’t low. It was just a great play by McMillan. He had a great get-off and blocked it with his shoulder. Had he blocked it with his hand, you could maybe say that the snap/hold played a role. The kicker being inexperienced had nothing to do with the block. The xp is a different story. The snap/hold played a big role.
I think someone really needs to scour through the ISU TD drive to make it 21-14. It was a mysterious chain of events.
Also, there is no better way to win a championship game than have it be a complete nail biter. I thought msu should have won comfortably but that just wasn’t in the cards.
The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Moderators: rtb, kmax, SonomaCat
- VimSince03
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
"There's two times of year for me: Football season, and waiting for football season."
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nanacat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Thanks Colter and Sammy! Really good stuff. If I didn't know better I'd almost think you were more Cats fans than griz fans
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Colter_Nuanez
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Well the good news for you is we have natty talk and coverage planned for the next 8 weeks leading up to the Big Sky tournament in Boise. That’s how it was sold to sponsors.iaafan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:24 pmThe media has always been dominated by UM grads. They lean UM anywhere outside of Bozeman.
Put it to you this way: imagine if UM had just won the nashy and the coverage they would have gotten. It would still be all over the news and podcasts would be thick with interviews of players, coaches, former players on a daily basis.
We did as much as we could in the two weeks between Nashville and last week. Then i had to take the foot off the gas. My wife broke her arm and her foot just 4 days before our son’s 2nd birthday. So I had had to basically take last week off.
No excuses, play like a champ!
I have interviews with Taco Dowler and Adam Jones today.
The rest of the list includes all the MSU assistants, MSUs broadcast crew, Leon Costello, all of MSU’s graduating senior captains, some former Bobcats who we saw in Nashville, Mike Kramer (hopefully), plus I will have a feature on Sean Herrin, a feature on JT Reed.
Also, Brandon Sullivan will have a full length feature film on the game. And we are working on a print publication. Also, working with Taco and Adam on their camps so stay tuned for that too.
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RUACAT
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Colter,
Hopefully all is well with your wife. Family is a priority over anything Bobcat Nation expects.
Looking forward to the updates and hopefully the interview with the Big Human. And a full-length feature film from Sully?
We are not worthy. Thanks for all you do.
Hopefully all is well with your wife. Family is a priority over anything Bobcat Nation expects.
Looking forward to the updates and hopefully the interview with the Big Human. And a full-length feature film from Sully?
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Joe Bobcat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Dang! Wishing a speedy recovery for your wife. Happy birthday to your son too.
Your coverage of all things Big Sky Conference is appreciated.
Your coverage of all things Big Sky Conference is appreciated.
If you're looking for someone with a little authority, I'm your man. I have as little as anyone!
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nanacat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Oh man Colter, that's rough! Hoping your wife heals up real soon. Trying to chase a 2 year old around while being broken isn't easy at all! Of course your family takes priority! You've just spoiled all of us with your great coverage, haha!
Super excited to see and hear more! Loved your segment with Sammy. He's become a favorite of mine, even with being a former griz player, lol. I think he does a great job staying balanced.
Super excited to see and hear more! Loved your segment with Sammy. He's become a favorite of mine, even with being a former griz player, lol. I think he does a great job staying balanced.
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TomCat88
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Like Spack said, there was no one play that decided the game.VimSince03 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:32 pmCall me crazy but if they pick up that first down on their 3rd possession of the game from around the 50, I think we score again and make it a three possession game. Our hypothetical blowout hinged on us making it a 3 possession game and we never could get over the hump. Funny thing is we didn't get a procedural penalty on the 3rd and 1 but JT Reed literally snapped it early and the rest of the line was not expecting that along with Lamson. Led to a 5 yard loss...but hey no penalty!TomCat88 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:04 pmGood episode. The only bone I have to pick is the fourth and 1 discussion. I think it’s important to note that the timing wasn’t thrown off by the snap or hold and the kick wasn’t low. It was just a great play by McMillan. He had a great get-off and blocked it with his shoulder. Had he blocked it with his hand, you could maybe say that the snap/hold played a role. The kicker being inexperienced had nothing to do with the block. The xp is a different story. The snap/hold played a big role.
I think someone really needs to scour through the ISU TD drive to make it 21-14. It was a mysterious chain of events.
Also, there is no better way to win a championship game than have it be a complete nail biter. I thought msu should have won comfortably but that just wasn’t in the cards.
In a game like that there are numerous plays that could’ve flipped it.
His postgame interview is really good. He explains a lot about what happened on several key plays.
MSU - 17 team National Champions (most recent 2025); 57 individual National Champions (most recent 2023).
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iaafan
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
It’s one of the greatest college football games of all time and the best FCS game ever.
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
- AFCAT
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Won on a walk-off extra point kick.iaafan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 8:23 amIt’s one of the greatest college football games of all time and the best FCS game ever.
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
QB Club https://www.msubqc.org
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This is history fulfilled - National Champions.
Bobcat Collective https://bobcatcollective.com/
This is history fulfilled - National Champions.
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nanacat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Now I'm going to have to watch it again! Have already done so a couple times lol. Still enjoy watching all the highlight videos and clips that keep popping up on social media. What an incredible game! And it was extra fun to get to be there in person to watch it all go down!iaafan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 8:23 amIt’s one of the greatest college football games of all time and the best FCS game ever.
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
- technoCat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
"The Hurdle" aka Sportcenter top playiaafan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 8:23 amIt’s one of the greatest college football games of all time and the best FCS game ever.
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
DIE HARD CATS FAN SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN
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iaafan
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... games-2025technoCat wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 9:06 am"The Hurdle" aka Sportcenter top playiaafan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 8:23 amIt’s one of the greatest college football games of all time and the best FCS game ever.
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
And Bill Connelly ranks it no. 5 game of the year. His words say no. 1 though.
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TomCat88
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
If anyone thinks that wasn’t the best game of the CFB season, they’re out of their ever loving minds.iaafan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 9:12 amhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... games-2025technoCat wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 9:06 am"The Hurdle" aka Sportcenter top playiaafan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 8:23 amIt’s one of the greatest college football games of all time and the best FCS game ever.
Two evenly matched teams
Incredible individual efforts
More twists and turns than a soap opera
Great comeback
Wild final minute
Won on the final play on fourth down
First overtime game in FCS title game history
Did I leave anything out?!
And Bill Connelly ranks it no. 5 game of the year. His words say no. 1 though.
MSU - 17 team National Champions (most recent 2025); 57 individual National Champions (most recent 2023).
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lutecat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Colter, haven't you learned in your time covering football that you have to have depth. Caden gets injured in the Brawl2.0 but next man up. You got to develop depth. Next woman up! You need a backup for when injury happens.....Colter_Nuanez wrote: ↑Tue Jan 27, 2026 8:15 amWell the good news for you is we have natty talk and coverage planned for the next 8 weeks leading up to the Big Sky tournament in Boise. That’s how it was sold to sponsors.iaafan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:24 pmThe media has always been dominated by UM grads. They lean UM anywhere outside of Bozeman.
Put it to you this way: imagine if UM had just won the nashy and the coverage they would have gotten. It would still be all over the news and podcasts would be thick with interviews of players, coaches, former players on a daily basis.
We did as much as we could in the two weeks between Nashville and last week. Then i had to take the foot off the gas. My wife broke her arm and her foot just 4 days before our son’s 2nd birthday. So I had had to basically take last week off.
No excuses, play like a champ!
I have interviews with Taco Dowler and Adam Jones today.
The rest of the list includes all the MSU assistants, MSUs broadcast crew, Leon Costello, all of MSU’s graduating senior captains, some former Bobcats who we saw in Nashville, Mike Kramer (hopefully), plus I will have a feature on Sean Herrin, a feature on JT Reed.
Also, Brandon Sullivan will have a full length feature film on the game. And we are working on a print publication. Also, working with Taco and Adam on their camps so stay tuned for that too.
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nanacat
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
36 second drive to score before the half was EPIC!!! 3 plays, 75 yards, no timeouts. And maybe the best part was Vigen's reaction after Dane scored. The whole sequence just gave me chills all over again. What an incredible game!!
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BobcatBlood
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
Wishing your wife the best, Colter!
I'd love to hear some analysis of how losing the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP and All-American Caden Dowler impacted the defense in the 2nd half. Watching that TD by Lord, it's hard not to imagine that being different with Caden in. Not just because of his replacement who did a fantastic job, but because of his leadership. I think it's fair to say that our defense was getting worn down - 40 minutes on the field, ugh, but this is a story I haven't heard much about. We get Caden back. I'd argue that is right up there with getting Taco back.
I'd love to hear some analysis of how losing the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP and All-American Caden Dowler impacted the defense in the 2nd half. Watching that TD by Lord, it's hard not to imagine that being different with Caden in. Not just because of his replacement who did a fantastic job, but because of his leadership. I think it's fair to say that our defense was getting worn down - 40 minutes on the field, ugh, but this is a story I haven't heard much about. We get Caden back. I'd argue that is right up there with getting Taco back.
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TomCat88
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Re: The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread
BobcatBlood wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 11:55 amWishing your wife the best, Colter!
I'd love to hear some analysis of how losing the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP and All-American Caden Dowler impacted the defense in the 2nd half. Watching that TD by Lord, it's hard not to imagine that being different with Caden in. Not just because of his replacement who did a fantastic job, but because of his leadership. I think it's fair to say that our defense was getting worn down - 40 minutes on the field, ugh, but this is a story I haven't heard much about. We get Caden back. I'd argue that is right up there with getting Taco back.
And, no, it’s not a coincidence. Dowler is the lead on setting the defensive formation/call. He’s got excellent athleticism (speed/strength) and instincts. He’s not perfect in coverage but hardly anyone is.
UM 2.0 averaged 5.2 ypp and ISU 5.6 with him out. MSU allowed ~4.7 on the season with him in the lineup.
ISU had 182 yards (4.8’ per play) in the first half 289 (6.6) in the second half.
MSU - 17 team National Champions (most recent 2025); 57 individual National Champions (most recent 2023).
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