The official/UNofficial Bobcat-Redbirds National Championship Gameday Thread

[RICO CAT]

Here’s a nice post regarding the atmosphere at the game from someone who worked it.

[TomCat88]

Here’s a nice post regarding the atmosphere at the game from someone who worked it.

It’s crazy how the game moved to a really cool location and was a game for the ages in so many ways. All kinds of great stuff packed into one event. A perfect storm to use a worn out phrase. You don’t have to be a msu fan to have it stand out. Spack, Rittenhouse and Niekamp all mentioned what a fun/great game it was despite losing.

[SparkCat]

Here’s a nice post regarding the atmosphere at the game from someone who worked it.

It’s crazy how the game moved to a really cool location and was a game for the ages in so many ways. All kinds of great stuff packed into one event. A perfect storm to use a worn out phrase. You don’t have to be a msu fan to have it stand out. Spack, Rittenhouse and Niekamp all mentioned what a fun/great game it was despite losing.

Who the hell gives that a frown face?

[JoeCatsJoe]

Here’s a nice post regarding the atmosphere at the game from someone who worked it.

I hung around after the championship game and went to the 'Bama-Vandy bball game a few days afterwards. There was a Vandy support staffer there who saw my Montana State gear and came over to talk to me about the game a few times. The game and fans made an impact on him for sure.

[AFCAT]

Here’s a nice post regarding the atmosphere at the game from someone who worked it.

It’s crazy how the game moved to a really cool location and was a game for the ages in so many ways. All kinds of great stuff packed into one event. A perfect storm to use a worn out phrase. You don’t have to be a msu fan to have it stand out. Spack, Rittenhouse and Niekamp all mentioned what a fun/great game it was despite losing.

Who the hell gives that a frown face?

Gris fans that troll all of social media. Heck, I've even seen a gris fan with a PhD and a gris graduate from their law school out trolling. It's a bit crazy, but they just can't handle the Cats being on top.

[MSU Doc]

Gris fans that troll all of social media. Heck, I've even seen a gris fan with a PhD and a gris graduate from their law school out trolling. It's a bit crazy, but they just can't handle the Cats being on top.

I have a feeling they're in for more disappointment going forward.

[CodyCat]

Read this today:

S.Res.589 — 119th Congress (2025-2026)

A resolution congratulating the Montana State University football team for winning the 2025 Division I Football Championship Subdivision Championship.

Sponsor: Daines, Steve [Sen.-R-MT] (Introduced 01/27/2026) Cosponsors: (1)

Latest Action: Senate - 01/27/2026 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (All Actions)

[thefrank1]

Wow! Life changing Steve. Pure political stunt.

[WalkOn79]

Even though we won, I guess we still aren't good enough in the big moments because of the false starts which will follow us around until they don't. Per Brooks, "it's a Cat thing." Okay?

To his credit, Brooks still had plenty of good to say about the Cats but goodness between Gus, Brooks, the guys at the Daily Interlake...sure is a lot of conviction we didn't deserve to win this game for "x" number of reasons. At least Colter understands how to offer an opinion where it highlights the things the Cats did well and why they WON the game.

One of the reasons I rarely watch or read this stuff anymore. If there is an interview with a coach, player, or AD, then I may watch it. Interviews with other media types, no thanks.

A lot of people are whining about the pass interference call on Sobkowicz. Unless you didn't think it was PI when you saw it happen, then you really can't say much. It look like obvious PI to me when I watched it live. There is no replay on PI and it looked like PI all the way, so the ref called it. Can you blame the ref for missing that call? I don't think so.

The losing team is the one that looks at plays like this.

MSU has a more legit complaint on the 3rd and 4 of ISU's second TD. The ball wasn't caught and the WR didn't reach the first down marker. Does ISU go for it and make on 4th and 4? Then they got a PI and needed six plays and a fumble recovery in the EZ to score from the 5-yard line on that drive.

And I think the call against Crews was botched. And 67 face masked Parsons on the blocked XP.

It was total pass interference on SOB. Good chance we intercept that ball if he doesn’t shove our defender. And getting ready at the moment who he interfered with.
I do agree with Colter that he said in his interview with Brooks it’s ironic that SOB and lord had their way with our defensive backs at times. Yet they are on the bigger and better things. They are going to face receivers of that quality all day long if they get signed on their visits.

Virtually every highlight I saw of Sobkowitz included an un-called offensive PI. He’s been getting away with that all year.

[Bobcatsinmso]

Even though we won, I guess we still aren't good enough in the big moments because of the false starts which will follow us around until they don't. Per Brooks, "it's a Cat thing." Okay?

To his credit, Brooks still had plenty of good to say about the Cats but goodness between Gus, Brooks, the guys at the Daily Interlake...sure is a lot of conviction we didn't deserve to win this game for "x" number of reasons. At least Colter understands how to offer an opinion where it highlights the things the Cats did well and why they WON the game.

One of the reasons I rarely watch or read this stuff anymore. If there is an interview with a coach, player, or AD, then I may watch it. Interviews with other media types, no thanks.

A lot of people are whining about the pass interference call on Sobkowicz. Unless you didn't think it was PI when you saw it happen, then you really can't say much. It look like obvious PI to me when I watched it live. There is no replay on PI and it looked like PI all the way, so the ref called it. Can you blame the ref for missing that call? I don't think so.

The losing team is the one that looks at plays like this.

MSU has a more legit complaint on the 3rd and 4 of ISU's second TD. The ball wasn't caught and the WR didn't reach the first down marker. Does ISU go for it and make on 4th and 4? Then they got a PI and needed six plays and a fumble recovery in the EZ to score from the 5-yard line on that drive.

And I think the call against Crews was botched. And 67 face masked Parsons on the blocked XP.

It was total pass interference on SOB. Good chance we intercept that ball if he doesn’t shove our defender. And getting ready at the moment who he interfered with.
I do agree with Colter that he said in his interview with Brooks it’s ironic that SOB and lord had their way with our defensive backs at times. Yet they are on the bigger and better things. They are going to face receivers of that quality all day long if they get signed on their visits.

Virtually every highlight I saw of Sobkowitz included an un-called offensive PI. He’s been getting away with that all year.

Cooper kupp did that all year as a senior at EWU, he was very good at quick but subtle push offs. He was rarely, if ever called for it. The good ones learn how to live on that edge. Sobkowicz will definitely play on Sundays, as he is a very talented receiver.

[WalkOn79]

There's also an infatuation with UM's win over App. State in 2009. ASU was coming off three straight national titles from 2005-07, which included a win over Michigan early in one of those seasons. However, when they rolled into Missoula in 2009, they had lost two games (at E. Carolina and McNeese St. at home), and they weren't seeded for the playoffs with only four teams seeded you can assume ASU was No. 5 seed based on being bracketed with No. 4 Richmond. They only had three wins of over 15 points and had wins of 3 in OT at The Citadel, and 5 over W. Carolina at home. In the playoffs they barely got by S. Carolina St. 20-13 with a 50-yard fumble return in the 4th quarter, then narrowly beat Richmond with 21 4th quarter points, including the winner with :10 to play. Frankly, it was a game UM should've won and did 24-17 scoring with 1:30 to play. ASU was hit with 11 penalties for 131 yards.

Love all these takes, Tom. I agree that Griz football was largely irrelevant for it’s first 90 years, while MSU was winning conference and national championships.

[tetoncat]

Wow! Life changing Steve. Pure political stunt.

Yet others would be bitching if our Senators did t do something line this. Why does it have to be political. I hope the Indiana Senators do this for theor team as well.

[RICO CAT]

BLOCK PARTY:

[TomCat88]

BLOCK PARTY:

These are great photos!!

The one of McMillan is the one I've been looking for since the end of the game. I was pretty sure he blocked it up around his shoulder and this shows the ball after he blocked it. You can tell because he's on his way down with his right leg touching down after he sailed for about 20 feet.

I'd like to find a photo of Parsons showing the OL either having his hand under Parsons' facemask or grabbing it.

The first kick was not low. The snap skimmed the ground, but the holder put it right into position without changing the timing. Spack replaced the previous kicker because this guy was better at getting the ball up quicker. It was simply just pure athletic superiority by McMillan to get that block. He got off on the snap (using his experience and skill as a big time sprinter), then launched himself high and far to get the block up around his shoulder and head. I have no doubt in my mind that he would've blocked any kick by any kicker anywhere on that play.

The second one was low and the holder simply dropped the snap and I think that threw the timing off. Parsons, meanwhile, fought through the 'hands to the face' or 'facemask' to get the block.

Just great effort on both plays by McMillan and Parsons.

[TomCat88]

There's also an infatuation with UM's win over App. State in 2009. ASU was coming off three straight national titles from 2005-07, which included a win over Michigan early in one of those seasons. However, when they rolled into Missoula in 2009, they had lost two games (at E. Carolina and McNeese St. at home), and they weren't seeded for the playoffs with only four teams seeded you can assume ASU was No. 5 seed based on being bracketed with No. 4 Richmond. They only had three wins of over 15 points and had wins of 3 in OT at The Citadel, and 5 over W. Carolina at home. In the playoffs they barely got by S. Carolina St. 20-13 with a 50-yard fumble return in the 4th quarter, then narrowly beat Richmond with 21 4th quarter points, including the winner with :10 to play. Frankly, it was a game UM should've won and did 24-17 scoring with 1:30 to play. ASU was hit with 11 penalties for 131 yards.

Love all these takes, Tom. I agree that Griz football was largely irrelevant for it’s first 90 years, while MSU was winning conference and national championships.

The game had an incredible atmosphere with the huge WGS crowd, the snow and it was a night game, which was rare back then. I'm not trying to take anything away from UM as it had a great team that year. Both teams have had some mind-blowing and electrifying wins over the years. I just think that a lot of people think that ASU was coming off a title the year before. I just recall thinking that UM was going to win that game and that it might be close, but I mostly didn't think UM would have much trouble beating them.

A lot of people's memories start with UM beating MSU 16 straight. Or about the time UM won its first title in 1995. That's understandable because I think most people reckon time based on when they were born or when they first started having their first memories of life.

I remember when MSU won the 76 title. I was 14 years old and I didn't have a strong allegience either way yet but was leaning MSU. I rooted for UM at the time, too. However, I didn't know about the 1956 title and when I was told about it seemed like something that happened centuries ago. To me it seems like the time from 1956 to 1976 is longer than from 1984 to 2025. The Griz winning in 2001 seems fairly fresh but it was 25 years ago now. The Twins winning in 87 and 91 seems recent, too. But that's 35 and 39 years ago!!!

[RobertSebastianCat-81]

This thread has sure lasted over a bunch of days!
When we discuss all the things that had to go right for the MSU victory, there was one event that I don't recall being discussed on the chat board. It happened on the second to last play of the overtime. On third and ten, the pass that Jabez Woods missed traveled to a Redbird player (#1) and was nearly intercepted. There were so many things that the Bobcats overcame!