2022 Montana State Bobcats football team
The 2022 Montana State Bobcats football team represented Montana State University as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bobcats were led by second-year head coach Brent Vigen and played their home games at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana.
| 2022 Montana State Bobcats football | |
|---|---|
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Big Sky co-champion | |
NCAA Division I Semifinal, L 18–39 vs. South Dakota State | |
| Conference | Big Sky Conference |
| Ranking | |
| STATS | No. 4 |
| FCS Coaches | No. 5 |
| Record | 12–2 (8–0 Big Sky) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Taylor Housewright (2nd season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Willie Mack Garza (1st season) |
| Home stadium | Bobcat Stadium (capacity: 17,777) |
| 2022 Big Sky Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Montana State +^ | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Sacramento State +^ | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Weber State ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 18 Idaho ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 25 UC Davis | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14 Montana ^ | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portland State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Washington | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Arizona | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho State | 1 | – | 7 | 1 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cal Poly | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Previous season
The Bobcats finished the 2021 FCS season with a 9–2 record (7–1 in conference), losing only to Wyoming (an FBS team) and Montana.[1] They were seeded eighth in the FCS postseason tournament and received a first-round bye; they then defeated UT Martin, Sam Houston State, and South Dakota State to advance to the final match of the tournament. In the championship game, the Bobcats were defeated by North Dakota State on January 8, 2022, in Frisco, Texas.[2]
Preseason
Polls
On July 25, 2022, during the virtual Big Sky Kickoff, the Bobcats were predicted to finish third in the Big Sky by the coaches and second by the media.[3]
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 111 (3) |
| 2 | Sacramento State | 110 (4) |
| 3 | Montana State | 109 (5) |
| 4 | Weber State | 84 |
| 5 | UC Davis | 82 |
| 6 | Eastern Washington | 76 |
| 7 | Northern Arizona | 62 |
| 8 | Idaho | 45 |
| 9 | Portland State | 42 |
| 10 | Cal Poly | 33 |
| T-11 | Idaho State | 19 |
| T-11 | Northern Colorado | 19 |
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 356 (14) |
| 2 | Montana State | 352 (13) |
| 3 | Sacramento State | 335 (4) |
| 4 | Weber State | 261 |
| 5 | UC Davis | 255 (1) |
| 6 | Eastern Washington | 236 |
| 7 | Northern Arizona | 191 |
| 8 | Portland State | 146 |
| 9 | Idaho | 142 |
| 10 | Cal Poly | 85 |
| 11 | Northern Colorado | 71 |
| 12 | Idaho State | 66 |
Preseason All–Big Sky team
The Bobcats had seven players selected to the preseason all-Big Sky team.[4]
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Offense Tommy Mellott – QB Isaiah Ifanse – RB R.J. Fitzgerald – WR |
Defense Brody Grebe – DE Callahan O'Reilly – ILB |
Special teams Bryce Leighton – P Tommy Sullivan – LS |
Roster
| 2022 Montana State Bobcats football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | 6:00 p.m. | McNeese State* | No. 4 | KWYB/ESPN+ | W 40–17 | 21,687 | |
| September 10 | 1:00 p.m. | Morehead State* | No. 4 |
| KWYB/ESPN+ | W 63–13 | 19,927 |
| September 17 | 6:00 p.m. | vs. Oregon State* | No. 4 | P12N | L 28–68 | 25,218 | |
| September 24 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 15 Eastern Washington | No. 4T | KBZK/ESPN+ | W 38–35 | 7,200 | |
| October 1 | 8:15 p.m. | UC Davis | No. 4 |
| ESPNU | W 41–24 | 21,637 |
| October 8 | 2:00 p.m. | Idaho State | No. 4 |
| KBZK/ESPN+ | W 37–6 | 21,647 |
| October 15 | 1:00 p.m. | at Northern Colorado | No. 4 | KBZK/ESPN+ | W 37–14 | 4,796 | |
| October 22 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 5 Weber State | No. 3 |
| KBZK/ESPN+ | W 43–38 | 20,707 |
| November 5 | 2:00 p.m. | at Northern Arizona | No. 3 | KBZK/ESPN+ | W 41–38 | 8,676 | |
| November 12 | 6:00 p.m. | at Cal Poly | No. 3 | KBZK/ESPN+ | W 72–28 | 5,369 | |
| November 19 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 13 Montana | No. 3 |
| KBZK/ESPN+ | W 55–21 | 22,047 |
| December 3 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 9 Weber State* | No. 3 |
| ESPN+ | W 33–25 | 16,397 |
| December 9 | 8:15 p.m. | No. 6 William & Mary* | No. 3 |
| ESPN2/ESPN+ | W 55–7 | 14,367 |
| December 17 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 1 South Dakota State* | No. 3 |
| ESPN2/ESPN+ | L 18–39 | 7,195 |
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Game summaries
McNeese State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| No. 4 Bobcats | 0 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 40 |
Morehead State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
| No. 4 Bobcats | 28 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 63 |
At Oregon State
| Previous meeting |
|---|
| First ever Meeting |
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4 Bobcats | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Beavers | 7 | 27 | 20 | 14 | 68 |
at Providence Park • Portland, Oregon
- Date: September 17th
- Game time: 5:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C) • Wind: NW at 7 miles per hour (11 km/h) • Weather: Cloudy
- Game attendance: 25,218
- Referee: Francisco Villar
- TV: P12N
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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At No. 15 Eastern Washington
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4T Bobcats | 10 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| No. 15 Eagles | 14 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
UC Davis
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggies | 10 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 4 Bobcats | 7 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 41 |
Idaho State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 4 Bobcats | 14 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 37 |
At Northern Colorado
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4 Bobcats | 3 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 37 |
| Bears | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
No. 5 Weber State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 5 Wildcats | 17 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 38 |
| No. 3 Bobcats | 9 | 18 | 16 | 0 | 43 |
At Northern Arizona
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Bobcats | 17 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 41 |
| Lumberjacks | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 38 |
At Cal Poly
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Bobcats | 24 | 27 | 14 | 7 | 72 |
| Mustangs | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
No. 13 Montana
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 13 Grizzlies | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| No. 3 Bobcats | 21 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 55 |
FCS Playoffs
No. 9 Weber State – Second Round
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 9 Wildcats | 3 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 25 |
| No. 3 Bobcats | 7 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 33 |
No. 6 William & Mary – Quarterfinals
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Tribe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| No. 3 Bobcats | 10 | 17 | 28 | 0 | 55 |
At No. 1 South Dakota State – Semifinals
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Bobcats | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
| No. 1 Jackrabbits | 14 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 39 |
Ranking movements
| Week | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4т | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Coaches | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4т | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
References
- Connelly, Bill (January 7, 2022). "FCS national championship game: Breaking down Montana State-North Dakota State". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- "North Dakota State football continues dominant FCS run, wins ninth championship in 11 seasons". ESPN.com. January 8, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- "Montana Tabbed Big Sky Preseason Favorites by Coaches & Media". July 25, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- "Bobcat Backfield Joins Two Defensive Stars and Two Specialists on Preseason All-Big Sky Squad". Montana State University. 25 July 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- "2022 Football Schedule". Montana State University Athletics. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
