Flag twirlers with the Spirit of the West Marching Band spin Bobcat flags into the air at the intersection of Willson Avenue and Main Street during the Homecoming Pep Rally. / GABE BARNARD
Bobcat students and alumni were on the prowl all around Bozeman over the weekend to celebrate Homecoming.
They converged on Main Street and Bobcat Stadium Friday and Saturday to top off a week of celebration, packing Bozeman in blue in and gold.
It all started with a pep rally.
Bobcat football fans gathered at the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Main Street Friday night to pump up the team, which was set to take on Idaho State University in the Homecoming football game on Saturday. Head Football Coach Brent Vigen and the team’s four captains took the stage to thank fans for their support.
“The energy that you guys bring to the stadium on Saturdays is the best in the country,” Vigen said. “Bar none.”
Saturday kicked off with the annual Homecoming Parade, which closed down Main Street to make room for floats crafted by MSU clubs and organizations, Greek life and local businesses. Candidates running for election across Gallatin County and Montana also made appearances.
Then the gates of Bobcat Stadium opened. The Cats smoked the Bengals on the gridiron Saturday afternoon, 37-6. The triumph marked the team's 16th straight win on the home field — a tie for the longest home winning streak in program history.
But there was more than one pack of victors on the field. Three winning candidates for Homecoming Ambassador were announced at halftime from a pool of candidates nominated for their leadership, service and campus involvement.
Correction: This story originally misstated the name of the Idaho State mascot as the Vandals. It has been corrected to Bengals.
The MSU Spirit Squad dances to the school fight song during the annual Homecoming Pep Rally on Friday, Oct. 7. / GABE BARNARDMembers of MSU's Spirit of the West Marching Band play the drums and cymbals during a pep rally routine. The band was a powerhouse during the weekend of Homecoming events, appearing in force and setting the rythym for the traditional pep rally, parade and football game. / GABE BARNARDJonah McDaniel wanders down Main Street with his mother, Lisa, in tow before the annual Homecoming Parade. Spectators packed both sides of the street to see the festivites. / GABE BARNARDCandidates for Homecoming Ambassador wave to spectators on the parade route. The candidates were nominated based on their leadership, service and involvement on campus and one ambassador is elected for each of those three pillars annually. / GABE BARNARDKola Bad Bear, a member of the Crow tribe and forward for MSU's women's basketball team, and RaeQuan Battle, a member of the Tulalip tribe and guard for the men's basketball team, carry a banner for the American Indian Council at the Homecoming parade. / GABE BARNARDSafety Jeffrey Manning Jr. dashes down the field flanked by linebacker Danny Uluilakepa and safety Rhedi Short after intercepting a pass from Idaho State quarterback Sagan Gronauer during the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 8. The Bobcats steamrolled the Bengals, 37-6. / GABE BARNARDNickel back Level Price Jr. fights Idaho State Quarterback Jake Sanders to recover a ball Price stripped from his hands. / GABE BARNARDPresident Cruzado hands a plaque to Megan Bittner, a junior agriculture business major, for being elected the Homecoming Ambassador of Leadership. The winning candidates for ambassador, which also included Involvement Ambassador Emma Kerkering and Service Ambassador Grace Tadvick, were honored at halftime of the Homecoming football game. / Gabe BarnardThe student section sings along to "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond in the fourth quarter of the Homecoming football game. / GABE BARNARD
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