Bobcats on the prowl under the lights

Montana State Football returned to the turf on Saturday for their first game since the 2019 FCS playoffs, taking on Wyoming in Laramie. The Cats jumped out to an early lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Lance McCutcheon and held a 7-3 lead at the half. A scoreless third quarter put the Bobcats in a promising position down the stretch, but Wyoming finally found the end zone with just over 13 minutes to play. Bobcat kicker Blake Glessner grabbed the lead back for the Cats on a 53-yard field goal – the longest ever by an MSU freshman – and a win in Laramie once again seemed possible. The Cats and Cowboys continued the fourth quarter tug-of-war as Wyoming regained the lead on a field goal before allowing a Bobcat touchdown late in the game. With just over two minutes left on the clock, the Cowboys stormed 75 yards down the field to complete an impressive touchdown drive that took only eight plays. The Bobcats put together a valiant final effort to tie the game and send it to overtime, but 47 seconds proved too little time to put the team in field-goal range

The 19-16 loss in Laramie was surely not Brent Vigen’s vision for his MSU coaching debut and the first matchup with his former team, but the defeat came with a few silver linings. Wyoming’s 19 points on Saturday were the least that the Bobcats have allowed against an FBS opponent since 2006, and the three-point deficit was decidedly less than the oddsmaker’s prediction of a 19 point spread in favor of the Cowboys. Additionally, Isaiah Ifanse made a strong season debut with 103 rushing yards, his ninth career triple-digit effort. An 0-1 start forces Montana State to play catch-up as six Big Sky conference teams – UC Davis, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Cal Poly, Sacramento State and Montana – all earned wins in their season openers. On the bright side, the Cats put forward a strong effort in week one and already have one of their toughest matchups of the season behind them.

As Bobcat Football returns to Bozeman, the stage is set for an unforgettable home opener. In the fall of 2019, the Bobcats put together a season for the ages that included a 48-14 stomping against Montana and an FCS playoff run that went all the way to the semifinals – their most successful postseason since 1984. Then COVID-19 swept the world, and campus emptied. As the beginning of the 2020 season drew closer, it became clear that no games would be played in Bobcat Stadium, or anywhere else. What looked to be a potential Big Sky championship season for the Bobcats was over before it even began. Bobcat Nation reeled as the 2020 fall semester began. In January of 2021, Bobcat fans were dealt another blow: Head Coach Jeff Choate’s successful career at Montana State was over. He took a job at Texas as the inside linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator and packed his bags for Austin.

But as spring approached, hope emerged for the 2021 season. The Bobcats hired Brent Vigen – who at the time was the Wyoming offensive coordinator and associate head coach – to succeed Choate. Bobcat Nation buzzed at the news. Vigen was incredibly successful in his coaching career at North Dakota State and Wyoming and set ambitious goals upon his arrival in Bozeman. As his profile on the MSU Football website puts it, “During his time as a player or coach Vigen’s teams won six conference or division championships and advanced to the post-season 11 times, including three straight FCS National Championships at North Dakota State.” Also, as noted in last week’s Exponent football coverage, Vigen coached NFL Pro-Bowler Josh Allen during his time at Wyoming, giving Bobcat fans reason to believe in Vigen’s ability to develop outstanding quarterbacks. Now, returning to the field for the 2021 season, Vigen and the Bobcats will be welcomed home by a roaring crowd, thousands strong, all decked out in gold.

What started in 2006 as a simple T-shirt promotion has blossomed into a beloved Bobcat tradition and an essential experience for any student who hasn’t yet attended a Gold Rush game. Although the first Gold Rush game was not an official event and only saw a smattering of yellow in the stands, it laid a foundation for Gold Rush as we know it. In 2007, MSU officially launched the tradition of selling gold t-shirts at an affordable price and packing the stands for the Bobcat’s home opener. MSU’s Director of Marketing, Julie Kipfer, helped start the Gold Rush tradition and has built on it ever since. The tradition has grown and evolved over the years and now includes a T-shirt design contest each fall to decide the unique look for the home opener’s signature swag. According to the MSU website, this year’s winner “features the Bobcat logo set against a backdrop of the Bridger mountains, featuring the ‘M’ on Mount Baldy.”

Gold Rush gives Bobcat Nation an opportunity to start off each season with an immense display of energy and unity in support of our home team. This season promises to bring unparalleled excitement as players finally return to the field and fans to their seats. The Bobcats will play home games against Drake, San Diego, Northern Colorado, Cal Poly, Idaho State and Idaho. The Cats will cap off the season in Missoula as they hunt down a fifth consecutive Brawl of the Wild victory.

The Bobcats have come away with a win in all but one Gold Rush game and look to continue the pattern of success in their tilt against Drake this Saturday, Sept. 11. Drake kicked off its season with a 45-3 thrashing of Division II West Virginia Wesleyan and will provide a solid test for the Cats. Tickets are sold out for the general public, and student tickets sold out in 40 minutes. Gold Rush T-shirts are on sale at the MSU Bookstore and Universal Athletic and cost only $14. The game will begin at 6 p.m.

This year’s Gold Rush is sure to bring back the excitement that football fans have been craving for the last year as Bobcat Nation fills the stands once again. If you’re lucky enough to attend, make sure to show your support and help the Cats bring home another Gold Rush win!