FCS Notes: Cats 'better equipped' for this title run

Montana State coach Brent Vigen wasn’t completely on board Saturday with comparisons between his current 15-0 football team and the one that surged into the 2021 FCS title game in his first season.  

But he gets it.

Tommy Mellott was the quarterback both years, and the Bobcats won both their semifinal games by 31-17 scores — over South Dakota Saturday and over South Dakota State in 2021.  

“We were a No. 8 seed, coming off a loss, changing quarterbacks,” Vigen said of 2021, when Mellott take over for Matthew McKay after MSU fell 26-10 in the Cat-Griz Game. “We kind of got on a run there, and I think this team —  we’re just in a different place as a program.” 

Mellott tended to agree. He remembered it dawning on him in 2021 after beating SDSU that he and the Bobcats were in fairly uncharted territory. Their previous trip to the FCS title game came in 1984, when they won the championship. 

“We kept having crazy unrealistic plays, over and over again and we kept winning,” the senior out of Butte said. “When I sat there and finally realized we were going to the national championship, it was overwhelming.” 

Now, not so much. The Cats have been in the hunt ever since, and now they’ll play Northe Dakota State for the title at 5 p.m. on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas. 

“I think that team changed our expectations; that we can make it all the way,” Vigen said. “But I think this team is different. This team is better equipped for this time of year.” 

Touchdown Tommy Time 

For the second straight week Mellott had the game-breaking play. Against Idaho it was a 63-yard scramble that set up a touchdown right before halftime, giving the Cats a 31-10 lead in a game they won 52-19.  

Saturday it was a 41-yard touchdown run off a fumbled snap that put the Cats up 31-14 in the third quarter. 

“He made something out of a broken play,” USD coach Bob Nielson noted. “You know, that’s what good players do." 

“He’s an experienced guy,” he added later. “Hard runner. I thought we hit him a lot today and you know, made him pay for the yards he got. But he made enough big plays both throwing and running the football today to help them put points on the board.” 

Added SDU safety Dennis Shorter: “He just took advantage of our mistakes. He was a great player. You can’t take it from him. He did a good job today.  

“We just didn’t play our best brand of football.” 

Home Cooking 

The packed house at Bobcat Stadium played a role in Montana State’s win over the Coyotes.  

Two procedure calls took USD off-schedule, which is a term Coyotes’ coach Bob Neilson used often, in two early drives. In the fourth quarter, as  USD drove into the bowled end of Bobcat Stadium, two snaps got away from quarterback Aidan Bouman as well. 

“I think playing their offense down in the (south) Sonny Holland Zone was critical,” Vigen said. “They put a couple balls on the ground. Our crowd made a difference, there’s no doubt about it. Wherever our edge came from, I know that was part of it.” 

“We’ve been a pretty clean football team,” Nielson said. “It cost us a few procedure penalties. The one communication error on the bad snap, Aidan was actually trying to check the play and I think the center thought he executing the snap count. 

“It’s a hard environment to play in, You think about we had a one-day shorter week, we had to travel and. ... play in this environment. It’s definitely a home field advantage. I guess we’ve just got to play a little bit better to have that semifinal be at home.” 

Tough Theis 

South Dakota running back Travis Theis ended his college career with a school-record 40 rushing touchdowns, including a 55-yard score against the Bobcats. 

Asked about the bruising 210-pounder, Nielson got emotional. 

“I’ve said this a few times. He is just a football player,” the 65-year-old coach said. “He loves the game. You can tell by watching him play. I thought he was really good today, and he’s been that way for us all year. He’s been banged up a lot of the year”  —  twice Theis left the game favoring his right arm —  “and you’d never know.” 

Theis deflected when asked about his accomplishments. 

“I’m probably one of the few college football players who’s had the same head coach and same position coach (Dante Warren) for all six seasons,” he said. “Thank God for that. And Charles Pierre is going to break that record next year.” 

The Portal 

Sam Herder of herosports.com has been keeping up with the FCS players hitting the NCAA Transfer Portal, including but not limited to players going up a level to the FBS. 

Former Griz quarterback Logan Fife has landed at New Mexico State, while none of Idaho’s transfers — DB Dwayne McDougle (San Diego State), receivers Jordan Dwyer (TCU) and Mark Hamper (Wisconsin) and D-end Malakai Williams (Boise State) followed coach Jason Eck to New Mexico. 

Idaho State defensive end Logan George, who was probably overlooked in all-Big Sky voting, landed at Ohio State. 

One easy way to track the lists is through Herder’s Twitter/X.com handle: @SamHerderFCS. 

QUICK KICKS: MSU announced that United Airlines added a flight from Bozeman International Airport direct to Dallas-Fort Worth that leaves Jan. 5 and returns Jan. 7, with details at united.com. ... Vigen was offnsive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on NDSU’s first two FCS championship teams, in 2011-12. ... The Bobcat Stadium crowd of 20,577 was the second-largest the Coyotes played in front this season. They lost 27-13 at Wisconsin in front of 76,069. ... Pierre, a sophomore, had his 21st career rushing touchdown against MSU. ...  NDSU boasts quarterback Cam Miller, who is among the top three vote-getters for the Walter Payton Award along with Mellott and Southern Utah running back Targhee Lambson. ... NDSU running back CharMar Brown won the Jerry Rice Award for the top freshman in the FCS on Dec. 4.