It doesn’t get much better than Montana State vs NDSU in the 2024 FCS championship game. MSU seeks to complete a perfect season; the Bison want to reach double figures in FCS titles.
Call all your rowdy friends, “Monday Night Football” promises to be better than ever to kick off the new year.
Top-ranked Montana State (15-0) and No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-2) are meeting in the 2024 FCS championship game Monday night at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (7, ESPN).
Montana State vs NDSU is a highly anticipated matchup between FCS powers, was somewhat predictable in the preseason, and is back to prime time for the first time since the 2010 season championship. Plus, it’s being held on a Monday for the first time (but no Hank Williams Jr. song promised).
The Bobcats haven’t been below the No. 4 national ranking as they seek to finish off a perfect season with a second all-time FCS championship. The Bison, who haven’t been below the No. 3 ranking, will try to push their record nine FCS national titles into double figures.
The two powers have met five times in the FCS playoffs since 2010 – all NDSU victories. That includes a 38-10 win over Montana State in the 2021 FCS championship game.
2024 FCS Championship Game
No. 1 seed Montana State (15-0) vs. No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-2)
Kickoff – 7 p.m. ET Monday at Toyota Stadium Frisco, Texas (ESPN – play-by-play Dave Flemming, analyst Brock Osweiler and reporter Stormy Buonantony)
Series – Montana State leads 21-17 (last meeting: NDSU won 35-34 in overtime in FCS second-round playoff game on Dec. 2, 2023)
Wins in FCS Playoffs – Montana State: UT Martin (48-17), Idaho (52-19) and South Dakota (31-17); NDSU: Abilene Christian (51-31) Mercer (31-7) and South Dakota State (28-21)
Coaches – Montana State: Brent Vigen (47-9, fourth season); NDSU: Tim Polasek (13-2, first season)
Offensive Players to Watch – Montana State: QB Tommy Mellott (180.1 pass efficiency%, 231.9 offensive ypg, 43 total TDs), RB Scottre Humphrey (188 carries, 1,360 yards, 15 TDs), RG Marcus Wehr (two-time Stats Perform All-America first team); NDSU: QB Cam Miller (72.6 completion%, 237.5 offensive ypg, 41 total TDs), LT Grey Zabel (All-America first team), WR Bryce Lance (66 receptions, 964 yards, 16 TDs)
Defensive Players to Watch – Montana State: DE Brody Grebe (35 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 2 FR), LB McCade O’Reilly (71 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3 PBU), S Rylan Ortt (75 tackles, 2 takeaways; NDSU: LB Logan Kopp (69 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 INT), LB Enock Sibomana (50 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1 INT), DT Eli Mostaert (56 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 6 sacks),
Special Teams Players to Watch – Montana State: PR Taco Dowler (52 punt returns, 12.5-yard average); NDSU: KR/PR Jackson Williams (32.7 KOR average, 10.8 PR average, two return TDs)
Notable – 1. Both teams enter with a comparable tale of the tape, but there are a few sizable differences: MSU’s 301 rushing yards per game compared to NDSU’s 192.7; NDSU +19 in turnover margin to MSU’s +8; and MSU’s 32.0% third-down defense to NDSU’s 42.0%. 2. Speaking of comparable, Mellott and Miller have had similar statistics all season, and they rank 1-2 in FCS pass efficiency rating (Mellott, 180.1; Miller, 179.2). 3. NDSU allows 119.3 rushing yards per game, which is solid, but it’s a number MSU has far exceeded against postseason competition in addition to in the regular season. The Bobcats rushed for a season-high 511 yards against Sacramento State, while the Bison’s defensive low was 8 allowed to Illinois State. 4. The Bobcats lead the FCS in red zone efficiency, scoring a TD or field goal on 96.8% of their opportunities (61 of 63), but the Bison have denied opponents well in the red zone (73.7% against, and just 57.9% in allowing TDs). 5. The school-announced lineups reflect NDSU with eight starters and MSU seven who also were starters in the last meeting (2023 playoffs).
Up Next – The winner will claim the No. 1 ranking in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. Both teams will open the 2025 season on the road on Aug. 30: MSU against Oregon and NDSU against The Citadel.
Montana State vs NDSU Prediction – North Dakota State wins a classic 24-23.
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