Montana State defeated South Dakota 31-17 to advance to the national title game.

The Bobcat defense stepped up greatly in the second half, holding South Dakota to just three points. In the fourth quarter, Montana State had two fourth-down stops and a crucial fumble recovery on its final defensive possession.

Rejected ❌@MSUBobcats_FB forces the fumble and recovers to close it out!#FCSPlayoffs x 🎥 ABC pic.twitter.com/sXk20fQ8OC

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) December 21, 2024

Offensively, quarterback Tommy Mellot led the way with 134 passing yards and one touchdown and 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

It’s the first title appearance for Montana State since 2021. Fittingly, Montana State played – and lost to – North Dakota State in the title game this year, the first for head coach Brent Vigen and quarterback Tommy Mellott. The Bobcats and Bison will meet in Frisco, Texas to participate in the FCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 6, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Next stop: Frisco ⏭🤠#FCSPlayoffs x 🎥 ABC / @MSUBobcats_FB pic.twitter.com/YzRv0wJ3Ln

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) December 22, 2024

Click or tap here to view game statistics

After Montana State stopped South Dakota in the redzone on fourth down, the Coyote defense forced a punt to get the ball back. South Dakota will take a 31-17 lead with 4:46 left and two timeouts.

One quarter remains until we find out who the second FCS title game participant is. Montana State has a 14-point lead over South Dakota at 31-17 early in the fourth quarter. The Coyotes added a field goal with 2:11 left in the third quarter to reduce the deficit.

When play resumes, South Dakota will have the ball at its own 40-yard line facing second and third.

Check out the three-quarter stats below

Tommy Mellott showed why he is one of the most exciting players in the FCS. Mellott dropped the snap, missed a defender, got past another defender and shot 41 yards into the end zone. Montana State leads 31-14

LIVING LEGEND 🤯

I appreciate every minute @Tommy_Mellott pic.twitter.com/yv65Rh8VOV

— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) December 21, 2024

A field goal late in the second quarter gave Montana State a 10-point halftime lead. The result was another addition to an explosive first half.

South Dakota scored two touchdowns on the ground of 55 and 45 yards. However, the passing game wasn’t as explosive as Aidan Bouman only had 76 yards through the air on third down and finished 0-2.

BOZEMAN’S OWN 💪💪

📺ABC@kennethheideniv | #BobcatBuilt pic.twitter.com/mkYnfX0mGj

— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) December 21, 2024

Montana State’s offense was driven by Tommy Mellott. He is 8-15 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown while rushing 13 times for 69 yards and a score. Mellott and the Bobcat offense played 44 plays, South Dakota 16, while holding the football to the Coyotes 20-28 to 9-24.

When play resumes, South Dakota will receive the second half kickoff.

South Dakota needed just one play in the second quarter to tie the game. Running back Charles Pierre Jr. rushed 45 yards to the house on the Coyotes’ second big run today.

Pierre Powers ahead 🏃‍♂️

Charles Pierre Jr. makes it 45 yards to the house!#FCSPlayoffs x 🎥 ABC / @SDCoyotesFB pic.twitter.com/ptvbHqoItq

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) December 21, 2024

It was an explosive first quarter as both Montana State and South Dakota moved the ball with ease for the most part. While both teams punted on their second possession, they quickly scored on their first.

Montana State’s third possession gave them the lead just before the end of the first quarter as Tommy Mellott had two touchdowns, passing and rushing, for 90 yards passing and 29 yards rushing.

When play resumes, the ball will be at Montana State’s 45-yard line on South Dakota’s first-and-10.

First quarter statistics can be found below

South Dakota responded to a rushing touchdown at Montana State on its opening drive with a rushing touchdown of its own. The Coyotes reached the end zone in just five plays as running back Travis Theis ran 55 yards for a touchdown.

Theis for the tie! 🙌@SDCoyotesFB RB breaks out with a 55-yard touchdown to tie the score!#FCSPlayoffs x 🎥 ABC pic.twitter.com/oShCPoukkx

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) December 21, 2024

It took just six plays and just over three minutes for Montana State to reach the end zone in the FCS semifinals. Quarterback Tommy Mellott hit wide receiver Taco Dowler for a 34-yard score, giving the Bobcats a 7-0 lead. It was the second time the duo met on the drive, as they gained 20 yards on the first play of the game.

TACO TIME TACO TIME 🌮🌮@DowlerTaco X @Tommy_Mellott

📺ABC#BobcatBuilt | #CATS pic.twitter.com/HuyoCB2QTj

— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) December 21, 2024

Here’s how to watch the 2024 FCS semifinal game between South Dakota and Montana State:

Here are some of the key storylines and players to watch in this year’s FCS semifinal game between South Dakota and Montana State.

Storylines

• How they got here
  • South Dakota ended the regular season with a lot of momentum after defeating North Dakota State in a top-five matchup. When the postseason began, the Coyotes swept Tarleton State with an explosive second-round win before defeating UC Davis without ever falling behind in the quarterfinals.
  • Montana State dominated competition all season as the only undefeated team in the FCS. The Bobcats haven’t played a close game in the playoffs, having averaged 50.5 points and a 32.5 win margin in two games.
• Past encounters
  • Montana State and South Dakota have met only once in the history of the two programs. The Bobcats won their only matchup in 2008, 37-18.
• Coaching
  • Two coaches of the year will meet in the semifinals. Big Sky Coach of the Year Brent Vigen meets MVFC Coach of the Year Bob Nielson. Vigen also received the Eddie Robinson Award as FCS Coach of the Year.
• What is at stake
  • South Dakota is breaking new ground with its first semifinal appearance. This is only the fourth FCS playoff season in Coyote history. Meanwhile, Montana State is still in the hunt for the 1984 FCS championship. The Bobcats have returned to the title game just once since (2021), the first year of the Brent Vigen-Tommy Mellott era.

Players to keep an eye on

Here are some South Dakota players to keep an eye on

• MVFC Offensive Player of the Year: DL Mi’Quise Grace

South Dakota All-MVFC player

• 1st team | RB Charles Pierre Jr.
• 1st team | FB Travis Theis
• 1st team | OL Joey Lombard
• 1st team | TE JJ Galbreath
• 1st team | DL Nick Gaes
• 1st team | DL Mi’Quise Grace
• 1st team | DB Dennis Shorter
• 2nd team | OL Joe Cotton
• 2nd team | OL Bryce Henderson
• 2nd team | DL Blake Holden
• 2nd team | LB Gary Bryant III
• 2nd team | DB Mike Reid

Here are some Montana State players to keep an eye on

• Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year: QB Tommy Mellott
• Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year: DL Brody Grebe
• Big Sky Freshman of the Year: RB Adam Jones

Montana State All-Big Sky player

• 1st team | QB Tommy Mellott
• 1st team | RB Scottre Humphrey
• 1st team | FB Rohan Jones
• 1st team | OL Marcus Wehr (unanimous)
• 1st team | OL Conner Moore
• 1st team | DL Brody Grebe (unanimous)
• 1st team | LB McCade O’Reilly
• 1st team | DB Rylan Ortt
• 1st team | PR Taco Dowler
• 2nd team | OL Titan Fleischmann
• 2nd team | OL Cole Sain
• 2nd team | DL Paul Brott
• 2nd team | LB Danny Uluilakep
• 2nd team | DB Andrew Powdrell
• 2nd team | P Brendan Hall