Team: Montana State Bobcats
School: Montana State University
Conference: Big Sky
National titles as of 2018: 3
Conference titles as of 2018: 20
2019 Head coach: Jeff Choate
When you see blue and gold at the stadium, you know it's time to stand up and cheer for the Montana State Bobcats. The Bobcats have a history as rocky as the mountains they call their home, but they see enough success to keep their spirits high. The Montana State Bobcats are known for being the only college football team to receive championship titles in three different division levels. They also consistently produce professional players like Dane Fletcher, Sean Hill and Larry Reubens. Travis Lulay and DeNarius McGhee, both former Bobcats, are among the few quarterbacks who have crossed the 10,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing benchmarks. The Montana State Bobcats are known for being sharp, critical and patient on the field. Head coach Jeff Choate is slightly new to the game, but he's been improving the Bobcats' performance every season, and fans can smell another championship on the horizon.Don't miss the next wild game; grab Montana State Bobcats tickets at StubHub.
The Montana State Bobcats play their home games at Bobcat Stadium, which is located on the Montana State University Campus. The stadium was built in 1973 and was originally called the Reno H. Sales Stadium. Reno H. Sales was a former Bobcats lineman and a generous donor who was often called “ ”Mr. Bobcat“ ” before his death in 1969. The stadium was renamed after a 1998 renovation. Bobcat Stadium has a permanent capacity of 17,777 and can be expanded to 20,767 with the addition of temporary bleachers.
The Montana State Bobcats have played in the Big Sky Conference since it was founded in 1963. Prior to that, they were part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference between 1917 and 1956.
Jeff Choate has been the head coach of the Montana State Bobcats since 2016. This is Choate's first time serving as head coach. During his time with the Bobcats, he has steadily improved their conference standings every season. In 2018, the Bobcats finished in 4th with an overall record of 8-5.
The Montana State Bobcats have won three national titles in 1956, 1976 and 1984. They have also won 20 conference titles. The most recent victory was in 2011 under the leadership of head coach Rob Ash; the Bobcats tied with the Montana Grizzlies for the championship, as both teams had finishing scores of 7-1.
The Montana State Bobcats' main rivals are the
Montana Grizzlies
. Due to their close proximity, Montana State Univerity and the University of Montana compete in both athletics and academics. The two teams play an annual rivalry game known as the Brawl of the Wild; it's also occasionally called the Cat-Griz. The winning team brings home the Great Divide Trophy, which is shaped like Bear Mountain with a small football on top. Montana State has held the trophy since 2016, but the Grizzlies lead the series 72-40-5.
Many members of the Montana State Bobcats go on to play in professional football. Current active players include Tony Boddie of the Denver Broncos, Joey Thomas of the Green Bay Packers and Ron East of the Dallas Cowboys. Pro Football Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud also started his career as a Montana State Bobcat.
The easiest way to show your Bobcat pride is to get your Montana State Bobcats tickets at StubHub.