BOZEMAN — Following a too-close-for-comfort win over Yale in the second round of the playoffs, Montana State knew it would need to stand tall to get past Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin — and former Montana quarterback Sam Vidlak — in the FCS quarterfinals.
That's just what the Bobcats accomplished in their 44-28 victory over the Lumberjacks on Friday. MSU's offensive produced a balanced effort with quarterback Justin Lamson tossing two scores and piling up 246 passing yards, Adam Jones accounting for three scores and the Bobcats' ground game churning out 227 yards, most of them in the second half.
Oh, and Caden Dowler continued his remarkable interception streak, notching his sixth pick in the past five games.
"It's about just bouncing back each week," said Lamson after the game. "People can say what they want about the offense and that's fine but we just can't let the doubt creep in ever. It's more of a mental game I think than anything and we just got to stick to what we know."
Sticking to what they know now has the Bobcats — who extended their win streak to 12 — making their fourth semifinal appearance in the past five years.
"We got it done offensively, we got it done defensively and here we are with another opportunity to play as this team," said MSU head coach Brent Vigen. "To play in the semifinals, to play here in Bozeman. The crowd was phenomenal tonight. We really gonna need that again next Saturday."
Postgame scenes from MSU's quarterfinal victory over SFA. The Bobcats have run their win streak to 12 and are now set to host the winner of Montana/South Dakota in the semifinals next Saturday. Montana State is one win away from the national championship. #mtscores pic.twitter.com/CJ7cVI0QWz
— Luke Shelton (@lukeshelton_mtn) December 13, 2025
The Cats are now set to host archrival Montana in the semifinals in the what will be the first postseason matchup between theteams. The Grizzlies stormed past South Dakota 52-22 on Saturday to set the stage for what will be the most important meeting ever between the two programs with a trip to the national championship on the line. The 13-1 Grizzlies' lone loss this season came versus MSU in November's Brawl of the Wild.
Following Friday night's win over SFA, the Bobcats weren't sure whether they'd be facing the Grizzlies or South Dakota but noted that they'd bring a straightforward, next-game-up mentality regardless of whoever they ended up hosting.
"Treat it just like any other game," said senior defensive end Kenneth Eiden IV, who forced two fumbles and had three sacks against the Lumberjacks. "It's a big game but we've had success in going 1-0 every week and never letting the moment get too big. Just focusing on my job and what I need to do."
For SFA, which concluded the season at 11-3, it was a disappointing end to a campaign that saw them head into the playoffs as conference champions for the first time since 2010. Lumberjacks head coach Colby Carthel gave kudos to MSU and what the Bobcats have built as they aim to return to the national championship for the third time in five years.
"We didn't play our best game tonight and that is because of the Montana State Bobcats. They've got a pretty good ball club up here," said Carthel. "They've got some really good players and really good coaches. They had a lot to do with us not playing our best football game. That was a good football game, it could have been a great one."
