BOZEMAN — It didn't take long for Julius Davis to become a household name at Montana State after transferring to the Bobcats a couple of years ago from Wisconsin.
He battled injury for most of last season, and was granted a medical redshirt. Now he's making the most of his final year in the Blue and Gold.
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No. 5 Montana State beat ranked Northern Arizona 34-10 last week, a game in which Davis hurdled a defender and dragged two Lumberjacks into the end zone for a touchdown. The play landed him at No. 2 on the SportsCenter Top 10 later that night.
"In the moment I didn’t realize it was that big of a deal," Davis said. "I was just kind of playing football with the guys. We saw an adjustment throughout the game, and the line blocked it perfectly, and I made the read, and the tight end sealed the edge. The rest is history."
Another game, another Sports Center Top 10 for @juliusdavis32 👀#BobcatBuilt | 📹: @espn pic.twitter.com/Ocs96I4LQW
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) October 5, 2025
The play caught the attention of the nation, but for Davis it’s never about the personal accolades.
"People around the world get to see this, and you get to bring attention to the program," he said about landing on ESPN. "But ultimately I’m focused on the team win, the team stats. Just how we’re performing as a team because I want to win as a team."
Davis has found a home at Montana State. When he was granted the extra year of eligibility last year, he knew he wanted to stay in Bozeman.
"You’ll see the community that supports you and how genuine those people are," he explained of his decision to spend his final year of college ball at MSU. "It gives you every reason to come back. When you’ve experienced other things then you come to a place like this, you’ll see why."
Montana State coach Brent Vigen expanded on Davis' decision to remain with the Cats.
"This is a spot that gave me another chance, gave me, I guess, a renewed love of the game," Vigen said. "I know he spoke to that. All he wants to do is be a this very best and for the team to do its very best."
Earlier today, standout running back Julius Davis (@juliusdavis32) explained how much Montana State made him rediscover his love for the game.
— Grace Lawrence (@gracemlaw4) August 5, 2025
"I chose to stay. For me, there wasn't money that could beat playing here, playing for this community." pic.twitter.com/Tcv8O4Tjn0
Though six games Davis leads MSU with 333 rushing yards on 51 attempts, an average of 6.4 yards per carry. He has scored three touchdowns.
Outside of his athletic ability and talent, one of the most critical intangibles Davis brings to the team is his competitive edge.
"His competitive nature is pretty extreme," Vigen said with a smile. "That’s a real positive force for this team."
"It comes from just the adversity I’ve been through, so just trying to translate that and bottle it all up into a competitive nature," Davis explained.
Outside of the team, he’s also always playing for his family.
"My family is another reason why I play," he said. "They supported me and help me get to the point that I am now."
Davis and No. 5 Montana State continue Big Sky play at 1 p.m. on Saturday against Idaho State in Bobcat Stadium or on your local Scripps Sports station.
