BOZEMAN — Over 40 players from the Treasure State are members of this year’s FCS national championship-bound Montana State football team. And a couple of the Bobcats’ impact players hail from the Capital City.
Montana State defeated Montana 48-23 on Dec. 20 to punch its ticket to next week’s title game against Illinois State. And when the Bobcats take off for Nashville, Tenn., it’ll be a dream come true for two of the team’s Helena natives.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
“It’s very cool. Honestly, it’s like what you dreamed of when you were a kid,” said sophomore defensive back and former Helena High Bengal Colter Petre. “(You) get to represent the name on your chest, Montana State — growing up, wanting to play for them. Represent the state of Montana for all the people back here in Montana.”
“It means a lot to me, especially the whole Montana aspect of it because we don’t have a professional sports team here,” said sophomore defensive lineman and former Capital Bruin Talon Marsh. “So, being able to go to this high of a national championship means a lot to a lot of us.”
And having two guys from the same hometown playing together on the same side of the ball has only helped overall team chemistry.
“Yeah, because they’re super relateable,” Marsh said of his teammates from Helena and from Montana in general. “I mean, a lot of time we go do stuff and hang out together because we like to do the same things, coming from Montana.”
Both Marsh and Petre told MTN Sports they hope to serve as examples of what’s possible for Bengals and Bruins football players to achieve.
“That’s what I kind of strive for is to lead by example,” said Petre. “And give a good example for younger kids. I have three younger brothers. But for those kids in high school that kind of knew me, or knew of me, to show them or create a foundation to show them what they can do with their life.”
The FCS national championship between Montana State and Illinois State kicks off Monday at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University.
