NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two Montana State football equipment truck drivers successfully completed their critical 1,800-mile journey from Bozeman to Nashville, delivering the Bobcats' gear for Monday's FCS championship game against Illinois State.
Tom Reiner and Monte Severson arrived at the Gaylord Opryland Resort at about 11:30 p.m. local time Thursday after departing Bozeman late Wednesday afternoon for the nearly 30-hour drive.
"If this thing doesn't make it, they don't get to play," Reiner said. "So that's kind of the No. 1 priority, is making sure this gets here."
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The duo, who have known each other for more than 30 years, described the trip as largely uneventful despite one close call with a dog that ran in front of their truck.
"Every trip has something, not this trip," Reiner said before Severson reminded about the close call with the loose dog. "Oh, there was a dog. There was a dog that ran out in front of the truck, and I about put her in the ditch. ... But that's driving, you get that every trip."
The longtime friends pass time during their marathon drives by listening to music and swapping stories while taking turns sleeping. Their journey has even attracted a social media following that tracks their travels.
"The amount of people that we've had a response with, all the stuff on social media, it's crazy," Severson said.
Both drivers expressed their deep connection to Montana State football — Reiner grew up cheering for the Cats and Severson was a freshman at MSU when the Bobcats won the 1984 national championship.
"As a kid growing up and idolizing the Bobcats, it's huge," Reiner said of MSU's back-to-back trips to the national championship game. "So, it's just a really neat opportunity. And, I mean, I'd chase them all over the country and have, so it's been totally worth it for me."
And both are predicting a Montana State win Monday when the Bobcats and Illinois State meet for the title.
"I won't get to bring the trophy home — that'll go on the plane," Reiner said, "but it'll be pretty cool to have it."
