NAHSVILLE, Tenn. — There are certain things fans expect whenever Montana State football fans gather in large groups — blue and gold everywhere, cold temperatures late in the season and, at some point, whether you’re ready or not, everyone singing “Mony Mony" at the top of their lungs.
The 1981 hit by Billy Idol has become ubiquitous among Bobcat Nation, blaring from speakers inside Bobcat Stadium during the Cat-Griz rivalry and echoing far beyond it.
WATCH: HOW "MONY MONY" BECAME PART OF BOBCAT FANDOM
It’s played at weddings, heard in bars across Montana and reliably makes an appearance whenever Montana State beats its in-state rival.
This week especially as the Bobcats prepare for the FCS national championship game, house bands and DJs at Nashville hotspots have added "Mony Mony" to their setlists and playlists as Bobcat fans congregate in Broadway bars and beyond.
Despite its prominence, the origins of “Mony Mony” as a Montana State tradition remain unclear. Fans have debated its beginnings for years, with no consensus on exactly when — or how — the song became embedded in Bobcat culture.
What is clear is that the version sung by Bobcat fans includes altered lyrics aimed at their rival, the Montana Grizzlies — a twist best left implied rather than repeated. Still, the song has evolved into something bigger than a chant or a taunt.
It has effectively become Montana State football’s unofficial anthem.
Players who arrive in Bozeman quickly learn that “Mony Mony” is more than just another song on the gameday playlist.
“You learn about it quick when you’re a young buck — but you really learn about it the first time you beat that other school,” Montana State offensive lineman Titan Fleischman said. “When they play it, you figure it out real fast.”
For players on the field or the sideline, the moment typically comes late in rivalry games, when the outcome feels decided and the celebration begins.
“Once they finally played it, everyone kind of loses their mind,” said defensive lineman Alec Eckert. “It’s fun for the fans, but it’s fun for us too.”
Teammates say the song creates a rare moment where players and fans feel completely in sync.
“When that song comes on, it feels like the start of a celebration,” linebacker Neil Daily said. “The fans and the team all get to be part of it at the same time.”
For others, the tradition stretches back to childhood.
“I’ve been going to games since I was about 5 years old,” Bozeman native and defensive lineman Kenneth Eiden IV said. “When they play it, the crowd just goes crazy. It’s one of those moments you remember forever.”
Now, as Montana State prepares for the FCS national championship in Nashville, “Mony Mony” has followed the Bobcats south.
The song has been heard blaring in bars along Broadway throughout championship week — and stands to get even louder if the Bobcats finish the job Monday night.
