BOZEMAN -- Montana State football is continuing to prepare for its FCS playoff game against Albany this Saturday, and it marks the second consecutive year in the postseason for the Bobcats. It's also the second straight season where they will get a home game.
Last year, MSU defeated Incarnate Word in the opening round before losing to North Dakota State on the road the following week. This year, the Cats earned the first-round bye and are now welcoming the Great Danes to Bozeman. But despite earning the No. 5 seed and an automatic spot in the second round, Montana State head coach Jeff Choate wants to prove that his Bobcats belong in the top tier.
"The committee felt like we deserved an opportunity to host a game, and we are appreciative of that. Now we have to go out and back it up," said Choate.
As of Tuesday, more than 2,000 student tickets had already been claimed for Saturday's game against Albany, according to the Bobcat Athletic Department. They also announced that they are buying an additional block to allow more students to attend the game for free. It's exactly the atmosphere Choate wants heading into postseason football.
"It makes an impact. I know having those guys packed in the Sonny Holland End Zone is an important thing for our guys, we feed off of their energy and I know how important this program is to this community," said Choate. "We're excited to see if we can get a great crowd to support our guys, and certainly a home field is better than us having to go there."
Montana State will square off against Albany at 1 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.
