BOZEMAN, Mont. — South Dakota State’s bid for a return trip to the Football Championship Subdivision national title game came up short with a 31-17 defeat at the hands of eighth-seeded Montana State Saturday afternoon before a sellout crowd of 20,457 at Bobcat Stadium.
SDSU, which matched a program record for wins in a season, ended with an 11-4 record. The Bobcats, who scored the only points by either team in the second half, improved to 12-2 overall and will face North Dakota State for the national championship Jan. 8 in Frisco, Texas.
The two teams played about as evenly matched a first half as possible as the game was knotted at 17-all with only a six-yard difference in total offense.
Montana State scored first as quarterback Tommy Mellott, who accounted for all four Bobcat touchdowns, connected with Nate Stewart on a 64-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline with 3 minutes and 28 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. The Bobcat drive began at their own 9 after stuffing the Jackrabbits on a fourth-and-1 play from the MSU 7.
The Jackrabbits answered quickly as Pierre Strong, Jr. scored on a 44-yard touchdown run around right end. It was Strong’s 18th rushing touchdown of the season.
After Montana’s Blake Glessner kicked a 27-yard field goal five minutes into the second quarter, South Dakota State took its only lead of the game on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Chris Oladokun to Jadon Janke. That capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive for Jackrabbits.
The Bobcats put together their own seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive on the ensuing possession with Mellott running for the final four yards and the touchdown for a 17-14 MSU lead.
Cole Frahm tied the game on the final play of the first half, booting a 51-yard field goal that tied the game at 17-all.
The second half belonged to the Bobcats, who gained the lead for good on a 3-yard touchdown run by Mellott on the last play of the third quarter. MSU put the game out of reach moments later, taking advantage of a interception and return by Simeon Woodard that placed the ball at the SDSU 40.
Mellott and the Bobcats cashed in as the freshman quarterback hooked up with Lance McCutcheon on a 17-yard touchdown with 10:35 to play. Mellott completed 10-of-15 passes for 233 yards and also led the Bobcat rushing attack with 155 yards on 34 carries.
The final three Jackrabbit drives ended with two turnovers on downs and a fumble in Montana State territory.
SDSU finished the afternoon with a 439-409 advantage in total offense. Strong carried 14 times for 94 yards, but rushing mate Isaiah Davis was limited to 13 net yards on nine carries.
Oladokun completed 23-of-35 passes for 315 yards, spreading the ball to eight different receivers. Jaxon Janke caught six passes for 97 yards, while twin brother Jadon also tallied six receptions for 96 yards. Tucker Kraft added 80 receiving yards on five catches.
McCutcheon paced MSU with five catches for 98 yards.
All-America linebacker Troy Andersen led all players with 10 tackles for the Bobcats.
In his final game as a Jackrabbit, Logan Backhaus led SDSU with seven tackles, followed by six each from Adam Bock and Michael Griffin II.
