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Bobcats Face Four-Game Big Sky Home Slate in 2026
10/28/2025 3:00:00 PM | Football
MSU faces all four other Big Sky charter members next season
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Oct. 28, 2025) – Montana State's 2026 football season opens with a conference road game at first-year Big Sky member Utah Tech and closes with the Bobcat-Grizzly game in Bozeman. In between, the Cats face a schedule sprinkled with traditional rivals and first-time foes alike.
The Big Sky released its 2026 composite football schedule on Tuesday, featuring the return of Southern Utah and the addition of Utah Tech. Twelve of the league's 13 teams play on August 29, the season's first weekend. The team's non-conference schedule, released previously, includes Butler (Sept. 5) and Central Connecticut State (Sept. 19) sandwiched around a trip to Nevada (Sept. 12).
In addition to UM, the Cats host Big Sky foes Northern Arizona, Weber State and Cal Poly in a season that features four conference home games and five on the road. Along with its trip to St. George, Utah, Montana State visits Idaho, Eastern Washington, Idaho State and Northern Colorado.
Butler and CCSU appear on a Montana State schedule for the first time in 2026, while the Cats faced Utah Tech four times previously. Nevada, now a Mountain West member, and the Bobcats competed as Big Sky rivals from 1979 to 1991, while MSU's series against several other 2026 opponents stretch even further back. Northern Colorado and Idaho State battled the Bobcats in the Rocky Mountain Conference until 1956, while Idaho, Idaho State and Weber State all joined the Bobcats and UM as Big Sky Conference charter members.
Kickoff times and game designations will be released at a later date.
2026 Montana State Football Schedule
Aug. 29 – *at Utah Tech
Sept. 5 – Butler
Sept. 12 – at Nevada
Sept. 19 – Central Connecticut State
Sept. 26 – *Northern Arizona
Oct. 3 – *at Idaho
Oct. 10 – Open
Oct. 17 – *at Eastern Washington
Oct. 24 – *Weber State
Oct. 31 – *Cal Poly
Nov. 7 – *at Idaho State
Nov. 14 – *at Northern Colorado
Nov. 21 – *Montana
#GoCatsGo
The Big Sky released its 2026 composite football schedule on Tuesday, featuring the return of Southern Utah and the addition of Utah Tech. Twelve of the league's 13 teams play on August 29, the season's first weekend. The team's non-conference schedule, released previously, includes Butler (Sept. 5) and Central Connecticut State (Sept. 19) sandwiched around a trip to Nevada (Sept. 12).
In addition to UM, the Cats host Big Sky foes Northern Arizona, Weber State and Cal Poly in a season that features four conference home games and five on the road. Along with its trip to St. George, Utah, Montana State visits Idaho, Eastern Washington, Idaho State and Northern Colorado.
Butler and CCSU appear on a Montana State schedule for the first time in 2026, while the Cats faced Utah Tech four times previously. Nevada, now a Mountain West member, and the Bobcats competed as Big Sky rivals from 1979 to 1991, while MSU's series against several other 2026 opponents stretch even further back. Northern Colorado and Idaho State battled the Bobcats in the Rocky Mountain Conference until 1956, while Idaho, Idaho State and Weber State all joined the Bobcats and UM as Big Sky Conference charter members.
Kickoff times and game designations will be released at a later date.
2026 Montana State Football Schedule
Aug. 29 – *at Utah Tech
Sept. 5 – Butler
Sept. 12 – at Nevada
Sept. 19 – Central Connecticut State
Sept. 26 – *Northern Arizona
Oct. 3 – *at Idaho
Oct. 10 – Open
Oct. 17 – *at Eastern Washington
Oct. 24 – *Weber State
Oct. 31 – *Cal Poly
Nov. 7 – *at Idaho State
Nov. 14 – *at Northern Colorado
Nov. 21 – *Montana
#GoCatsGo
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