Montana State University
9-2 , 7-0
UC Davis
7-3 , 5-2
BOBCAT NOTEBOOK: Cats Use Game-Changing Defensive Plays to Topple UC Davis
11/16/2025 1:45:00 AM | Football
Caden Dowler's pick-six helped Montana State past ninth-ranked Aggies
"I was like, gosh, this is what you live for," the junior safety said while walking to Brick Breeden Fieldhouse before the game. "This is pretty awesome. You know, it's a party in Bobcat Stadium."
There was no way of knowing that Dowler would be the ringleader of the win. Dowler intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown. He led all players with 12 tackles, including one for a loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.
The game's biggest play occurred late in the third quarter. With the Aggies facing a third-and-eight from the Bobcat 26-yard line, UCD quarterback Caden Pinnick threw a pass into Montana State's zone defense. Dowler snagged the ball, angled across the field, weaved through traffic, and raced 83 yards for a touchdown that gave MSU a 24-17 lead.
"The flash has been the last couple of weeks with the turnovers, the takeaways," MSU head coach Brent Vigen said his Caden Dowler's play. "But he's been so good for us all season. And an interception return in the moment that it was, those types of plays you never forget. It's one thing to make the interception, but the return was phenomenal."
Two UC Davis drives later, with the Cats now leading 24-10, Dowler did it again. He intercepted a Pinnick pass at the MSU 47 and returned it to the UC Davis 20. The Cats scored seven plays later to grab a 31-10 lead with 8:09 to play.
Dowler's amazing night offset Pinnick's brilliance. He ran for 70 net yards and threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns. "He's a stud," Caden Dowler said.
So, too, was his opposite number for the Bobcats. Justin Lamson threw for 144 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 97 yards and two more scores. Taco Dowler caught five passes from Lamson, gaining 78 yards, while Julius Davis added 70 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Montana State raised its record to 9-2 with the win, 7-0 in Big Sky play. For the fifth straight season, the Bobcats enter the season finale against Montana next week playing for a Big Sky Championship. UC Davis falls to 7-3 overall, 5-2 in the league, and plays rival Sacramento State next week.
GAME NOTES
* Montana State outscored the Aggies 24-0 in the middle two quarters, and since the season opener at Oregon the Cats have outscored opponents 134-27 in the second and 100-0 in the third quarter.
* Justin Lamson narrowly missed his first 100-yard rushing game, gaining 97 yards. The three yard shortage came on a sack of that many yards, which in college football counts against a player's rushing stats.
* In addition to the two interceptions, the Bobcats sacked Pinnick six times. Kenneth Eiden IV and Dominic Solano each had two, while Zac Crews and Talon Marsh logged one each.
* Caden Dowler's two interception returns totaled 116 yards.
* Caden Dowler's pick-six was MSU's second in the last three games, joining defensive tackle Talon Marsh's 80-yard touchdown at Northern Colorado.
#GoCatsGo
Team Stats
UCD 7, MSU 0
UCD - Simpson,Ian 29 yd pass from Pinnick,Caden (Ridley,Hunter kick) 6 plays, 73 yards, TOP 02:55
UCD 7, MSU 7
MSU - Lamson,Justin 3 yd run (Sansted,Myles kick), 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:05
UCD 7, MSU 14
MSU - Long,Chris 18 yd pass from Lamson,Justin (Sansted,Myles kick) 6 plays, 63 yards, TOP 01:52
UCD 7, MSU 17
MSU - Sansted,Myles 28 yd field goal 8 plays, 56 yards, TOP 03:58
UCD 7, MSU 24
MSU - Dowler,Caden 83 yd interception (Sansted,Myles kick)
UCD 10, MSU 24
UCD - Ridley,Hunter 36 yd field goal 9 plays, 57 yards, TOP 04:25
UCD 10, MSU 31
MSU - Davis,Julius 1 yd run (Sansted,Myles kick), 7 plays, 20 yards, TOP 02:43
UCD 17, MSU 31
UCD - Gbatu, Jr.,Samuel 10 yd pass from Pinnick,Caden (Ridley,Hunter kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:19
UCD 17, MSU 38
MSU - Lamson,Justin 18 yd run (Sansted,Myles kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:57
