Saturday, September 27
BOZEMAN
2 pm
Montana State University
vs
Eastern Washington
Julius Davis
Photo by: Daryn Hendrickson
GAME #5: Bobcats Battle Eastern Washington in Homecoming, Big Sky Home Opener
9/26/2025 8:02:00 AM | Football
Montana State faces old rivals riding four-game win streak in series
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Sept. 25, 2025) – The unusual nature of Montana State's early-season schedule continues Saturday when the Bobcats welcome Eastern Washington for both teams' 2025 Big Sky Conference opener.
After opening the season with the highest-ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent in program history, the Cats played South Dakota State in Bobcat Stadium's first regular season showdown between two teams ranked in the top three. That kicked off MSU's (2-2 overall, 0-0 Big Sky) first stretch of four home games in as many weeks since 1991, and now the Eagles (1-3 overall, 0-0 Big Sky) arrive as Montana State's Homecoming opponent for only the second time when the teams kick off at 2 pm to close the four-game homestand.
Saturday's matchup certainly offers familiarity. Eastern Washington is the only out-of-state Big Sky team the Cats have played each of the last four seasons. "This is a team we've played every year since I've been here," said fifth-year Bobcat coach Brent Vigen, "but it's just the second time we've played them here. All three games out in Cheney have been games that have come basically right down to the wire."
That includes last year's 42-28 Bobcat win, when then-quarterback Tommy Mellott's electrifying 76-yard run late in the third quarter and his 61-yard pass to Ty McCullouch late in the fourth handed MSU the win. "There was a point when that game was tied deep into the (third quarter)," Vigen said. "We scored the last two touchdowns, but it wasn't like we won that game by a large margin."
While Mellott is gone, Eastern Washington's starter that day, Jared Taylor may return from an early-season injury for Saturday's game. He has thrown for 285 yards in two games, adding 111 on the ground. In Taylor's absence, Nate Bell has dazzled. The sophomore has thrown for 504 yards and rushed for 269, and in spite of playing only two full games as the team's primary quarterback he stands 60th in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in total offense (193.3 yards per game).
While Bell triggers the ground game when he's behind center, the Eagles average 5.5 yards per carry as a unit. Marceese Yetts has carried 25 times, the most of any Eagles running back, averaging 3.7 yards per carry with three touchdowns. Yetts is also EWU's leading receiver with 18 catches for 123 yards, while Noah Cronquist has 14 catches for 190 yards.
"Those two guys are going to be the focal point of where our attention needs to start on the defensive side," Vigen said of Bell and Taylor. Bell's presence brings the quarterback run game to the forefront regardless of whether it's by design. "The design piece is one thing which (EWU is) willing to do time and time again, the designed quarterback runs, but then (Bell's) ability to evade pressure and create plays is significant."
The Eagles face a Bobcat defense performing well to close the non-conference slate. MSU has held its last three opponents below 300 total yards. Montana State's defensive front features four seniors, and each have shined during the non-conference slate. But Vigen said the youthful secondary, without a senior at any of the five positions, has also performed well.
"They want that really hard job of being out there at times on an island," he said of the unit's coverage ability. "They're all fearless tacklers, and that's something that doesn't always come into play, but it's an expectation that our corners are going to be that."
Eastern Washington's defensive numbers are inflated by a extremely difficult non-league schedule, particularly Boise State. Linebacker Myles Mayovsky leads Eastern with 24 tackles, including three for a loss. Linebacker Read Sunn's two sacks also leads the team.
Montana State's offense demonstrated efficiency against the non-conference slate, leading the FCS in completion percentage (.750) while increasing the team's rushing total every time out. Justin Lamson throws for 183.8 yards per game while his 37.5 rushing yards a contest is second on the team. Taco Dowler's 27 catches is more than twice what any other Bobcat has logged.
Eastern Washington's 52-31 win against Western Illinois last week followed three straight Eagles road games, all losses. The Bobcats have claimed two straight wins after losing at Oregon and in double overtime at home to South Dakota State.
Kickoff Saturday is 2 pm. The game airs on The Spot-MTN across Montana (Ben Creighton, Ty Gregorak and Grace Lawrence on the call, channel listings here), and on the Bobcat Radio Network and Varsity app (Keaton Gillogly, Leo Davis and Dan Davies comprise the broadcast team).
Saturday's game sold out earlier this week.
#GoCatsGo
After opening the season with the highest-ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent in program history, the Cats played South Dakota State in Bobcat Stadium's first regular season showdown between two teams ranked in the top three. That kicked off MSU's (2-2 overall, 0-0 Big Sky) first stretch of four home games in as many weeks since 1991, and now the Eagles (1-3 overall, 0-0 Big Sky) arrive as Montana State's Homecoming opponent for only the second time when the teams kick off at 2 pm to close the four-game homestand.
Saturday's matchup certainly offers familiarity. Eastern Washington is the only out-of-state Big Sky team the Cats have played each of the last four seasons. "This is a team we've played every year since I've been here," said fifth-year Bobcat coach Brent Vigen, "but it's just the second time we've played them here. All three games out in Cheney have been games that have come basically right down to the wire."
That includes last year's 42-28 Bobcat win, when then-quarterback Tommy Mellott's electrifying 76-yard run late in the third quarter and his 61-yard pass to Ty McCullouch late in the fourth handed MSU the win. "There was a point when that game was tied deep into the (third quarter)," Vigen said. "We scored the last two touchdowns, but it wasn't like we won that game by a large margin."
While Mellott is gone, Eastern Washington's starter that day, Jared Taylor may return from an early-season injury for Saturday's game. He has thrown for 285 yards in two games, adding 111 on the ground. In Taylor's absence, Nate Bell has dazzled. The sophomore has thrown for 504 yards and rushed for 269, and in spite of playing only two full games as the team's primary quarterback he stands 60th in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in total offense (193.3 yards per game).
While Bell triggers the ground game when he's behind center, the Eagles average 5.5 yards per carry as a unit. Marceese Yetts has carried 25 times, the most of any Eagles running back, averaging 3.7 yards per carry with three touchdowns. Yetts is also EWU's leading receiver with 18 catches for 123 yards, while Noah Cronquist has 14 catches for 190 yards.
"Those two guys are going to be the focal point of where our attention needs to start on the defensive side," Vigen said of Bell and Taylor. Bell's presence brings the quarterback run game to the forefront regardless of whether it's by design. "The design piece is one thing which (EWU is) willing to do time and time again, the designed quarterback runs, but then (Bell's) ability to evade pressure and create plays is significant."
The Eagles face a Bobcat defense performing well to close the non-conference slate. MSU has held its last three opponents below 300 total yards. Montana State's defensive front features four seniors, and each have shined during the non-conference slate. But Vigen said the youthful secondary, without a senior at any of the five positions, has also performed well.
"They want that really hard job of being out there at times on an island," he said of the unit's coverage ability. "They're all fearless tacklers, and that's something that doesn't always come into play, but it's an expectation that our corners are going to be that."
Eastern Washington's defensive numbers are inflated by a extremely difficult non-league schedule, particularly Boise State. Linebacker Myles Mayovsky leads Eastern with 24 tackles, including three for a loss. Linebacker Read Sunn's two sacks also leads the team.
Montana State's offense demonstrated efficiency against the non-conference slate, leading the FCS in completion percentage (.750) while increasing the team's rushing total every time out. Justin Lamson throws for 183.8 yards per game while his 37.5 rushing yards a contest is second on the team. Taco Dowler's 27 catches is more than twice what any other Bobcat has logged.
Eastern Washington's 52-31 win against Western Illinois last week followed three straight Eagles road games, all losses. The Bobcats have claimed two straight wins after losing at Oregon and in double overtime at home to South Dakota State.
Kickoff Saturday is 2 pm. The game airs on The Spot-MTN across Montana (Ben Creighton, Ty Gregorak and Grace Lawrence on the call, channel listings here), and on the Bobcat Radio Network and Varsity app (Keaton Gillogly, Leo Davis and Dan Davies comprise the broadcast team).
Saturday's game sold out earlier this week.
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
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