Saturday, September 6
BOZEMAN
6 pm
Montana State University
vs
South Dakota State
Julius Davis
Photo by: Colter Peterson
BOBCAT NOTES & QUOTES: A Look at MSU-South Dakota State
9/7/2025 9:16:00 AM | Football
The Bobcats dropped a Gold Rush game for only the second time
Bobcat Football Notes & Quotes
September 6, 2025
South Dakota State 30, Montana State 24 2 OT
Post-Game Notes
* Montana State falls to 0-2 for the first time since 2017, when the team also fell at a nationally ranked FBS opponent (No. 24 Washington State) before dropping the Gold Rush game to South Dakota State.
* The Cats are 16-2 in Gold Rush games, with both losses to South Dakota State.
* MSU linebacker Cole Taylor recorded 13 tackles in his first career start.
* South Dakota State blocked a Bobcat punt, the second straight game MSU surrendered a blocked punt.
* After not recording a tackle-for-loss at Oregon, MSU registered eight against the Jackrabbits including four sacks.
* The crowd of 22,117 was a stadium record.
Post-Game Quotes
FROM BOBCAT HEAD COACH BRENT VIGEN: "Well, it ultimately comes down to a fourth and one that we don't get, but to your point, there was so many plays throughout, you know, offense, defense special teams, that didn't allow us to really ever gain the momentum to create some separation. And I think there were opportunities. We just didn't get it done, and I know a fair amount of credit certainly would go to South Dakota State. You know, obviously two good programs and it comes down to down to that, but within the game, you know, too many things that we created for ourselves, needing to get ourselves an opportunity to open up any kind of lead at any point."
On the Bobcat defense: "After that first drive, I thought we really settled in after that, and put in some horrible situations. Field position would have certainly leaned their way based on our turnovers where that occurred. I think the punt game for a while certainly got tipped their direction. But I think our defense definitely grew tonight. I think we felt like we matched up well. We limited their run game, I think made it generally hard for Mason to do what he wanted to back there, and got ourself in overtime... So, yeah, I really, I think our defense grew and did a lot of things that put us in position to be where we needed to be. But ultimately, it wasn't enough."
On MSU's offense: "I think offensively, that's a really good defense we just saw. I think you could look at third down. I think our first down production was all over the map. You know, far too many times, we were behind the chains as far as our second downs go, and then we ended up in far too many third downs that were complicated. You know, you get that opportunity with them jumping off sides to get to a fourth and one, we've got to be able to be able to make that yard. You know, I would obviously want to run that ball every time, and obviously the run that we did didn't get it done. I knew I knew we were short based on the spot, but, yeah, to get them to jump off sides, and we really should have made the play on the pass in the end zone, you know, so long, long list of what it could've, should've, would've in this game. And I would guess if we end up on the other side, Dan, Coach Jackson, probably says the same thing. You know, we each have turnovers, we get punts blocked, it was a lot of things in that game. I really appreciate our crowd, our crowd was in it, and really, really made it hard for them, and they obviously got the opportunity to work through it.
On the big special teams plays: "Well that's two weeks in a row we get a punt blocked. It's going to be hard to win football games the way we want to with those type of plays, and to then get one ourselves, you could say it balances, but we can't get a punt blocked two weeks in a row. You know, I thought Colby (Frokjer) settled and made some big punts down the stretch. And we put that kid in too many positions to have to punt in my opinion, but ultimately, you know, their punter, I thought I had a heck of a game. He made a difference, and Colby struggled, but then he made some big plays down the stretch, and you know, you just feel like this is a battle of punt teams to some degree. But we got to figure out how we can protect the punt and how we can get a punt off, for sure."
On the lack of downfield opportunities: "Well, I think there's a stretch where we got pressure. I think Justin, maybe feeling that a little too much, I know before the half, maybe in particular. So then his clock speeds up a little bit and I know there's going to be some opportunities that we maybe had some guys running wide open. We weren't able to get that ball downfield, and it's a combination, it always is, it isn't just the quarterback.
"Looking at rushing numbers, Justin scrambling around was probably our best offense, and that's an element of the passing game when they cover and they drop out, but ultimately, from just a pure efficiency (standpoint) in our consistency in the passing game, it wasn't good enough tonight.
Comparing this loss to the NDSU loss in 2023: "Yeah, I know, a big difference. That ended our season. That's the huge difference. I know both games ended and in that end zone. But ultimately, you know, this is still very early in this campaign, and I'm certain there's a lot of positives that we can take away to put ourselves in that position, and I know there's a lot of negatives that ultimately landed us in that position too. So that's our two losses since I've been here at home and it's not a good feeling."
On Dane Steel and Cole Taylor getting their first starts: "Dane's a competitor. I know that. I mean, the play he made it in the first overtime, even, that wasn't a simple play. We're going to get everything we can to get out of Dane. And you know, Cole, he's a seasoned vet now. I think obviously he got thrown into it last week and he prepared all week to be the starter, and I think he's a guy that's taken a pretty big leap thinking back to the beginning of spring ball."
"Whether it was us or them offensively, when you get behind the chains and we both have defensive lines that can create some issues, that piece was huge. I think we had our fair share of lost plays on our side and they did as well. And it's two good teams that want to run the football, two teams that want to stop the run. So when that happens, you throw it a little bit more, then you get in situations where you're having to throw the ball a little bit more than you might want to, and that's challenging unto itself. So, I look and they were one for 13 on third down. I mean, you should win a game when that's the way it is on the other side. But then we were 5 of 15."
How do help the team bounce back from this loss? "Well, all you can do is go back to work. I know there's another opportunity next week. I said early in the week that this wasn't going to make us or break us, but it was an important game to gauge where we're at. And I thought we played really hard. But when it comes down to just pure level of execution, it wasn't good enough to win. So I think we've got a committed outfit. I think we've got a competitive outfit. I still think we have an outfit that's figuring some things out and I thought we prepared the right way this week. Obviously, it didn't play out exactly the way we wanted it to, but we're two games in. We lost to a really good team last week, and we lost to a really good team today. And there's going to be plenty of opportunities in front of this team."
On the final play call: "Well, Julius had been running really hard. I know they brought an extra lineman in, you know, I'd like to think we can gain a yard there, I guess. I'll just leave it at that. It's easy to call the play after we ran it. We didn't get the yard, so it didn't work."
FROM MSU DEFENSIVE END HUNTER PARSONS: On how he feels after the loss: "It really sucks, you know? We fought hard all game. I mean, we prepared for this moment, we felt like we were ready for the moment. And it just didn't go our way, so we got to get back in the film room, correct our mistakes."
On MSU's pass rush success: "Definitely just our hard work. We're very intentional with how we work. We played our ass off tonight. And yeah, I felt like the D line really controlled that game, but there's a lot of mistakes, too. Like I said, we've got to come in on tomorrow and Monday and fix those mistakes, get in the film room."
FROM MSU RUNNING BACK JULIUS DAVIS: On the final play: "Just trying to get the first down. didn't get the first down. So I've got to get the first down. You want to be elite, you've got to get the first time."
#GoCatsGo
September 6, 2025
South Dakota State 30, Montana State 24 2 OT
Post-Game Notes
* Montana State falls to 0-2 for the first time since 2017, when the team also fell at a nationally ranked FBS opponent (No. 24 Washington State) before dropping the Gold Rush game to South Dakota State.
* The Cats are 16-2 in Gold Rush games, with both losses to South Dakota State.
* MSU linebacker Cole Taylor recorded 13 tackles in his first career start.
* South Dakota State blocked a Bobcat punt, the second straight game MSU surrendered a blocked punt.
* After not recording a tackle-for-loss at Oregon, MSU registered eight against the Jackrabbits including four sacks.
* The crowd of 22,117 was a stadium record.
Post-Game Quotes
FROM BOBCAT HEAD COACH BRENT VIGEN: "Well, it ultimately comes down to a fourth and one that we don't get, but to your point, there was so many plays throughout, you know, offense, defense special teams, that didn't allow us to really ever gain the momentum to create some separation. And I think there were opportunities. We just didn't get it done, and I know a fair amount of credit certainly would go to South Dakota State. You know, obviously two good programs and it comes down to down to that, but within the game, you know, too many things that we created for ourselves, needing to get ourselves an opportunity to open up any kind of lead at any point."
On the Bobcat defense: "After that first drive, I thought we really settled in after that, and put in some horrible situations. Field position would have certainly leaned their way based on our turnovers where that occurred. I think the punt game for a while certainly got tipped their direction. But I think our defense definitely grew tonight. I think we felt like we matched up well. We limited their run game, I think made it generally hard for Mason to do what he wanted to back there, and got ourself in overtime... So, yeah, I really, I think our defense grew and did a lot of things that put us in position to be where we needed to be. But ultimately, it wasn't enough."
On MSU's offense: "I think offensively, that's a really good defense we just saw. I think you could look at third down. I think our first down production was all over the map. You know, far too many times, we were behind the chains as far as our second downs go, and then we ended up in far too many third downs that were complicated. You know, you get that opportunity with them jumping off sides to get to a fourth and one, we've got to be able to be able to make that yard. You know, I would obviously want to run that ball every time, and obviously the run that we did didn't get it done. I knew I knew we were short based on the spot, but, yeah, to get them to jump off sides, and we really should have made the play on the pass in the end zone, you know, so long, long list of what it could've, should've, would've in this game. And I would guess if we end up on the other side, Dan, Coach Jackson, probably says the same thing. You know, we each have turnovers, we get punts blocked, it was a lot of things in that game. I really appreciate our crowd, our crowd was in it, and really, really made it hard for them, and they obviously got the opportunity to work through it.
On the big special teams plays: "Well that's two weeks in a row we get a punt blocked. It's going to be hard to win football games the way we want to with those type of plays, and to then get one ourselves, you could say it balances, but we can't get a punt blocked two weeks in a row. You know, I thought Colby (Frokjer) settled and made some big punts down the stretch. And we put that kid in too many positions to have to punt in my opinion, but ultimately, you know, their punter, I thought I had a heck of a game. He made a difference, and Colby struggled, but then he made some big plays down the stretch, and you know, you just feel like this is a battle of punt teams to some degree. But we got to figure out how we can protect the punt and how we can get a punt off, for sure."
On the lack of downfield opportunities: "Well, I think there's a stretch where we got pressure. I think Justin, maybe feeling that a little too much, I know before the half, maybe in particular. So then his clock speeds up a little bit and I know there's going to be some opportunities that we maybe had some guys running wide open. We weren't able to get that ball downfield, and it's a combination, it always is, it isn't just the quarterback.
"Looking at rushing numbers, Justin scrambling around was probably our best offense, and that's an element of the passing game when they cover and they drop out, but ultimately, from just a pure efficiency (standpoint) in our consistency in the passing game, it wasn't good enough tonight.
Comparing this loss to the NDSU loss in 2023: "Yeah, I know, a big difference. That ended our season. That's the huge difference. I know both games ended and in that end zone. But ultimately, you know, this is still very early in this campaign, and I'm certain there's a lot of positives that we can take away to put ourselves in that position, and I know there's a lot of negatives that ultimately landed us in that position too. So that's our two losses since I've been here at home and it's not a good feeling."
On Dane Steel and Cole Taylor getting their first starts: "Dane's a competitor. I know that. I mean, the play he made it in the first overtime, even, that wasn't a simple play. We're going to get everything we can to get out of Dane. And you know, Cole, he's a seasoned vet now. I think obviously he got thrown into it last week and he prepared all week to be the starter, and I think he's a guy that's taken a pretty big leap thinking back to the beginning of spring ball."
"Whether it was us or them offensively, when you get behind the chains and we both have defensive lines that can create some issues, that piece was huge. I think we had our fair share of lost plays on our side and they did as well. And it's two good teams that want to run the football, two teams that want to stop the run. So when that happens, you throw it a little bit more, then you get in situations where you're having to throw the ball a little bit more than you might want to, and that's challenging unto itself. So, I look and they were one for 13 on third down. I mean, you should win a game when that's the way it is on the other side. But then we were 5 of 15."
How do help the team bounce back from this loss? "Well, all you can do is go back to work. I know there's another opportunity next week. I said early in the week that this wasn't going to make us or break us, but it was an important game to gauge where we're at. And I thought we played really hard. But when it comes down to just pure level of execution, it wasn't good enough to win. So I think we've got a committed outfit. I think we've got a competitive outfit. I still think we have an outfit that's figuring some things out and I thought we prepared the right way this week. Obviously, it didn't play out exactly the way we wanted it to, but we're two games in. We lost to a really good team last week, and we lost to a really good team today. And there's going to be plenty of opportunities in front of this team."
On the final play call: "Well, Julius had been running really hard. I know they brought an extra lineman in, you know, I'd like to think we can gain a yard there, I guess. I'll just leave it at that. It's easy to call the play after we ran it. We didn't get the yard, so it didn't work."
FROM MSU DEFENSIVE END HUNTER PARSONS: On how he feels after the loss: "It really sucks, you know? We fought hard all game. I mean, we prepared for this moment, we felt like we were ready for the moment. And it just didn't go our way, so we got to get back in the film room, correct our mistakes."
On MSU's pass rush success: "Definitely just our hard work. We're very intentional with how we work. We played our ass off tonight. And yeah, I felt like the D line really controlled that game, but there's a lot of mistakes, too. Like I said, we've got to come in on tomorrow and Monday and fix those mistakes, get in the film room."
FROM MSU RUNNING BACK JULIUS DAVIS: On the final play: "Just trying to get the first down. didn't get the first down. So I've got to get the first down. You want to be elite, you've got to get the first time."
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
LB
/ FootballLeon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
