Saturday, September 12
Reno, NV
8:30 pm MT
Montana State University
at
Nevada
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
GAME #3: Bobcats See 'Great Opportunity' Against FBS Foe Nevada
9/10/2026 6:51:00 AM | Football
Montana State faces former head coach Jeff Choate and a Wolf Pack team with strong MSU flavor
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Sept. 9, 2026) – Brent Vigen often says that every football game is a unique experience and opportunity, but Montana State's sixth-year head coach knows that his team's game at Nevada on Saturday carries a little extra cache.
"Of the 12 teams we're going to have on our schedule this year I suspect this will be a team that's as talented as anyone," Vigen said as his team prepares to battle the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Wolf Pack in Reno's Mackay Stadium. Kickoff is 8:30 pm MDT on Saturday.
"They were awfully impressive (in last week's 49-14 win over Western Kentucky), taking it to a good program and doing it in really impressive fashion," Vigen said. But he acknowledged the factor that draws the most attention.
MSU faces the fifth former Bobcat head coach to oppose the Cats when the team lines up against Nevada. Jeff Choate, who led the Bobcats to 28 wins from 2016-19. That includes four wins against arch-rival University of Montana. Choate's final two teams advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs.
"It's apparently a story," Vigen said, "there's no denying that. Coach Choate definitely left his mark here. For the fans it's a huge story. He was revered here, and rightfully so. He left his mark."
So has Vigen, building on a foundation left by the coaches before him. The Cats own a 63-12 record in his five-plus seasons, winning three Big Sky Championships and one national title. MSU enters Saturday's game on an FCS-best 16-game winning streak.
Bobcat defensive end Zac Crews emphasized that the past is irrelevant each time the ball is teed up. "Our goal is to go 1-0 every day," he said.
Vigen said that is no small task against Choate's third Wolf Pack squad. Dominic Kelly rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns to pace an explosive Nevada ground game, and he initiated the process with a 72-yard touchdown run. UN gained 323 yards on the ground, to Western Kentucky's 164.
"They dang near doubled them up in the rush game, established that right from the get-go by scoring a long touchdown right out of the gate."
Carter Jones threw for 163 yards on 9-f0r-15 passing, with two touchdowns and an interception. Damien Morgan caught three passes, Gary Givens III two. Jones highlighted his athleticism by rushing for 50 yards.
EJ Smith led the Wolf Pack with 14 tackles, while Dylan Labarbera's six tackles included 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage. "On defense, I think they really played with an edge," Vigen said. "They've got some really good players on the defensive side of the football, so their identity after one game looks quite a bit different than if you're just studying the 2025 version of them. That's what you're supposed to do from one year to the next, and this is year three for Coach Choate."
Vigen said the increased quality of opponent, while "no disrespect to Utah Tech or Butler," is unquestioned. "We get one crack at an FBS team in a year, we haven't had them every year, but this is the one we have and this is an opportunity our guys take very seriously," he said.
The Bobcats enter Saturday's game after 50-plus point efforts against a pair of FCS foes, topping Butler 51-24 a week ago after beating Utah Tech 54-0 in week zero. Behind second-year starting quarterback Justin Lamson, the Cats complete 74% of their passes. MSU stands 19th in the FCS in total offense and sixth in scoring offense, and is eighth in scoring defense.
Vigen faced Nevada during his time as offensive coordinator at fellow Mountain West member Wyoming, but the familiarity between the programs goes much deeper than he or Choate. Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Kane Ioane is one of Montana State's all-time legends, a four-time All-America for the Bobcats from 2000-03. His teammate during that time, Joey Thomas, coaches Nevada's secondary, and former MSU linebacker Cole Moore is the team's General Manager. Rob Christoff served on Mike Kramer's staff (2000-06), while UN staffers Garrett Becker and Brittney Patera also worked at MSU.
Vigen said playing in front of a large crowd in an FBS stadium is something his players welcome. "I expect it will be a good crowd down there, a really good atmosphere. Our guys aspire to play in those types of venues and want to take on the very best they can. That's what we have here in front of us."
And Vigen adds that personnel between the lines, and not outside of it, will determine the outcome. "For us and our team, that (coaching personnel) part isn't that big a deal. It's an opportunity to play a Mountain West team, a team that on film looks really good, and that's it. I personally have a lot of respect for what (Choate) did here, the program I was fortunate to take over."
Saturday's game is televised nationally on The CW. Kickoff is 8:30 pm MDT.
#GoCatsGo
"Of the 12 teams we're going to have on our schedule this year I suspect this will be a team that's as talented as anyone," Vigen said as his team prepares to battle the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Wolf Pack in Reno's Mackay Stadium. Kickoff is 8:30 pm MDT on Saturday.
"They were awfully impressive (in last week's 49-14 win over Western Kentucky), taking it to a good program and doing it in really impressive fashion," Vigen said. But he acknowledged the factor that draws the most attention.
MSU faces the fifth former Bobcat head coach to oppose the Cats when the team lines up against Nevada. Jeff Choate, who led the Bobcats to 28 wins from 2016-19. That includes four wins against arch-rival University of Montana. Choate's final two teams advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs.
"It's apparently a story," Vigen said, "there's no denying that. Coach Choate definitely left his mark here. For the fans it's a huge story. He was revered here, and rightfully so. He left his mark."
So has Vigen, building on a foundation left by the coaches before him. The Cats own a 63-12 record in his five-plus seasons, winning three Big Sky Championships and one national title. MSU enters Saturday's game on an FCS-best 16-game winning streak.
Bobcat defensive end Zac Crews emphasized that the past is irrelevant each time the ball is teed up. "Our goal is to go 1-0 every day," he said.
Vigen said that is no small task against Choate's third Wolf Pack squad. Dominic Kelly rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns to pace an explosive Nevada ground game, and he initiated the process with a 72-yard touchdown run. UN gained 323 yards on the ground, to Western Kentucky's 164.
"They dang near doubled them up in the rush game, established that right from the get-go by scoring a long touchdown right out of the gate."
Carter Jones threw for 163 yards on 9-f0r-15 passing, with two touchdowns and an interception. Damien Morgan caught three passes, Gary Givens III two. Jones highlighted his athleticism by rushing for 50 yards.
EJ Smith led the Wolf Pack with 14 tackles, while Dylan Labarbera's six tackles included 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage. "On defense, I think they really played with an edge," Vigen said. "They've got some really good players on the defensive side of the football, so their identity after one game looks quite a bit different than if you're just studying the 2025 version of them. That's what you're supposed to do from one year to the next, and this is year three for Coach Choate."
Vigen said the increased quality of opponent, while "no disrespect to Utah Tech or Butler," is unquestioned. "We get one crack at an FBS team in a year, we haven't had them every year, but this is the one we have and this is an opportunity our guys take very seriously," he said.
The Bobcats enter Saturday's game after 50-plus point efforts against a pair of FCS foes, topping Butler 51-24 a week ago after beating Utah Tech 54-0 in week zero. Behind second-year starting quarterback Justin Lamson, the Cats complete 74% of their passes. MSU stands 19th in the FCS in total offense and sixth in scoring offense, and is eighth in scoring defense.
Vigen faced Nevada during his time as offensive coordinator at fellow Mountain West member Wyoming, but the familiarity between the programs goes much deeper than he or Choate. Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Kane Ioane is one of Montana State's all-time legends, a four-time All-America for the Bobcats from 2000-03. His teammate during that time, Joey Thomas, coaches Nevada's secondary, and former MSU linebacker Cole Moore is the team's General Manager. Rob Christoff served on Mike Kramer's staff (2000-06), while UN staffers Garrett Becker and Brittney Patera also worked at MSU.
Vigen said playing in front of a large crowd in an FBS stadium is something his players welcome. "I expect it will be a good crowd down there, a really good atmosphere. Our guys aspire to play in those types of venues and want to take on the very best they can. That's what we have here in front of us."
And Vigen adds that personnel between the lines, and not outside of it, will determine the outcome. "For us and our team, that (coaching personnel) part isn't that big a deal. It's an opportunity to play a Mountain West team, a team that on film looks really good, and that's it. I personally have a lot of respect for what (Choate) did here, the program I was fortunate to take over."
Saturday's game is televised nationally on The CW. Kickoff is 8:30 pm MDT.
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
DE
/ Football
QB
/ FootballThursday, July 31
Monday, May 19
Wednesday, May 03
Wednesday, May 03
