Saturday, September 12
Reno, NV
8:30 pm MT
Montana State University
at
Nevada
Brian Harris intercepts a Nevada pass
Photo by: Brian Morse
Bobcats Respond in 20-7 Win at Nevada
9/13/2026 1:46:00 AM | Football
Montana State stymies Nevada
RENO, Nev. (Sept. 12, 2026) – Montana State head football coach Brent Vigen always considers one concept when his team is locked in a competitive, back-and-forth game.
"How is this team going to respond?" the Bobcats' sixth-year head coach said after his team beat NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision foe Nevada 20-7 in Reno on Saturday. "The offense set the tone, the defense made big plays, the offense got more points as the game went along. It was a full team win."
Montana State intercepted three passes and recorded a fumble recovery, dominating the game's first three quarters then withstanding a Wolf Pack comeback effort in the fourth. The end result was a second win over a Mountain West Conference foe in three years – the Cats topped New Mexico in 2024 – and a school record 17th straight win.
"To get challenged today and have to bow up, step up, in (important) moments, we were up to the task," Vigen said. In addition to the four takeaways, the Cats held Nevada to 1-for-4 on fourth down. MSU didn't turn the ball over, although the Cats were penalized 13 times for 125 yards.
Montana State's offense set the tone early, marching 75 yards in seven plays for a touchdown on the opening drive. Justin Lamson connected with Taco Dowler three times and Rocky Lencioni twice, but Dane Steel did the honors. The junior caught a 24-yard touchdown pass to stake MSU to a 7-0 lead.
MSU punted on its next drive, but Myles Sansted capped a 46-yard drive with a 45-yard field goal to boost the Bobcat lead to 10-0 with 1:35 to play in the opening period. That drive covered 74 yards in seven plays. Adam Jones scored his 33rd career rushing touchdown with 5:39 to play in the second quarter to give MSU the 17-0 lead it carried into halftime.
Jones rushed for 46 yards on nine carries in the first half, while Lamson three for 159 on 11-for-16 passing. Taco Dowler and Lencioni each caught three passes. The story of the first half, though was mistakes. MSU committed 10 penalties for 90 yards, while Nevada was flagged six times for 61 yards.
The three biggest plays of the first two quarters came with the Bobcat defense on the field. Brian Harris intercepted a pass early in the second quarter deep in MSU territory to stop Nevada's first scoring threat. With two-and-a-half minutes before halftime, the MSU defense swallowed up UN's Dominic Kelly on a fourth down rush to turn the ball over. Then with nine seconds remaining in the first half, Tim Thomas II intercepted a pass in the end zone.
The scoreless first half extended an impressive defensive streak for the Cats. Montana State has allowed just one field goal in three first halves in 2026.
In Nevada, Montana State beat a team led by former Bobcats head coach Jeff Choate and featuring several former MSU players and staff members. That phenomena created considerable conversation around the program, but Vigen said not much inside it. "That's all it is," he said, "noise. That's for people outside the program, but we did a good job blocking that out."
The win raised Montana State's record to 3-0 in 2026, while Nevada falls to 1-1. The Cats host Central Connecticut State next Saturday at 1 pm.
#GoCatsGo
"How is this team going to respond?" the Bobcats' sixth-year head coach said after his team beat NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision foe Nevada 20-7 in Reno on Saturday. "The offense set the tone, the defense made big plays, the offense got more points as the game went along. It was a full team win."
Montana State intercepted three passes and recorded a fumble recovery, dominating the game's first three quarters then withstanding a Wolf Pack comeback effort in the fourth. The end result was a second win over a Mountain West Conference foe in three years – the Cats topped New Mexico in 2024 – and a school record 17th straight win.
"To get challenged today and have to bow up, step up, in (important) moments, we were up to the task," Vigen said. In addition to the four takeaways, the Cats held Nevada to 1-for-4 on fourth down. MSU didn't turn the ball over, although the Cats were penalized 13 times for 125 yards.
Montana State's offense set the tone early, marching 75 yards in seven plays for a touchdown on the opening drive. Justin Lamson connected with Taco Dowler three times and Rocky Lencioni twice, but Dane Steel did the honors. The junior caught a 24-yard touchdown pass to stake MSU to a 7-0 lead.
MSU punted on its next drive, but Myles Sansted capped a 46-yard drive with a 45-yard field goal to boost the Bobcat lead to 10-0 with 1:35 to play in the opening period. That drive covered 74 yards in seven plays. Adam Jones scored his 33rd career rushing touchdown with 5:39 to play in the second quarter to give MSU the 17-0 lead it carried into halftime.
Jones rushed for 46 yards on nine carries in the first half, while Lamson three for 159 on 11-for-16 passing. Taco Dowler and Lencioni each caught three passes. The story of the first half, though was mistakes. MSU committed 10 penalties for 90 yards, while Nevada was flagged six times for 61 yards.
The three biggest plays of the first two quarters came with the Bobcat defense on the field. Brian Harris intercepted a pass early in the second quarter deep in MSU territory to stop Nevada's first scoring threat. With two-and-a-half minutes before halftime, the MSU defense swallowed up UN's Dominic Kelly on a fourth down rush to turn the ball over. Then with nine seconds remaining in the first half, Tim Thomas II intercepted a pass in the end zone.
The scoreless first half extended an impressive defensive streak for the Cats. Montana State has allowed just one field goal in three first halves in 2026.
In Nevada, Montana State beat a team led by former Bobcats head coach Jeff Choate and featuring several former MSU players and staff members. That phenomena created considerable conversation around the program, but Vigen said not much inside it. "That's all it is," he said, "noise. That's for people outside the program, but we did a good job blocking that out."
The win raised Montana State's record to 3-0 in 2026, while Nevada falls to 1-1. The Cats host Central Connecticut State next Saturday at 1 pm.
#GoCatsGo
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