History arrived in Nashville with a gasp. Montana State beat Illinois State 35 to 34 in overtime to claim the FCS national title, the Bobcats’ first since 1984. It ended on a fourth and 10 touchdown and a calm extra point. It started with a blocked kick that saved the season. I was on the field when both moments flipped the script.
A block that changed everything
Illinois State had just scored late. The Redbirds lined up for the extra point that would push them ahead. I watched Montana State edge rusher Hunter Parsons knife through the right side. He got both hands up. He stuffed the kick. A roar ripped across FirstBank Stadium. That ball never stood a chance.
That single play kept Montana State alive. It changed how both sidelines called the final series. The Bobcats defense fed on the surge. Illinois State felt the weight of what slipped away. Special teams are often quiet until they are not. On Monday night, they shouted.
This was the first overtime finish in the 48 year history of the FCS championship game.
Fourth and ten for forever
Overtime arrived with tense faces and tight jaws. Montana State needed a spark. On fourth and 10, Justin Lamson stood tall. The rush came. He slid right, kept his eyes downfield, and fired. Taco Dowler broke free on a deep cross and pulled in the throw. Touchdown. Season on the line, season saved.
Myles Sansted stepped on for the kick. Clean snap. Clean hold. Clean strike. Good. Bobcats up one. The same play that broke Illinois State in regulation, the extra point, now made Montana State whole. You could feel the release. Helmets flew, hugs piled up, and tears followed. 🏆
Lamson earned Most Outstanding Player on the strength of a complete night. He threw for 280 yards with two touchdown passes and added two rushing scores. Dowler worked the seams and space with purpose, finishing with 111 receiving yards and two total touchdowns. When it demanded nerve, the Bobcats’ stars delivered.
Fourth down in overtime is about trust. Trust your quarterback, trust your route, trust your kick.
Redbirds’ run and the agony of inches
Illinois State did not flinch across five weeks. The Redbirds were unseeded, yet they stacked four straight road wins to reach Nashville. That run included a takedown of top seed North Dakota State. They played with edge, resolve, and belief. Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse kept them poised in the pocket and on the move.
This was a proud showing for a program that has built its identity on grit. The Redbirds were one clean kick from the crown. One inch on a fingertip changed that. The locker room was quiet as I walked past. Heads were up. Eyes were wet. They will replay that kick all winter, then they will show up in spring with fuel.
Noise, numbers, and a night for the FCS
FirstBank Stadium held 24,105 fans, the largest FCS title game crowd since 1996. It felt like more. The ends were a wall of blue and gold. The Redbirds section sang through the fourth quarter. The bands traded songs. The energy did not dip. This is what the subdivision does best, close games with local pride and national stakes.
Key snapshots from a classic:
- Blocked extra point by Hunter Parsons in regulation
- Fourth and 10 touchdown from Justin Lamson to Taco Dowler in overtime
- Myles Sansted’s winning PAT
- 24,105 in attendance in Nashville
Montana State now owns national titles across NAIA, Division II, and Division I. This is the program’s second Division I crown and fourth overall.
What it means now
For Montana State, this ends a 41 year wait and cements a standard. The Bobcats did not just win. They answered twice when the game asked the hardest questions. That travels. That recruits. That lasts.
For Illinois State, the underdog story nearly turned into a parade. The Redbirds proved they belong on this stage. They beat the best to get here. They pushed a champion to the edge. That matters in the room and on the trail. The pain is sharp today. The foundation is stronger tomorrow.
Two plays will live on from Nashville. A hand on a kick that kept hope alive. A fourth and 10 strike that sealed forever. In a sport decided by thin lines, Montana State found the inches that count, and an FCS classic was born.
