FCS Championship Preview of Montana State vs. North Dakota State

On January 7, 2025By Littum

FRISCO, TX – JANUARY 08: The National Champion trophy is seen before the game between South … (+) Dakota State Jackrabbits and North Dakota State Bison in the Division I FCS Football Championship held at Toyota Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

NCAA photos via Getty Images

After a relatively chalky playoff run in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), No. 1 Montana State take on No. 2 North Dakota State in the FCS Championship today at 6pm CT in Frisco, Texas. The NCAA announced that this will be the fifteenth and final championship game to be held at Toyota Stadium ahead of expected renovations. The two teams met three years ago in the FCS Championship game, with North Dakota State defeating Montana State 38-10.

ForbesNon-conference championship winning teams that won national titles in the CFP and BCS erasBy Tom Layberger

Who is playing

The top-seeded and undefeated Montana State Bobcats will play the perennial powerhouse and second-seeded North Dakota State Bison

Montana State Bobcats

FILE – Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott throws the ball in the first half of an NCAA … (+) college football game in Portland, Ore., Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File)

Record: 15-0

Final FCS Coaches Poll Rankings: 1

Notable home game results: Defeated Idaho 38-7, defeated Montana 34-11

Notable Road Game Results: Defeated New Mexico 35-31, defeated UC Davis 30-28

Prize winners: The Montana State Bobcats are led by Walter Payton Award-winning quarterback Tommy Mellott (who narrowly beat out North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller for the award. Coach Brent Vigen won the Eddie Robinson Award.

North Dakota State Bison

FILE – North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller (7) passes during the first half of the FCS … (+) Championship NCAA college football game against South Dakota State on January 8, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, file)

Record: 13-2

Final FCS Coaches Poll Rankings: 4

Notable home game results: Defeated South Dakota State 13-9, defeated Mercer 31-7

Notable Road Game Results: Lost to Colorado 31-26, Lost to South Dakota 29-28

Prize winners: Running back CharMar Brown was awarded the Jerry Rice Award, which recognizes the best freshman FCS player in the country.

What to look for:

Quarterback Play

Interestingly, this year’s championship matchup will feature exact same starting quarterbacks for each team as their championship matchup three years ago – a rarity in the age of the NIL and the transfer portal. Qquarterback Tommy Mellott has been instrumental in Montana State’s undefeated success, showing dual-threat capabilities with 29 touchdown passes against just 2 interceptions. The Bisons, led by quarterback Cam Miller, have demonstrated efficiency and poise, boasting a 31:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and throwing for over 3,000 yards this season. Both quarterbacks are looking to show why they were finalists for the Walter Payton Award.

Score

Bobcats and Bison are ranked respectively no. 1 and no. 3 in scoring offense this season. They are also both very efficient with Montana State scoring on 96.8% of attempts and North Dakota State scoring on 93.0% of attempts. This would normally indicate a lot of action on the scoreboard. However, these two teams also boast the defense no. 6 (Montana State) and no. 10 (North Dakota State) scoring defense in the country, which means points can be at a premium. Over/under currently stands at 58.5 total points according to ESPN betting.

09 JAN 2016: The North Dakota State Bisons celebrate winning the game against North Dakota State … (+) Bison and Jacksonville State Gamecocks at the FCS Championship at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota beats Jacksonville State for its fifth straight championship 37-10. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire) (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

History

The Bison are regulars in Frisco, TX. Between the 2011 and 2021 seasons, North Dakota State won 9 championships – more than any other FCS program. This year’s game is a rematch of the 2021 FCS Championship, where North Dakota State defeated Montana State 38-10, in their most recent championship victory. Montana State is seeking its first FCS title since 1984. Last year, North Dakota State was defeated in the title game by South Dakota State.

That’s how you see

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN and streamed online on the ESPN+ platform.

Odds

Montana State is currently a 3.5-point favorite to win tonight with a Moneyline from Montana State (-170) and North Dakota State (+145). This places the implied probabilities of winning at 63% for the Bobcats and 41% for the Bison.

Takeaway

This year’s FCS Championship Game has all the makings of a thriller. Two top-seeded teams and a close spread indicate that we are in for a competitive matchup with all the dressings and historical implications of recent award winners. In Frisco tonight, two FCS powerhouses will collide, and when the dust settles, one will etch their name into the annals of championship history.