An uproar from fans adorned in yellow carried through a haze that concealed the Bridger Mountains in the distance. It also pierced a fog of frustration that had prevented them from seeing their team win a national championship they had coveted for so long.
And in the wake of this pandemonium? Disarming and deflated silence. Delivered by a program that knows exactly how to win an FCS title.
In double overtime, Montana State needed to convert on a fourth down. Running back Julius Davis ran up the middle and was stopped near the line to gain – too close to call without a measurement. For a fleeting moment, the crowd believed the chains had run out and the ensuing measurement would indicate the Bobcats had that coveted first down.
But the chains kept going. And the ball was inches short. Bobcat Stadium fell silent, all except for the triumphant Jackrabbits.
No. 2-ranked South Dakota State had prevailed at No. 3 Montana State 30-24 on Saturday, and the Jackrabbits (2-0) had continued their run of success against the Bobcats (0-2).
This marked SDSU’s sixth win over MSU in their last seven meetings, as their series goes back to the 1950s. This was also Montana State’s first loss at home during the regular season since 2019, before Brent Vigen even became the team’s head coach.
And it was during Montana State’s season opener, called the team’s Gold Rush game where fans go in gold garb. The Bobcats were 16-1 in Gold Rush games – their only other loss being against South Dakota State in 2017 – until this weekend.
SDSU quarterback Chase Mason was 17-of-25 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 34 yards and another TD. Lofton O’Groske caught 11 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown.
But South Dakota State was far from perfect. Then again, it didn’t need to be. This clash was never meant to be a smooth offensive shootout.
Forced turnovers. Critical plays on special teams. Battle after battle in the trenches. Tackles in the backfield that incited gasps from those in the stands.
No one who’s watched South Dakota State and Montana State maintain their places as premier programs in the FCS should be surprised that all of those were highly prevalent from the very beginning.
The Jackrabbits took control early when they put together an 11-play, 68-yard drive that lasted nearly six minutes on the very first possession of the game. They were the first team to put points on the board when Eli Stader hit a 25-yard field goal.
And it seemed South Dakota State would pile on more points when the Bobcats were forced into a three-and-out. Instead, the Bobcats forced a fumble two plays later.
In fact, the Jackrabbits didn’t compile another drive that lasted longer than five plays in the first half.
The Bobcats, though, scored early in the second quarter to take the lead. Montana State put together a nine-play, 88-yard drive that chewed up 4 minutes of clock and ended with a Justin Lamson touchdown run.
Now Montana State’s Gold Rush crowd was raucous. The Jackrabbits needed to answer. Eventually, they did.
An 8-yard touchdown run by Mason gave his team another advantage with 1 minute, 6 seconds remaining in the first half.
But a long kick return and a quick drive set Myles Sansted up for a 33-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
In the past decade, Montana State and South Dakota State have competed in intense games that have often had plenty on the line.
The Jackrabbits barely found a way to beat the Bobcats in their Gold Rush game in 2017, winning 31-27. The next time the Bobcats played SDSU at home, MSU won 31-17 in the FCS semifinals in 2021. It was a matchup that featured SDSU running backs Pierre Strong and Isaiah Davis and tight end Tucker Kraft as well as MSU quarterback Tommy Mellott, wide receiver Lance McCutcheon, and linebacker Troy Andersen – all of whom had futures in the NFL.
The following season, the Jackrabbits came back and ended MSU’s season in the second round of the FCS playoffs with a 39-18 triumph.
A year later, South Dakota State prevailed at home over the Bobcats during the regular season. But both programs knew, whether it was in the playoffs or down the road, that they would face each other again. And neither was going to leave that next bout unbattered.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Jackrabbits were the first to score in the second half. To cap a seven-play, 50-yard drive, Jayden Oliver gave SDSU a go-ahead touchdown on an 8-yard catch on a pass from Mason.
And just when it seemed SDSU was in command again, special teams proved to be a major difference.
South Dakota State punted with 6:37 to play in regulation, but the play was botched. Seth Brock, a redshirt freshman defensive end from Eagle, Idaho, recovered the loose ball, knotting the game back up.
Brock weaved between cheerleaders, leaping toward MSU’s student section. He threw his hands up in the air, asking for more noise. And the home team faithful delivered with the most ear-shattering screams of jubilation it had provided all night.
That was, until overtime. Neither team scored during the remainder of regulation.
The Bobcats were first on offense, and they arrived at the goal line in a hurry. Adam Jones punched in a 2-yard touchdown to give his team its first lead since the first half.
But the Jackrabbits were decisive in their response.
On their second play in OT on offense, Mason threw a dart to the right, back corner of the end zone and Oliver made a one-handed touchdown catch despite a defender being draped all over him.
And on the very first play of the second OT, Mason threw a dart over the middle and found tight end Brayden Delahoyde for a touchdown.
Montana State seemed it had the offensive firepower to respond. But its drive stalled until the final run by Davis that was just inches short of the first down.
Some believed South Dakota State would take a step back in 2025 with first-year head coach Dan Jackson. Former SDSU coach Jimmy Rogers, who led the team to a national title in 2023, went to Washington State this past offseason. SDSU’s former quarterback, Mark Gronowski, was among several Jackrabbits who transferred to other schools.
But with a difficult win in a familiar yet hostile environment, South Dakota State proved it’s not intending on dropping out of the top tier of FCS programs any time soon.
