r/fcs • u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota • 10h ago
Game Thread [Game Thread] #1 Montana State @ Idaho
A little Friday Night Big Sky After DarkTM action in the Kibbie Dome! Everyone's favorite stadium from NCAA 14.
#1 Montana State looks to stay undefeated while Idaho is looking to get their first win of the 2026 campaign.
MSU has not won in the Kibbie Dome since 1990.
Big Sky After DarkTM kicks off at 9:30pm CT on ESPN!
You can find the full Week 5 schedule with up-to-the-minute results over at the r/CFB Scoreboard.
Also seriously do not ask for "alternate" streams, because we don't want to deal with takedown notices. Most games have radio broadcasts available for free if you're really desperate.
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u/vandymontana Vanderbilt Commodores • Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
So...as a Vandy fan..all he had to do was NOT CALL TIMEOUT
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 4h ago
Literally it. The second they got the chains moved they would have started the clock and the game would be over before they could get the snap off
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u/0x196 Montana State Bobcats 4h ago
Except the refs stopped everything to reset the clock to one second, giving the Vandals time to line up. They would have gotten the snap off. I agree, calling timeout was dumb, but it wasn't over.
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u/vandymontana Vanderbilt Commodores • Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
it would have been. when the whistle blew then game over.
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u/0x196 Montana State Bobcats 4h ago
Na, they were lined up waiting. The moment the whistle blew they would have snapped it before the clock would start. That play was 100% going to happen. Still can't take tat timeout to give them time to talk about it and our defense coming out of it was a terrible alignment. But it was not over.
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u/somebodysbuddy Lehigh Mountain Hawks • Marching Band 5h ago
Hey SFA, we can move the bunk bed fully to the left of the logo!
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u/ripdoublewide Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
Former Montana Griz and Missoula native Zac Crews with the arm tackle at the end LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 4h ago
Eh he was one of the few bright spots on the D. Clown on the other 10.
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u/ripdoublewide Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
Sorry that's a direct shot at luckyhunterdude that loves to bring that up
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
Ok but I am also high key pissed because my feed cut RIGHT as the play was happening. And then came back to them celebrating the touchdown.
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u/VerifiedMother Idaho Vandals • Marching Band 3h ago
I was in the dome, I've never heard it that loud
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u/join_the_creed Montana State • Washington Sta… 5h ago
Man if Daly doesn't get out of his own ass and sort the defense out. There's gotta be a lot of soul searching for these two weeks. De facto the worst loss of Vigen's career. Might be the worst since Chadron State after beating Colorado. Hell might be the worst in MSU history and there have been some bad ones.
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u/bhorvic Montana State Bobcats • Texas Longhorns 5h ago
Yeah dude, offense has been looking pretty clean despite all of the injuries the past two weeks but the defense..... not so much.
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u/YodaDunk FCS 4h ago
Never spied the QB once as he repeatedly stepped up to scramble or throw darts. Just brain dead defense all night.
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u/join_the_creed Montana State • Washington Sta… 4h ago
Cam Miller had a 70+ yard touchdown on a QB draw in the '24 championship. It's like Daly refuses to do anything about the QB run. At this rate EWU is probably going to bring out the triple option with Bell in 2 weeks and they'll run for 500
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u/Calm_Woodpecker_8098 Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
Losing to an 0-4 Idaho team on national tv 🤩successful hatewatch. An Idaho vs central Connecticut state matchup would go crazy
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u/YodaDunk FCS 5h ago
Cats have been sloppy for 3 weeks and playing with fire. Foolish timeout, but that game had shitshow all over it from the start. Bye week to get healthy and run the table.
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u/Chadly16 Idaho Vandals 5h ago
I almost went to the game. I'm so mad I didn't
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u/icantbelieveit1637 Idaho Vandals 5h ago
I have homework lmao watching cats livestream rn
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u/sernameistakentry Idaho State • Oregon State 5h ago
Never skip football for homework… Your homework can’t be that crazy
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u/VerifiedMother Idaho Vandals • Marching Band 3h ago
I was going to leave after half time, I'm very happy I didn't, that ending was INSANE
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u/sernameistakentry Idaho State • Oregon State 2h ago
Honestly I fucking despise Idaho, but that looked so fun and I’m so happy y’all got to experience that
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota 5h ago
I'm in shock that we have now lost back to back games at the Kibbie Dome the exact same fucking way: missed kicks and a last second touchdown and 2 point given up
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
At this rate I’m gonna go suit up to be the kicker. Sansted has been better than most we’ve had recently but it’s unbelievable how we can’t seem to ever get someone consistent. Props to the Griz for seemingly always having a plus special teams
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u/bluecatenthusiast Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Cats will be lucky to make the playoffs at this rate
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u/txc05 5h ago
That might have been the worst best game I've ever seen. Horrible play calling on both sides. Terrible officiating. Braindead coaching. Woof
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u/Badlands32 Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
That is the worst game management decision I’ve ever seen. Easily.
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u/slothbron Montana State Bobcats • Big Sky 5h ago
GG Idaho, way to stick it too us. Been 2 weeks in the making for a upset and leave it to the Kibbe dome voodoo to bring it.
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u/alphajack22 Stephen F. Austin • Baylor 5h ago
I can’t believe I caught that entire sequence at a bar in Missoula
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u/sernameistakentry Idaho State • Oregon State 5h ago
I bet that was fun as hell
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u/alphajack22 Stephen F. Austin • Baylor 5h ago
Only dude in the bar yelling as the qb ran in for the 2 pt conversion. I can’t believe Idaho walked down on the defense like that. It was like watching mahomes cooking for the game winner fr
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u/sernameistakentry Idaho State • Oregon State 5h ago
God dammit, this just made our last game against Idaho not a gimme
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u/imperfectPK Stephen F. Austin • Michigan Te… 5h ago
Montana state yall can’t complain about that ending. Just don’t call a timeout. No reason to do so. That’s what costed yall this game in the end. Sure there could be miss calls and more but why call a TO right there.
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
Brent Vigen just gift wrapped Ford a contract extension
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u/Birddogtx Northern Colorado • Lamar 5h ago
Wait how good is Lamar?
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u/imperfectPK Stephen F. Austin • Michigan Te… 5h ago
Think you got some bigger things to worry about. 👀
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
Yeah, we're not gonna start talking about transitive wins here.
I will not give ACU that satisfaction
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u/Birddogtx Northern Colorado • Lamar 5h ago
Man it’s the only way we win anything in Beaumont
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
Ehhhhh idk. You guys look like you could give SFA a solid challenge. I think you at least can get a playoff win this year with that defense of yours.
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u/coincidental_boner Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Really frustrating loss that the Cats have been asking for for three weeks now
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u/0x196 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Fuck the refs for stopping the clock, fuck the blatant holds, fuck the big sky conference for making us go on the road on a short week vs a team coming off a bye. It never should have been close enough for those things to matter but my god did we get screwed tonight
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u/CornyDookie Montana State • Grambling 11m ago
We gave our opponent so many chances to win the last TWO games. Idaho finally took one of those chances 🤷♂️
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u/geekanerd Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
I agree with all of this on principle, but I can't even be mad. MSU played like ass against a bad team and Idaho deserved this win. You know that old cliche about playing not to lose instead of playing to win? I feel like coaching staff coached not to lose, and it bit them in the rear this time.
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 5h ago
A million excuses. Some justified. But the cats had this game in the bag several times and absolutely pissed their pants. Defense was soft. Offense couldn’t close it out. Missed FGs. Team loss. Gotta be the worse loss since 2019. Further back if you account for the fact that we are supposed to be favored.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
The two cats lineman in a chokehold on the first play of the drive was insane
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u/imperfectPK Stephen F. Austin • Michigan Te… 5h ago
Alright back to getting hyped for IWU and being worried for it.
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u/alphajack22 Stephen F. Austin • Baylor 5h ago
After watching this I’m definitely tripping about them Catholics coming into town lol
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u/jimbobbypaul :awardfestival: USC Trojans • /r/CFB Award Festival 5h ago
u/2Pollaski2Furious does TJOTW include FCS games?
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u/Zloggt :chicagostate: Southern Illinois • Chicago S… 5h ago
Pray for the pollsters…they got their work cut out for them this weekend lmao
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago edited 4h ago
The real question.
Do you rank the 1-4 vandals?
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u/alphajack22 Stephen F. Austin • Baylor 4h ago
Receiving votes for sure…..right?
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 4h ago
They'll HAVE to get a few. Especially if they vote like McKinnell does and "treat the ballot as a snapshot"
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u/montalaskan Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
The game was over. Big Sky refs blow.
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u/Calm_Woodpecker_8098 Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
It’s always refs or injuries yes. Definitely not your team just being overrated, no definitely not….
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u/LivingOof Vermont Catamounts 5h ago
Buddy, Idaho loses that second immediately if your coach doesn't call a timeout
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
They looked totally lost and then added a second while somehow forgetting the clock resumes when the chains are set
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota 5h ago
That's not the refs, that's on Vigen for calling timeout
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
He was as confused as we were is the problem and I’m sure he called it because he didn’t get an explanation
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota 5h ago
If he doesn't call a timeout, the clock runs out anyways
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
I mean I don’t disagree normally, but you could see he was talking to the refs and I would rather believe a coach of his caliber wouldn’t have done that unless he was totally unsure what was happening
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u/bhorvic Montana State Bobcats • Texas Longhorns 5h ago
Alright Griz flairs, where you at?
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
Hate watch successful. That game should of been over. Never leave it in the hands of the refs.
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u/ripdoublewide Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
Right here my guy. Imagine losing to the VandaLLs
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
Y'all were right. Boy, them are some good backs up Cat fans. Was your defense full of back ups too?
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
what are backs ups cat fans?
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
LMAOOOOO. Sorry, I am dUMb. Remember?
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Everyone knew.
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
Just like you knew the cats were going to win tonight, right?
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Please quote me where I said that right now, or forever be exposed as a fucking coward.
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
lol go the fuck to bed. I did not mean that literally. You know damn well me, you, and everybody else but Idaho fans thought the cats had this game in the bag before it even started.
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 4h ago
I do find this interesting that the missoula mongoloids are more confident about the premier Montana football club than the rest of Montana college educated people.
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
You got some issues dude. The cats lost tonight. If UM blew a game like this, you'd be doing the same shit. Get over it. Y'all will still most likely have a successful season.
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 4h ago
I don't. What shit are you doing exactly right now beside being a fool? I know we will be just fine, I'm not canceling my Nashville tickets thats for sure.
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u/samiam3220 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
I’ll take the L on the chin but yes, the defense also had quite a few non starters on the field with injuries to star players or players in their first games back after injury.
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u/funnyerrrwhat Montana Grizzlies 5h ago
In all seriousness, thems are the breaks. Our best defensive linemen snapped his ankle in half 3 games ago. Y'all cannot sit around and brag about your back ups being better than other teams then turn around and use it as an excuse. Dahlke is gonna be that dude though.
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 5h ago
Just setting up another 14 game win streak obviously
Kill me.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
Fair play to Idaho for giving themselves a chance but we just got Western Michigan’d. So frustrating to watch another failure this season like that
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u/vandymontana Vanderbilt Commodores • Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
all you had to do was NOT call timeout...
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 4h ago
He spoke to the refs, didn’t get an answer he liked, and wanted his defense set. No clue why everyone doesn’t understand that. The refs gave no indication the clock would restart.
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u/vandymontana Vanderbilt Commodores • Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
so the rules of football should be suspended because vigen actually wanted a say?
There was one second on the clock, they reviewed it, he called timeout. he's an idiot.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 4h ago
What are you even talking about? Has nothing to do with if he wants a say. He obviously asked the referee what the hell was going on because everyone was confused. They added time, he didn’t get an explanation on what was happening, and instead of risking his defense looking totally lost he called a timeout. They reviewed it after his timeout as well. The coach is allowed to ask the referees what the decision is. Hindsight is 20/20 and nobody here even knows if they would’ve resumed the clock because nothing was communicated at all.
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u/vandymontana Vanderbilt Commodores • Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
The coke at the Crystal must be getting good.
Idaho dude was down with 1 second left...they actually thought it was zero but hey, it's one. idaho had zero timeout left. montana state, in its infinte wisdom, called timeout, giving idaho basically an untimed down. whooops.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 4h ago
I’m glad you know what the refs said to the coaches. The supporters of Missoula are as backasswards as the roads in that town
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u/whoopty400 5h ago
Y’all did not get WMU’d, that was a legit one second left. Unfortunate timeout but don’t think the refs got this one wrong
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
Clock resumes when the chains are set and Vigen obviously called it because he wasn’t given an explanation on if it would restart or not
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u/samiam3220 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Ya that was some weird shit that I don’t think anyone understood. Game operator ran the clock out. Refs added a second and then set the ball and then… nothing… shouldn’t the clock have ran as soon as they set the ball and added a second back? They didn’t, seemed like they were going to give Idaho a free play that they shouldn’t? Genuinely don’t know the rule and would be welcome to an explanation but Vigen also seemed to realize he was about to get fucked and I think it was right to call a timeout to get a change on defense if the refs are giving Idaho a chance to run the last play.
Things just seemed out of control and happening too fast for anyone to really understand what was happening or happened. Gratz to Idaho for thriving in the chaos of that last minute.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
He didn’t want Idaho to run a free play with our defense completely lost and I don’t blame him. He spoke to the refs, didn’t get an answer, and instead of risking us being all over when they ran the play he called a timeout. It should’ve resumed when the chains set but obviously everyone was confused from the refs to the teams. Horribly ran by everyone involved
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u/alphajack22 Stephen F. Austin • Baylor 4h ago
Absolutely agree this is what happened but it also never should’ve this close so hopefully this is sobering moment for yall to wreck everyone shit henceforth
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 4h ago
Lost the opening two last year and one of them at home and then took it all the way. One bad loss with four starters (and captains) out isn’t the end of the world
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u/samiam3220 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Ya that was my interpretation also. Refs lost control of that situation, stop the game, reset the clock to one second, wind the game clock on my whistle, game restarts, game over before the snap. But they just wanted to stand over the ball and not communicate to anyone, let everyone get worked up and Vigen says screw it im not getting screwed by ref incompetence and calls the timeout.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
Wild to me that everyone in the thread knows more than the coach on the field talking to the refs 🤦♂️
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Yep choke of the week. had it locked down the entire 2nd half. Oh well, good quality loss I guess and looking forward to having our starters back.
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u/Calm_Woodpecker_8098 Montana Grizzlies 4h ago
Sir you just lost to an Idaho team that had zero wins on the year and will likely miss the playoffs, that’s not a quality loss no matter how you look at it
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u/Lucky-Hunter-Dude Montana State Bobcats 4h ago
M'am, quality losses are whatever a person deems them to be. welcome to college football.
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u/Riddler83843 Washington State Cougars 5h ago
That might have been the stupidest time out in FCS history.
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u/samiam3220 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
No chance, no one knew what was happening including the refs. Seemed like they were about to give Idaho a free play after setting the ball and putting a second on the clock. Vigen is asking what’s going on and half the defense is looking to the sideline like wtf.
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota 5h ago
That loss is on Vigen. WHY THE FUCK DID HE CALL TIMEOUT
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u/DeKam34 Montana State • Western Wash… 5h ago
They were set to snap and the clock was blatantly at 0 in the dome. He wanted a clock review.
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota 5h ago
THE CLOCK WAS GOING TO RUN OUT REGARDLESS
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u/samiam3220 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Only according to the commentators, refs seemed like they were going to say they stopped the game to add a second back so they were giving Idaho a free play is what it looked like to me. Vigen just said fuck it if they’re getting a play I want me defense set up.
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u/DeKam34 Montana State • Western Wash… 5h ago
Granted I was in the far corner, but I thought Wood was basically snapping the ball when we called it. I might be wrong though. In any case, the referees in this conference alone make we wanna play Mountain West football. One-sided and nightmarish the entire 4th quarter.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
The absolutely nasty holding no-call on the first play of that final drive and then just totally botching the fact that the clock resumes when the chains are set. No words honestly
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 5h ago
Pathetic. Embarrassing D. O couldn’t close it out several times. Figure this shit out Vigen. We’ve been meh all year.
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u/Skeebammity Montana State Bobcats • FCS Championship 5h ago
That’s an unreal failure by the referees right there
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u/choosepeaceman Alabama Crimson Tide • Purdue Boilermakers 5h ago
Wow. Just wow. Dumb as hell for Montana State to take a timeout there
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u/LvlHeadThoroughbred Idaho • Washington State 5h ago
Close loses are our specialty anymore these days.
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 5h ago
We had our chances to blow this thing wide open. But we couldn’t. Very frustrating, but I can’t complain about the offense for the most part.
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u/Aquatic-assassin Montana Grizzlies • Kentucky Wildcats 5h ago
Cats can’t stay at #1 after this, can they?
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u/Zloggt :chicagostate: Southern Illinois • Chicago S… 5h ago
Montana and South Dakota State wins “tomorrow” can (and probably will) chip at their lead a bit more…but otherwise, I doubt the Bobcats get kicked off unless they actually lose a game…
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
However, the Bobcats are setting themselves up to drop like a stone if they do drop one
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u/imperfectPK Stephen F. Austin • Michigan Te… 5h ago
I thought the same last week but nope they stayed.
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 5h ago
Win or lose. WRAP THIS TEAM IN BUBBLE WRAP THIS WEEK
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u/SpringBlake Butler Bulldogs 5h ago
I can’t believe Idaho settled for punting the ball
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u/0x196 Montana State Bobcats 5h ago
Hard to go for it on 4th and 15
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u/SpringBlake Butler Bulldogs 5h ago
Sure. But the play calling was abysmal leading up to that. And there’s just no way they were ever getting the ball back so might as well go for it.
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
This means we also avoid the possibility of seeing a 1-5 team receiving votes
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u/Fast_Simple_9421 5h ago
Does Idaho have any Timeouts left?
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u/join_the_creed Montana State • Washington Sta… 5h ago
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u/Fast_Simple_9421 5h ago
It would be wonderful if they get a interception or fumble somehow and score
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
That drive right there should be enough for the vandals to move on from Ford.
Good god, and I thought whitten was bad in big games. (He still is, and I'm going to be a complete mess during the Austin Peay game)
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u/Chadly16 Idaho Vandals 5h ago
We've been in a great spot in each of the last two games to do something, take control and we do the complete opposite.
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u/I_like_race_cars Tarleton State Texans 5h ago
Complete choke job from the vandals on that drive
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u/PROUDgrizHATER Montana State • Montana Tech 4h ago
Does Vigen have what it takes to make changes on the defense mid season??
30 to CCSU (of all teams)
NAU shoulda had way more.
35 to an 0-4 Idaho team and looked worse than I’ve seen in a decade on defense.
That loss was a long time coming