Fcs Football Central

Live Updates: Montana State vs. North Dakota State In The FCS National Championship

Follow along for live updates from the 2025 FCS Football national championship game between North Dakota State and Montana State

Timothy Rosario

2025 FCS National Championship
2025 FCS National Championship / Timothy Rosario (FCS Football Central)
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Stay tuned for all live updates and analysis as North Dakota State takes on Montana State in the FCS National Championship game.

As always, there will be live game notes, analysis, and breakdown of the game as it happens. Keep the refresh button going as updates will be coming in quickly and consistently.

Montana State Quarterback Tommy Mellott
Montana State Quarterback Tommy Mellott / Leroy Fredrick (FCS Football Central)

- Teams are warming up as we get ready to go for kickoff. Kickoff is at 6pm CT.

- It appears to be a sellout here at Toyota Stadium as we near kickoff. It looks to be a slight advantage for Bobcat fans with both fanbases represented well. Great atmosphere here in Frisco.

- NDSU will receive and we will get started here in Frisco. Cam Miller's chance first.

1st Quarter Updates

- Kickoff goes out of the back of the endzone. NDSU will start on their own 25.

- Cam Miller is on target early and moves the chains with an 8-yard completion

- Bryce Lance gets his first catch with a 14-yard reception and NDSU is in Bobcat territory

- 22 yard catch by Raja Nelson along the sideline and NDSU is in the redzone. Bison are winning at the LOS early

- Touchdown Bison! MSU defense gets a couple stops inside the 5 but can't keep Cam Miller out on third and goal. The NDSU quarterback dives and gets in the endzone. 7-0 NDSU.

- Cam Miller showing out early. He went 3-3 for 44 yards and added 16 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground as well. Now its Tommy Mellott's turn to answer.

- Scottre Humphrey held to short gains on first and second down. Huge third down play upcoming

- And there goes Tommy Mellott. Mellott gains 19 yards and a first down on a scramble

- Tommy Mellott goes to TE Rohan Jones on 3rd and five and the big TE drops it. NDSU thought they might have a fumble but after a quick conference it was called incomplete. The Bobcats punt and NDSU will take over on their own 8 yard line. Big stop for NDSU after Montana State had encroached on Bison territory.

- On a big third down play Cam Miller goes deep to Bryce Lance. The pass was broken up, but NDSU was bailed out with a pass interference call. 1st and 10 Bison on their own 30 yard line.

- Touchdown NDSU!!! On a huge 3rd and 4 the Bison go empty and Montana State completely left the middle of the field open. Cam Miller saunters 65 yards down the middle of the field and the Bison now lead 14-0.

- Montana State hasn't faced this kind of adversity since week 1 against FBS New Mexico. The Bobcats did come back and win that game but they likely need a response on this drive to keep themselves in it.

- Cam Miller already has 136 total yards. Statement from the Walter Payton runner-up.

- On the final play of the first quarter, Montana State hands the ball to Adam Jones and barely converts on 3rd and 2. The Bobcats will have the ball 1st and 10 on their own 35-yard line when the 2nd quarter starts. NDSU 14 MSU 0

2nd Quarter Updates

- Explosive plays are the name of the game right now. NDSU has two plays over 20 yards, while MSU has none. Bobcats need to find a way to open up the offense in the 2nd quarter

- After 2 runs we have another massive 3rd and 2 coming. The Bobcats still haven't completed a pass.

- Mellott stretches and just gets the first down on a power play. Montana State on the move and in NDSU territory

- Montana State is being held to 4 yards per play. The Bobcats average nearly 7 on the season.

- Third straight third and short conversion as Tommy Mellott evades Bison defenders and gets a first down.

- Montana State is started to find some running lanes after 2 6-yard runs by Adam Jones. 1st and 10 from the 22 yard line

- This time the Bison defense bows up and stops the Bobcats on third and short. An arduous 17-play 11 minute drive only ends in 3 points for Montana State. NDSU 14 MSU 3

- NDSU will take over on their own 24. Massive drive for this game

- Montana State finally gets a big play on defense. Zac Crews takes down Cam Miller on a designed run for a 4 yard loss. A late personal foul on Grey Zabel then backs up the Bison to 3rd and 23 from their own 12.

- Montana State did a good job of bring central pressure and NDSU comes far short from a first down. The following punt gets downed at MSU's 43. Hude stop by the Bobcat defense gives Tommy Mellott and company a chance to swing momentum. Montana State has 3:48 to go in the second quarter. NDSU 14 MSU 3

- Montana State has to show they can threaten the Bison vertically to open this game up

- Another third down. Another first down scramble by Tommy Mellott. 1st and 10 Bobcats from the NDSU 49 when we get back from the 2 minute warning.

- Tommy Mellott escapes a sack after the Bison thought they had him down on 3rd and 10. He is only to gain 5 yards though, and Brent Vigen is faced with a 4th a 5 decision from the NDSU 44. Montana State will get the ball to start the 3rd quarter.

- Massive stop on 4th and 5! Now the Bison have 1 minute to try and find a score before halftime. The drive will start from their own 44.

- First down NDSU after a short completion to Bryce Lance. 43 seconds left in the half

- Cam Miller is completely locked in! In just a few seconds NDSU is already at the Bobcat 25 yard line with 34 seconds to go after a 10 yard completion to Raja Nelson.

- Bryce Lance catches a low ball right in front of the pylon. The ball is marked at the one yard line with 12 seconds to go but the play is going to review to see if the Bison receiver scored.

- Touchdown Bison!! The review marked Bryce Lance short but Cam goes right back to him on a slant in the endzone from the two yard line. A route is on in Frisco. Bobcat fans are stunned. NDSU 21 MSU 3. Really makes you question the decision Brent Vigen made to go for it on 4th and 5 and give the Bison the ball at midfield. 12 seconds left in the second half

Halftime in Frisco! NDSU has jumped all over Montana State and kept them at bay all half. Bison 21 Bobcats 3

- Right now, the biggest difference is that the Bison are winning at the Line of Scrimmage. Montana State can't get any pressure, and NDSU has made Mellott uncomfortable all night. Plus, Cam Miller is playing at a different level right now. It's tough to see a clear path back into this game for Montana State

NDSU: 226 total yards, 7.5 yards per play. MSU: 108 total yards, 3.8 yards per play. Domination.

3rd Quarter Updates

- Here we go! Second half gets started in Frisco. Bobcats need to score

- Montana State schemes up a a nice TE leak play but Rohan Jones can't hang on. Massive 3rd and long play coming up.

- Montana State picks up the blitz well and Tommy Mellott finds Taco Dowler 26 yards down the seam! Can they finish this off?

- Huge playcall by Montana State!! On 3rd and 1 the Bobcats dial up playaction and Tommy Mellott finds Ryan King at the 1 yard line.

- 2 big stops by the Bison defense and now we have a huge 3rd and goal from the 2 yard line.

- Drop!! Rohan Jones drops a wide open touchdown. The Bobcats need 6 here

- Touchdown!! Scottre Humphrey finally punches it in from 1 yard out. Maybe we have a game now? The Bobcats will need a stop on the next possession against Cam Miller and company. NDSU 21 MSU 10. 8 minutes and 9 seconds to go in the 3rd quarter.

- Cam Miller continues to keep the Bison on his back. Big 7 yard pickup on 3rd and 4.

- Not something you will see often! Bryce Lance drops the RPO and sets up a big 3rd and 10. The large MSU crowd is starting to get back in this game

- Incomplete pass intended for Raja Nelson. NDSU forced to punt to Taco Dowler and Dowler nearly breaks a long run. Montana State finally has some momentum and and has a chance to make this a one score game. Bobcats ball on their own 42 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

- Huge play!! Tommy Mellott does a nice job stepping up in the pocket and finds Tight End Ryan Lonergan wide open in the seam for a 53 yard gain!

- One play later!!! Mellott finds Rohan Jones on the slant for a touchdown. MSU then finds Lonergan again on the two point conversion and we have an incredible ball game! NDSU 21 MSU 18. The Bobcats have had the most explosive offense all year and they have finally found something.

- Kickoff goes out of the end zone. Bobcat fans are deafening. How will Cam Miller respond?

So far. So good. Cam Miller easily guides the Bison offense down the field and are already in Bobcat territory

- NDSU was getting ready for a 3rd and 1 and get a false start penalty. That's NDSU's 7th penalty tonight

- Incredible final play of the 3rd quarter! On 3rd and 6 Cam Miller finds Bryce Lance who dives for the ball, secures the catch and sets up NDSU on the 2 yard line to start the 4th quarter. NDSU 21 MSU 18. 15 minutes to go

4th Quarter Updates

- NDSU punches it in from 1 yard out! Cam Miller finds Joe Stoffel off of playaction in the endzone. The Bison respond the best way possible with an 8 play 75 yard touchdown drive.

- NDSU 28 MSU 18. 14 minutes and 18 seconds left with a championship on the line

- The NDSU linebackers and safeties have tackled so well tonight. They've kept MSU from those long crushing runs.

- Tommy Mellott!! Touchdown Tommy finally breaks loose in Frisco and now the offenses are running rampant. Mellott takes a zone read play 44 yards off the edge, tiptoes the sideline and finds the endzone. NDSU 28 MSU 25. 11 minutes and 25 seconds to go as the fireworks have started in Frisco.

- How will Cam Miller respond? We're getting a great show between the 2 best quarterbacks in FCS football

- Both offenses have combined to go an insane 15-20 on third down

- And the Bobcats get a huge 3rd down stop there on 3rd and 2! NDSU trots out the punt team and MSU has a chance to reverse what happened in the first half

- Bobcats will start this drive on their 16 yard line with 9 minutes and 22 seconds left

- A second straight 3rd down stop but now its the Bison's turn. NDSU did a great job of pressuring Tommy Mellott and now NDSU will get the ball with 7 minutes and 47 seconds on their own 34 yard line. NDSU is winning the field posision battle right now

- Miller immediatley hits Bryce Lance for an 18 yard gain. The Bobcats can't hang with him

- Marty Brown breaks through the Bobcat front with a 16 yard run and puts NDSU at the MSU 25

- NDSU calls a timeout before a massive 3rd and 6 that just may decide the game. NDSU leads 28-25 with 4 minutes and 19 seconds left in the game. You gotta figure Cam will go back to Bryce Lance. Will MSU have an answer for him?

- Raja Nelson stretches for the ball and just gets a first down! Huge play for the Bison

- After a nice couple of runs by Marty Brown, NDSU has the ball 1st and Goal from the Bobcat 3. There are 2 minutes and 44 seconds left in the game. A touchdown here just might seal the game

- Marty Brown only needed one more play! The Bison offensive line asserts itself and gives NDSU a 35 - 25 lead with 2 minutes and 41 seconds left in the game. Do we have any more drama left in store for us?

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- After a couple of Tommy Mellott scrambles, Montana State reaches the 2 minute timeout at midfield down 10 points. The Bobcats are going to need some chunk plays in a hurry.

- NDSU is doing an excellent job of taking away the deep ball. As they should. MSU has the ball at the 28 yard line down 10 with 1:23

- Brent Vigen makes a questionable decision to go for it on 4th down and it pays off for him! Mellott find Taco Dowler on a wheel route for a Bobcat Touchdown! 35-32 NDSU with 1 minute and 9 seconds left. Montana State will need to attempt an onside kick with only 2 timeouts left

- Onside kick attempt fails. NDSU takes over with 1:09 left on their own 38 yard line. MSU has 2 timeouts left

- After two Cam Miller runs and two MSU timeouts. Its 3rd and 6 with 56 seconds left. MSU has no timeouts left.

- MSU goes all out to block the punt, but fall short. The clock runs out and the North Dakota State Bison are you 2024 FCS Champions once again!! The Championship finds its way back to Fargo after a 2-season drought. Final score: North Dakota State 35 Montana State 32

Thank you for joining us on tonight's live thread of the FCS National Championship!

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Timothy Rosario
TIMOTHY ROSARIO