Montana State 44-28 over Stephen F. Austin (Dec 12, 2025) – Game overview
In Bozeman, Adam Jones rushed for 114 yards and scored twice as No. 2 Montana State rolled up a season-best 227 rushing yards to derail No. 7 Stephen F. Austin’s eight-game winning streak with a 44-28 win in the FCS quarterfinals.
Montana State now advances to the national semifinals, where the winner of the Montana versus South Dakota game will await. The Bobcats never trailed, scoring on six of their first eight possessions and climbing to 12-2 on the season. Stephen F. Austin finished strong at 11-3 after their long run.
Montana State jumped ahead mid-first quarter when Jones capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. In the second, Justin Lamson connected on two scoring passes: a 21-yard strike to Jones and a 3-yard connection to Luvens Valcin, pushing the lead to 24-0.
The Lumberjacks responded just before halftime, moving 75 yards in 1:22 and converting a two-point try on Sam Vidlak’s 11-yard pass to Clayton Wayland to trim the deficit to 24-8.
Early in the third, Stephen F. Austin sliced the margin further with Jaylen Jenkins’ 5-yard run, making it 24-14. Montana State steadied the ship with a Myles Sansted field goal and a Lamson keeper for a 5-yard rushing score to rebuild the cushion. Jenkins struck again late in the third to keep the visitors within reach.
Momentum swung back in the Bobcats’ favor at the start of the fourth when Jones broke loose for a 16-yard TD on the very first play of the final period.
Remarkably, Stephen F. Austin became just the second FCS squad to reach 28 points against Montana State this season. No other FCS opponent reached 28 in regulation.
Notes for fans: Montana State will meet the winner of the Montana-South Dakota matchup in the semifinals, continuing a premier FCS run for the program this season.
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