Montana State football news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Montana State (2-0) plays at Nevada in Reno on Sept 12, seeking a 17th straight win.
The game reunites ex-MSU coach Jeff Choate with the program he left in 2021.
Background
Montana State is the defending FCS and Big Sky champion and entered the week with a program-best 16-game winning streak and the No. 1 FCS ranking. Nevada head coach Jeff Choate led the Bobcats from 2016 to 2021 before leaving for Texas, then joined the Wolf Pack in 2024; his Nevada staff includes several former MSU assistants. The two programs had not met since 1996, and MSU is receiving $400,000 from Nevada for the game.
How it unfolded
- Aug 29, 2026Montana State won at Utah Tech 54-0.
- Sep 5, 2026Montana State beat Butler 51-24 at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.
- Sep 9, 2026Brent Vigen said every game is a unique experience but the Nevada game carries extra cache; the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported MSU is not focused on Wolf Pack reunions.
- Sep 10, 2026MSU game notes previewed Game #3 at Nevada, noting the Wolf Pack team has a strong MSU flavor.
- Sep 11, 2026Montana State entered Friday as a 3.5-point favorite over Nevada, seeking to extend its program-record winning streak to 17 games.
- Sep 12, 2026Montana State (2-0) plays at Nevada in Reno at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time at Mackay Stadium; MSU is getting $400,000 from the Wolf Pack. The teams had not met since 1996, and Nevada is 1-0 after beating Western Kentucky 49-14.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Nevada coach Jeff Choate said he wanted to play Montana instead, that Montana said it wasn't interested, and that of the available options MSU was the best choice; he added he still has love for the Bobcats program and Bozeman.
- Official
- Montana State coach Brent Vigen said Choate left his mark at MSU and the reunion is a huge story for fans, but for the team it's just an opportunity to play a Mountain West program that looks really good on film.
- Caution
- Vigen said he expects Nevada to be the Bobcats' most talented test in 2026, calling the Wolf Pack awfully impressive in their win over Western Kentucky.
- Party
- Montana athletic director Kent Haslam denied Choate's claim in a post on X, saying he and the Griz never heard back from Nevada about a possible matchup.
Still unverified
Choate's claim that he wanted to play Montana and that Montana said it wasn't interested is disputed; Haslam denied it, saying he and the Griz 'never heard back' from Nevada about a possible matchup.