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Montana State vs Nevada matchup

Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.

The gist

Montana State faces Nevada in Reno on Sept 12, the teams' first meeting since 1996.
Nevada coach Jeff Choate faces the program he led from 2016 to 2021.

Background

Montana State and Nevada were longtime Big Sky Conference opponents before Nevada moved to the FBS level in 1992. The two programs last met in 1996, when Nevada won 31-7 in Reno. The 2026 matchup was signed in December 2024, and Nevada will pay Montana State $400,000 for the game. Montana State enters as the No. 1 FCS team and reigning national champion, while Nevada opened with a 49-14 win over Western Kentucky.

How it unfolded

  1. 1992Nevada moved to the FBS level, ending its longtime Big Sky Conference rivalry with Montana State.
  2. Sep 14, 1996Nevada beat Montana State 31-7 in Reno in the teams' most recent meeting.
  3. 2016 -2020Jeff Choate coached Montana State, going 28-22 and 4-0 against the Grizzlies, and led the Bobcats to the 2019 FCS semifinals.
  4. 2021Choate left Montana State and served as inside linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator at Texas from 2021 to 2024.
  5. Dec 2024The game agreement between Nevada and Montana State was signed.
  6. 2025Montana State won the FCS national championship; Caden Dowler was Big Sky player of the year and Taco Dowler had 1,472 all-purpose yards.
  7. Sep 8, 2026Montana State stood 2-0 after beating Butler; Nevada was 1-0 after a 49-14 win over Western Kentucky with over 320 rushing yards.
  8. Sep 9, 2026Choate's comments on Montana sparked scheduling discussion; it was reported Nevada will pay Montana State $400,000 for the matchup.
  9. Sep 11, 2026Preview coverage listed Montana State as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 49.5.
  10. Sep 12, 2026Kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on The CW in Reno, Nevada; Montana State is favored by 3.5 points with a moneyline of -162 and a total of 50.5.

Who’s saying what

Official
MSU head coach Brent Vigen said Nevada was 'awfully impressive' against Western Kentucky and that the Choate storyline is big for fans but not for his team.
Official
Nevada head coach Jeff Choate said he has 'a tremendous amount of love' for Montana and that 'this is not personal,' adding he scheduled the game to bring fans to Reno.
Analysts
Betting analyst Joshua Nunn picked Nevada +3.5 and Nevada ML +165, arguing the matchup matters more to Nevada and a loss wouldn't derail Montana State's FCS playoff positioning.
Analysts
CBS Sports wrote that the game 'might have the wrong favorite,' calling Montana State an FCS bully facing an FBS team off to a blazing start.
Expert
MSU offensive lineman Burke Mastel called Nevada's defense the Bobcats' 'best test so far.'

Sources

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