# 2019 Montana State Bobcats football team

The 2019 Montana State Bobcats football team represented Montana State University as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate, the Bobcats compiled an overall record of 11–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the Big Sky. Montana State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first round bye, the Bobcats defeated Albany in the second round and Austin Peay in the quarterfinals before losing in the semifinals to the eventual national champion, North Dakota State. The team played home games at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana.

## Preseason
### Big Sky preseason poll

The Big Sky released their preseason media and coaches' polls on July 15, 2019. The Bobcats were picked to finish in fourth place by the media, and in fifth place by the coaches.
Media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Eastern Washington | 536 (25) |
| 2 | UC Davis | 510 (13) |
| 3 | Weber State | 472 (4) |
| 4 | Montana State | 417 |
| 5 | Montana | 396 (1) |
| 6 | Northern Arizona | 302 |
| 7 | Idaho State | 285 |
| 8 | Idaho | 248 |
| 9 | Cal Poly | 196 |
| 10 | Portland State | 178 |
| 11 | Southern Utah | 160 |
| 12 | Sacramento State | 125 |
| 13 | Northern Colorado | 90 |
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Eastern Washington | 140 (10) |
| 2 | UC Davis | 127 (2) |
| 3 | Weber State | 124 |
| 4 | Montana | 104 (1) |
| 5 | Montana State | 100 |
| 6 | Northern Arizona | 88 |
| 7 | Idaho State | 72 |
| 8 | Idaho | 65 |
| 9 | Cal Poly | 56 |
| 10 | Portland State | 42 |
| 11 | Sacramento State | 40 |
| 12 | Southern Utah | 38 |
| 13 | Northern Colorado | 19 |

### Preseason All–Big Sky team

The Bobcats had five players selected to the preseason all-Big Sky team.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 2:00 p.m. | at Texas Tech* | No. 14 | Jones AT&T StadiumLubbock, TX | FSN | L 10–45 | 54,183 |
| September 7 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 12 Southeast Missouri State* | No. 13 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT | SWX | W 38–17 | 19,497 |
| September 14 | 2:00 p.m. | at Western Illinois* | No. 10 | Hanson FieldMacomb, IL | ESPN+ | W 23–14 | 4,728 |
| September 21 | 1:00 p.m. | Norfolk State* | No. 8 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT | SWX | W 56–21 | 17,647 |
| September 28 | 1:00 p.m. | Northern Arizona | No. 7 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT | SWX | W 49–31 | 19,257 |
| October 5 | 6:05 p.m. | at Cal Poly | No. 6 | Alex G. Spanos StadiumSan Luis Obispo, CA | SWX | W 34–28 $^{OT}$ | 8,236 |
| October 12 | 2:00 p.m. | Sacramento State | No. 6 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT | SWX | L 21–34 | 19,437 |
| October 26 | 11:00 a.m. | at North Dakota | No. 9 | Alerus CenterGrand Forks, ND | SWX/Pluto TV | L 12–16 | 8,594 |
| November 2 | 12:00 p.m. | Southern Utah | No. 14 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT | RTNW | W 42–7 | 15,617 |
| November 9 | 12:00 p.m. | at Northern Colorado | No. 12 | Nottingham FieldGreeley, CO | SWX | W 45–14 | 4,442 |
| November 16 | 5:00 p.m. | at UC Davis | No. 10 | UC Davis Health StadiumDavis, CA | SWX | W 27–17 | 8,284 |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 3 Montana | No. 8 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT (rivalry) | RTNW | W 48–14 | 19,827 |
| December 7 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 25 Albany* | No. 5 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT (NCAA Division I Second Round) | ESPN3 | W 47–21 | 12,947 |
| December 13 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 18 Austin Peay* | No. 5 | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal) | ESPN3 | W 24–10 | 14,017 |
| December 21 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 1 North Dakota State* | No. 5 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Semifinal) | ESPN2 | L 14–42 | 18,077 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Mountain time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### At Texas Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 14 Bobcats | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Red Raiders | 14 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 45 |
| Statistics | MTST | TTU |
| First downs | 8 | 35 |
| Total yards | 289 | 691 |
| Rushing yards | 127 | 255 |
| Passing yards | 162 | 436 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 29:19 | 30:41 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Montana State | Passing | Casey Bauman | 7/19, 120 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 15 rushes, 77 yards |
| Montana State | Receiving | Coy Steel | 3 receptions, 56 yards, TD |
| Texas Tech | Passing | Alan Bowman | 40/53, 436 yards, 2 TD |
| Texas Tech | Rushing | Armand Shyne | 11 rushes, 125 yards, TD |
| Texas Tech | Receiving | Xavier White | 5 receptions, 107 yards, TD |

### Southeast Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 12 Redhawks | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| No. 13 Bobcats | 10 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 38 |
| Statistics | SEMO | MTST |
| First downs | 12 | 21 |
| Total yards | 245 | 456 |
| Rushing yards | 131 | 265 |
| Passing yards | 114 | 191 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 28:40 | 31:20 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southeast Missouri State | Passing | Daniel Santacaterina | 13/28, 114 yards, TD, INT |
| Southeast Missouri State | Rushing | Geno Hess | 13 rushes, 90 yards |
| Southeast Missouri State | Receiving | Kristian Wilkerson | 6 receptions, 77 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Passing | Casey Bauman | 13/25, 136 yards |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 11 rushes, 114 yards |
| Montana State | Receiving | Kevin Kassis | 6 receptions, 85 yards |

### At Western Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Bobcats | 7 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 23 |
| Leathernecks | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Statistics | MTST | WIU |
| First downs | 18 | 15 |
| Total yards | 343 | 337 |
| Rushing yards | 194 | 56 |
| Passing yards | 149 | 281 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 29:06 | 30:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Montana State | Passing | Casey Bauman | 16/30, 149 yards |
| Montana State | Rushing | Logan Jones | 21 rushes, 167 yards, 2 TD |
| Montana State | Receiving | Travis Jonsen | 6 receptions, 71 yards |
| Western Illinois | Passing | Connor Sampson | 18/35, 281 yards, TD, INT |
| Western Illinois | Rushing | Deontez Thompson | 14 rushes, 39 yards |
| Western Illinois | Receiving | Dennis Houston | 5 receptions, 141 yards, TD |

### Norfolk State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Spartans | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| No. 8 Bobcats | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 56 |
| Statistics | NORF | MTST |
| First downs | 15 | 39 |
| Total yards | 351 | 670 |
| Rushing yards | 108 | 449 |
| Passing yards | 243 | 221 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 28:07 | 31:53 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Norfolk State | Passing | Juwan Carter | 21/32, 243 yards, 2 TD |
| Norfolk State | Rushing | Kevin Johnson | 8 rushes, 112 yards, TD |
| Norfolk State | Receiving | Dakendall James | 5 receptions, 103 yards |
| Montana State | Passing | Tucker Rovig | 21/27, 221 yards, 4 TD |
| Montana State | Rushing | Lane Sumner | 11 rushes, 113 yards, 2 TD |
| Montana State | Receiving | Coy Steel | 5 receptions, 80 yards, 2 TD |

### Northern Arizona

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lumberjacks | 14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
| No. 7 Bobcats | 0 | 14 | 7 | 28 | 49 |

### At Cal Poly

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| No. 6 Bobcats | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 34 |
| Mustangs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 28 |

### Sacramento State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 7 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 34 |
| No. 6 Bobcats | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |

### At North Dakota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 9 Bobcats | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
| Fighting Hawks | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 16 |

### Southern Utah

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Thunderbirds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| No. 14 Bobcats | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 42 |

### At Northern Colorado

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 12 Bobcats | 7 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
| Bears | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |

### At UC Davis

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Bobcats | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 27 |
| Aggies | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |

### Montana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Grizzlies | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 8 Bobcats | 17 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 48 |

## FCS Playoffs

The Bobcats entered the postseason tournament as the number five seed, with a first-round bye.

### Albany (Second Round)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 25 Great Danes | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| No. 5 Bobcats | 16 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 47 |
| Statistics | ALB | MTST |
| First downs | 19 | 28 |
| Total yards | 333 | 483 |
| Rushing yards | 60 | 203 |
| Passing yards | 273 | 280 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 26:09 | 33:51 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Albany | Passing | Jeff Undercuffler Jr. | 18/37, 273 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Albany | Rushing | Karl Mofor | 12 rushes, 51 yards, TD |
| Albany | Receiving | Juwan Green | 3 receptions, 123 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Passing | Tucker Rovig | 24/30, 279 yards, 3 TD |
| Montana State | Rushing | Travis Jonsen | 8 rushes, 85 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Receiving | Kevin Kassis | 11 receptions, 131 yards, TD |

### Austin Peay (Quarterfinals)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 18 Governors | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 5 Bobcats | 10 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| Statistics | APSU | MTST |
| First downs | 10 | 16 |
| Total yards | 197 | 386 |
| Rushing yards | 0 | 279 |
| Passing yards | 197 | 386 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 23:10 | 36:50 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Austin Peay | Passing | Javaughn Craig | 18/37, 173 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Austin Peay | Rushing | Kentel Williams | 7 rushes, 9 yards |
| Austin Peay | Receiving | DeAngelo Wilson | 6 receptions, 118 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Passing | Tucker Rovig | 13/20, 114 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 26 rushes, 196 yards, TD |
| Montana State | Receiving | Coy Steel | 2 receptions, 36 yards |

### At North Dakota State (Semifinals)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Bobcats | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 1 Bison | 7 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 42 |
| Statistics | MTST | NDSU |
| First downs | 13 | 21 |
| Total yards | 298 | 541 |
| Rushing yards | 148 | 318 |
| Passing yards | 150 | 223 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:34 | 29:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Montana State | Passing | Tucker Rovig | 13/22, 150 yards, TD, INT |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 11 rushes, 60 yards |
| Montana State | Receiving | Kevin Kassis | 2 receptions, 45 yards, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 15/21, 223 yards, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Christian Watson | 3 rushes, 86 yards, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 2 receptions, 88 yards, TD |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 14 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
| Coaches | 15 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 4 |