NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The magical run for Illinois State came to an end as they fell 35-34 to Montana State in the first overtime of the FCS national championship. Despite entering the playoffs unseeded, the Redbirds reached their first title game since the 2014 season, showcasing resilience with four road playoff victories and a significant win over No. 1 North Dakota State.
In an exciting matchup at FirstBank Stadium, Illinois State battled back from a 14-point deficit in the second half to tie the game. They even took their first lead in overtime, marking a historic moment in the 48-year history of the FCS championship.
The game turned dramatically when Montana State blocked an extra-point attempt following a touchdown by Illinois State in overtime. Earlier, the Bobcats had also blocked a field goal attempt from the Redbirds that could have clinched the victory in regulation with less than a minute left on the clock.
Montana State then sealed the game with a touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Lamson to Taco Dowler on fourth-and-10, followed by a successful extra point. The Bobcats celebrated their first national championship since 1984 amidst a spirited crowd of 24,105, the largest attendance for an FCS title game since 1996.
Lamson earned the MVP honors for his performance, completing 280 yards and two touchdowns. Dowler was vital for Montana State, racking up eight catches for 111 yards. “We just couldn”t find one more play, and we needed to make one more play in order to win it,” said Brock Spack, head coach of Illinois State. “But when you look at a game, it”s a one-point loss like that, there are probably 10, 15, maybe even 20 plays in the game. If you just make one of them, you win it. We weren”t able to do that, and we came up a little short.”
Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse threw for 311 yards and four touchdowns. He connected frequently with redshirt freshman wide receiver Dylan Lord, who made 13 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Rittenhouse”s 25-yard touchdown pass to Lord tied the game at 28-28 with just over five minutes remaining, after the Redbirds had trailed throughout the first half.
Lord expressed the team”s pride: “You put your all into this team. I have no doubt that we all did. You get to this spot and it”s so close. Sometimes you just fall short, and that”s part of life. I”m proud of our seniors and our whole team. They were calling us a Cinderella run, and we obviously proved we deserve to be here.”
After Lord”s touchdown in overtime, Montana State”s Hunter Parsons blocked the extra point attempt by kicker Michael Cosentino. Earlier, Montana State”s Jhase McMillan had disrupted Cosentino”s 38-yard field goal attempt that would have won the game in regulation.
Spack noted the decision-making process leading up to the field goal attempt, indicating that they believed it was the right choice at the time. He acknowledged potential handling issues during the kick attempts: “We spent a lot of time on special teams, but there are no gimmes. You have to execute, and we didn”t. … Yeah, it”s very disappointing.”
The Illinois State defense struggled initially against Montana State, allowing a quick three-play, 75-yard drive just before halftime, which put the Bobcats ahead 21-7. However, the Redbirds tightened their defense in the second half, making crucial stops that ultimately led to overtime.
Linebacker Tye Niekamp commented on the defensive adjustments: “In the second half we tackled a lot better, and that was the reason we played a lot better in the second half.”
Emotions ran high during the postgame conference, with Rittenhouse reflecting on the game as a classic football experience regardless of the outcome. “That was a classic football game right there,” he stated. “I mean, I had a blast no matter win or lose.” Niekamp echoed the sentiment, calling it an electric atmosphere and the most fun he had experienced in a game.
