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.
Preseason All–Big Sky team The Bobcats had five players selected to the preseason all-Big Sky team.
Offense
Mitch Brott – OL
Troy Andersen – FB
Defense
Bryce Sterk – OLB
Greg Filer – CB
Brayden Konkol – S
Schedule
Game summaries
At Texas Tech
Statistics MTSTTTU 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 StatisticsMontana State Passing Casey Bauman 7/19, 120 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Ifanse 15 rushes, 77 yards Receiving Coy Steel 3 receptions, 56 yards, TDTexas Tech Passing Alan Bowman 40/53, 436 yards, 2 TD Rushing Armand Shyne 11 rushes, 125 yards, TD Receiving Xavier White 5 receptions, 107 yards, TD
Southeast Missouri State
Statistics SEMOMTST 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 StatisticsSoutheast Missouri State Passing Daniel Santacaterina 13/28, 114 yards, TD, INT Rushing Geno Hess 13 rushes, 90 yards Receiving Kristian Wilkerson 6 receptions, 77 yards, TDMontana State Passing Casey Bauman 13/25, 136 yards Rushing Isaiah Ifanse 11 rushes, 114 yards Receiving Kevin Kassis 6 receptions, 85 yards
At Western Illinois
Statistics MTSTWIU 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 StatisticsMontana State Passing Casey Bauman 16/30, 149 yards Rushing Logan Jones 21 rushes, 167 yards, 2 TD Receiving Travis Jonsen 6 receptions, 71 yardsWestern Illinois Passing Connor Sampson 18/35, 281 yards, TD, INT Rushing Deontez Thompson 14 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Dennis Houston 5 receptions, 141 yards, TD
Norfolk State
Statistics NORFMTST 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 StatisticsNorfolk State Passing Juwan Carter 21/32, 243 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kevin Johnson 8 rushes, 112 yards, TD Receiving Dakendall James 5 receptions, 103 yardsMontana State Passing Tucker Rovig 21/27, 221 yards, 4 TD Rushing Lane Sumner 11 rushes, 113 yards, 2 TD Receiving Coy Steel 5 receptions, 80 yards, 2 TD
Northern Arizona
At Cal Poly
Sacramento State
At North Dakota
Southern Utah
At Northern Colorado
At UC Davis
Montana
FCS Playoffs The Bobcats entered the postseason tournament as the number five seed, with a first-round bye.
Albany (Second Round)
Statistics ALBMTST 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 StatisticsAlbany Passing Jeff Undercuffler Jr. 18/37, 273 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Karl Mofor 12 rushes, 51 yards, TD Receiving Juwan Green 3 receptions, 123 yards, TDMontana State Passing Tucker Rovig 24/30, 279 yards, 3 TD Rushing Travis Jonsen 8 rushes, 85 yards, TD Receiving Kevin Kassis 11 receptions, 131 yards, TD
Austin Peay (Quarterfinals)
Statistics APSUMTST 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 StatisticsAustin Peay Passing Javaughn Craig 18/37, 173 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Kentel Williams 7 rushes, 9 yards Receiving DeAngelo Wilson 6 receptions, 118 yards, TDMontana State Passing Tucker Rovig 13/20, 114 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Ifanse 26 rushes, 196 yards, TD Receiving Coy Steel 2 receptions, 36 yards
At North Dakota State (Semifinals)
Statistics MTSTNDSU 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 StatisticsMontana State Passing Tucker Rovig 13/22, 150 yards, TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Ifanse 11 rushes, 60 yards Receiving Kevin Kassis 2 receptions, 45 yards, TDNorth Dakota State Passing Trey Lance 15/21, 223 yards, 3 TD Rushing Christian Watson 3 rushes, 86 yards, TD Receiving Christian Watson 2 receptions, 88 yards, TD
Ranking movements
References