Photo by: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez
Bobcat Football Faces Challenging 2018 Slate, Adds Utah for 2020
11/15/2017 2:43:00 PM | Football
MSU faces heavy dose of traditional rivals, successful programs
After facing seven nationally-ranked opponents during the 2017 football season, Montana State's schedule gets no easier next year. MSU Director of Athletics Leon Costello announced a 2018 Bobcat football slate of games on Wednesday that features four nationally-ranked teams, one barely on the outside of the poll, and another transitioning to the Big Sky from the Football Championship Subdivision.
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Next fall's slate is highlighted by the return of Idaho to the Big Sky in football, and to Bobcat Stadium, for the first time since 1995. The Vandals have beaten MSU twice in the interim during UI's time in Division I's FBS. The Bobcats also host rival Eastern Washington, and close the season with the 118th Cat-Griz game.
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The 2018 Bobcats square off with a pair of Missouri Valley teams currently ranked as the 2017 season enters its final week. The Cats open with Western Illinois on Thursday, August 30, in Bobcat Stadium. Montana State last faced the Leathernecks in 1993. A week later, MSU visits South Dakota State to complete a two-game series that began in Bozeman earlier this fall. The Cats round out the non-conference portion of the schedule with an inter-sectional matchup in Bobcat Stadium with Wagner of the Northeast Conference, the first meeting between these teams.
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Montana State opens Big Sky play on September 22 at Portland State before welcoming Eastern Washington to Bobcat Stadium on September 29. After the October 6 open date, Idaho returns to Bozeman looking to snap an two-game MSU home win streak in the series. The Bobcats then head south for two straight weeks, closing October with games at Weber State and Idaho State before opening November with home games against Cal Poly and Northern Colorado.
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The Bobcats also added a long-ago rival to the 2020 schedule. The Bobcats visit Utah on September 12 that year, rekindling an old Rocky Mountain Conference rivalry from the 1930s. The Utes are 10-0 against MSU, winning the most recent meeting 27-10 in 2011.
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2018 MONTANA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
August 30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Western Illinois
September 8Â Â Â Â Â at South Dakota State
September 15Â Â Wagner
September 22Â Â *at Portland State
September 29Â Â *Eastern Washington
October 6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Open
October 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *Idaho
October 20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *at Weber State
October 27Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *at Idaho State
November 3Â Â Â Â Â Â *Cal Poly
November 10Â Â Â *Northern Colorado
November 17Â Â Â *at Montana
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Next fall's slate is highlighted by the return of Idaho to the Big Sky in football, and to Bobcat Stadium, for the first time since 1995. The Vandals have beaten MSU twice in the interim during UI's time in Division I's FBS. The Bobcats also host rival Eastern Washington, and close the season with the 118th Cat-Griz game.
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The 2018 Bobcats square off with a pair of Missouri Valley teams currently ranked as the 2017 season enters its final week. The Cats open with Western Illinois on Thursday, August 30, in Bobcat Stadium. Montana State last faced the Leathernecks in 1993. A week later, MSU visits South Dakota State to complete a two-game series that began in Bozeman earlier this fall. The Cats round out the non-conference portion of the schedule with an inter-sectional matchup in Bobcat Stadium with Wagner of the Northeast Conference, the first meeting between these teams.
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Montana State opens Big Sky play on September 22 at Portland State before welcoming Eastern Washington to Bobcat Stadium on September 29. After the October 6 open date, Idaho returns to Bozeman looking to snap an two-game MSU home win streak in the series. The Bobcats then head south for two straight weeks, closing October with games at Weber State and Idaho State before opening November with home games against Cal Poly and Northern Colorado.
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The Bobcats also added a long-ago rival to the 2020 schedule. The Bobcats visit Utah on September 12 that year, rekindling an old Rocky Mountain Conference rivalry from the 1930s. The Utes are 10-0 against MSU, winning the most recent meeting 27-10 in 2011.
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2018 MONTANA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
August 30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Western Illinois
September 8Â Â Â Â Â at South Dakota State
September 15Â Â Wagner
September 22Â Â *at Portland State
September 29Â Â *Eastern Washington
October 6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Open
October 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *Idaho
October 20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *at Weber State
October 27Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â *at Idaho State
November 3Â Â Â Â Â Â *Cal Poly
November 10Â Â Â *Northern Colorado
November 17Â Â Â *at Montana
Thursday, July 31
Monday, May 19
Wednesday, May 03
Wednesday, May 03
