The key reasons

[tdub]

Most of these are obvious:

1. The severe missed assignment leading to the long run by Miller. Wasn’t a coach’s decision, but was a blown assignment. This might not have been “the” play that changed the game as NDSU was still driving, but this obviously stands out.
2. The 2nd quarter 4th down call. Vigen has preached all year about winning the middle 8. Convert that 4th down and I fully believe the Cats win the game. I think Vigen was probably thinking along those lines and he made a more aggressive decision than he normally would have. I didn’t love the play call, but I’m a great coach after the play has happened.
3. Lance’s long catch: Wow, just an amazing play. Tip o’ the cap.
4. Tommy missing Rohan on the last drive they didn’t score. Missed Ty early in the play, but held the ball 2-3 steps too long. Split decision to run or throw, he made the correct one, but it just took those couple steps too long.
5. Congrats to NDSU for tackling so well. They just did, and it’s that simple.

[BleedingBLue]

To your point about Miller's TD run, don't call an all put blitz ever against mobile QB. Going for it on 4th in the 2nd quarter down just 11 was stupid.

[tdub]

To your point about Miller's TD run, don't call an all put blitz ever against mobile QB. Going for it on 4th in the 2nd quarter down just 11 was stupid.

They didn’t blitz that play. Both backers went out in the flats, leaving the middle wide open.

On Miller’s other long scramble, Eiden got tripped on his line stunt, so his lane he would’ve been in opened up.

There were issues, but blitzing and leaving lanes was not the issue

[MSU01]

We can armchair quarterback Vigen's decision in the second quarter all we want, but ultimately MSU got back to where they needed to be - down 3 with the ball in the 4th quarter with a chance to drive and take the lead. They weren't able to score, NDSU did on their next possession and that was all she wrote. If MSU is down 14-3 instead of 21-3 at half maybe they win, maybe they still lose. But if it had worked out we'd all be hailing Vigen as a genius for being aggressive there.

If I'm mad about anything it's that Ryan King's catch near the goal line on the first drive of the third quarter was not reviewed, as it appeared he may well have crossed the goal line before being down and was definitely a lot closer than the 1 yard line where the ball was spotted. MSU had to run four plays after that to score which ran some time off the clock that would've been awfully helpful to still have available at the end of the game. Entirely possible the call would have stood but I simply don't see how they don't at least review it to be sure that call was right like they did with NDSU's catch near the goal line at the end of the first half.

[onceacat]

Most of these are obvious:

1. The severe missed assignment leading to the long run by Miller. Wasn’t a coach’s decision, but was a blown assignment. This might not have been “the” play that changed the game as NDSU was still driving, but this obviously stands out.
2. The 2nd quarter 4th down call. Vigen has preached all year about winning the middle 8. Convert that 4th down and I fully believe the Cats win the game. I think Vigen was probably thinking along those lines and he made a more aggressive decision than he normally would have. I didn’t love the play call, but I’m a great coach after the play has happened.
3. Lance’s long catch: Wow, just an amazing play. Tip o’ the cap.
4. Tommy missing Rohan on the last drive they didn’t score. Missed Ty early in the play, but held the ball 2-3 steps too long. Split decision to run or throw, he made the correct one, but it just took those couple steps too long.
5. Congrats to NDSU for tackling so well. They just did, and it’s that simple.

NDSU played almost flawless football.

Cam Miller went 19 for 22. Tommy went 13 for 24. That number explains everything offensively...kept the chains moving for NDSU & made the Cats punt & turn over on downs in 1st half.

Cats D was mostly adequate except they blew that coverage on the long run. They mostly made a really good NDSU offense work for their points.

NDSU just overexecuted & the Cats made a bunch of uncharacteristic unforced errors (Rohans drops, Tommy not seeing the field in the 1st half, LBs & DBs vacating the middle third of the field, weird coaching decisions & clock management, etc).

Cats were stacked enough to almost overcome a ton of self inflicted errors...just not QUITE good enough.

Amazing season. Really good championship game.

Start next season 0-0.

[Travelingcat]

I did think Vigen got outcoached in some key respects. And he's been an absolutely terrific coach, but sometimes it happens. In the first half we obviously looked lost. And when we finally got the ball with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter we ran it up the middle twice when that hadn't been working all game. Meanwhile NDSU didn't hesitate to throw downfield when they got the ball back. They were playing to win.

In general,Vigen is a bit stubborn about our "identity" when I think we would have done better airing it out much more. NDSU didn't manhandle us up front (I thought South Dakota's front was tougher) , but they were still bigger and better there and we needed to adjust. Our RBs were 22 carries for 61 yards and a long of six yards. Everything else we did worked reasonably well.

[91catAlum]

Our O line struggled most of the game which was kinda surprising. We couldn't run the ball with our RBs and Tommy was under pressure often.

Their O line, on the other hand, played well. They didn't run it too well outside of Miller but they protected him all day. He was 19 of 23 which tells you he was very comfortable in the pocket all day.

First time this season our offense was shut out in the first quarter. And only 3 points at half. Gotta play better on both sides of the ball.

Ndsu played their best game of the season. This is a team that lost to South Dakota and was a very lucky onside kick away from losing to East Tennessee. They played their best game when it mattered most, and the Cats didn't. That's the bottom line.

[89Cat]

Like most games, this one came down to the trenches. I think NDSU's OL played better than our DL. Miller's stats and the fact that I don't remember him being pressured at all tells that side of the story. The fact that our running backs were stuffed time and time again tells the other side. I also think NDSU did a great job of play-calling. I was at the game but watched the highlights this morning. A few plays prior to Miller's long TD run, on the pass interference call down the left sideline, the Cats left both A gaps uncovered. Our linebacker (couldn't tell who it was) jumped outside on a route and it opened up the inside. I'm sure their coaches saw that. A few plays later they went empty and we left both A gaps uncovered again. All the receivers ran routes to the outside. For us, there was no one home. It was as easy as a TD as you could get. I also think Tommy's miss to Rohan was a key moment. We had the momentum and were only down by three. He had him open (and another receive behind him) but just made a bad throw. I'm sure if Tommy had one play he'd like to take back, it was that one. As we all know, games don't come down to one play but it sure feels like that sometimes.

[Monymony]

Toughest thing is if we go and get 7 at the end of half we are down 14–10 and would’ve just played an awful first half. Hard to not think we win if that happens.

[BelligerentBobcat]

On the long Miller run, they got into a formation where they knew our backers would be in man and follow their assignments. It was smart by NDSU, very bad by MSU. Daly has to know you cannot do that against a team like NDSU with a running QB. That play, and going for it on 4th before the end of the half are the main reasons we lost. Two coaching mistakes, but they were big ones.

[TomCat88]

Agree with 89 and 91 here. MSU didn’t get it done inside. Simple as that. The rules kind of change a little bit in the playoffs. Maybe ndsu is more savvy. I can’t explain why they would have the edge there in this game. The most glaring example is how much time Miller had vs Mellott. The other bizarre thing is miller was 5-13 for 65 yards and 15 carries for 15 yards last year in Bozeman, then 19-22 passing and >100 rushing last night. Wtf?

[wbtfg]

On the long Miller run, they got into a formation where they knew our backers would be in man and follow their assignments. It was smart by NDSU, very bad by MSU. Daly has to know you cannot do that against a team like NDSU with a running QB. That play, and going for it on 4th before the end of the half are the main reasons we lost. Two coaching mistakes, but they were big ones.

Agree with most of this. Are we sure though that the qb was unaccounted for and there wasn’t a missed assignment? Looked like we had 2 guys race to the flat.

[Cledus]

On the long Miller run, they got into a formation where they knew our backers would be in man and follow their assignments. It was smart by NDSU, very bad by MSU. Daly has to know you cannot do that against a team like NDSU with a running QB. That play, and going for it on 4th before the end of the half are the main reasons we lost. Two coaching mistakes, but they were big ones.

Agree with most of this. Are we sure though that the qb was unaccounted for and there wasn’t a missed assignment? Looked like we had 2 guys race to the flat.

That was the bait. They set a trap they knew we couldn't resist.

[wbtfg]

On the long Miller run, they got into a formation where they knew our backers would be in man and follow their assignments. It was smart by NDSU, very bad by MSU. Daly has to know you cannot do that against a team like NDSU with a running QB. That play, and going for it on 4th before the end of the half are the main reasons we lost. Two coaching mistakes, but they were big ones.

Agree with most of this. Are we sure though that the qb was unaccounted for and there wasn’t a missed assignment? Looked like we had 2 guys race to the flat.

That was the bait. They set a trap they knew we couldn't resist.

Very well could have been. My question is was it a play call error or an execution error.

[Cledus]

On the long Miller run, they got into a formation where they knew our backers would be in man and follow their assignments. It was smart by NDSU, very bad by MSU. Daly has to know you cannot do that against a team like NDSU with a running QB. That play, and going for it on 4th before the end of the half are the main reasons we lost. Two coaching mistakes, but they were big ones.

Agree with most of this. Are we sure though that the qb was unaccounted for and there wasn’t a missed assignment? Looked like we had 2 guys race to the flat.

That was the bait. They set a trap they knew we couldn't resist.

Very well could have been. My question is it was a play call error or an execution error.

Seems like it could be either, or both. I really don't know. That was my hot take.