The Bobcat Nation

As expected by most: NDSU, UM, MSU are 1-3 today's Stats poll. I don't envy the voters with having to decide on 4-25 this week.

This is about what I expected, congrats to Presbyterian on making the Top 25. "Blue Hose" is a fantastic nickname.

I'm surprised Davis (5 spots) fell further than SDSU (4). The Jacks' loss was much worse. I suppose you can blame their loss on having some extremely important players out but they also lost to a much worse team.

coloradocat wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:24 am

I'm surprised Davis (5 spots) fell further than SDSU (4). The Jacks' loss was much worse. I suppose you can blame their loss on having some extremely important players out but they also lost to a much worse team.

I was also surprised on that. SDSU was on their third string QB by the end of that game along with being down a lot of other critical positions, but Indiana State is pretty bad so to lose by two scores at home to them seems like it would warrant a bigger drop compared to Davis losing by 2 at home to Idaho State.

Weird weekend.

Here are the totals, including the points

https://theanalyst.com/articles/stats-p ... 025-season

coachouert wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:29 am

coloradocat wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:24 am

I'm surprised Davis (5 spots) fell further than SDSU (4). The Jacks' loss was much worse. I suppose you can blame their loss on having some extremely important players out but they also lost to a much worse team.

I was also surprised on that. SDSU was on their third string QB by the end of that game along with being down a lot of other critical positions, but Indiana State is pretty bad so to lose by two scores at home to them seems like it would warrant a bigger drop compared to Davis losing by 2 at home to Idaho State.

Weird weekend.

Indiana State might be improving as the year goes on. They lost 136-20 to Indiana and UM in consecutive games. They kept losing but seem to be playing a little better.

I think we can easily beat any team on this list if we play at home with the exception of NDSU.

I would love to see us at 2 and Harvard at 7 for the playoffs. It would be awesome to have Harvard come to Bozeman for the playoffs!

Long Time Cat wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:49 am

I would love to see us at 2 and Harvard at 7 for the playoffs. It would be awesome to have Harvard come to Bozeman for the playoffs!

Does Ivy League participate in the playoffs now?

wbtfg wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:57 am

Long Time Cat wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:49 am

I would love to see us at 2 and Harvard at 7 for the playoffs. It would be awesome to have Harvard come to Bozeman for the playoffs!

Does Ivy League participate in the playoffs now?

This is their first year.

Coaches Poll

https://herosports.com/fcs-football-ran ... h%20Dakota

AFCA Coaches Poll (1st place votes)

1. North Dakota State (25)
2. Montana
3. Montana State
4. Lehigh
5. Tennessee Tech
6. Monmouth
7. Tarleton State
8. Villanova
9. South Dakota State
10t. Mercer
10t. Rhode Island
12. UC Davis
13. Harvard
14. Southeastern Louisiana
15. North Dakota
16. Southern Illinois
17. Illinois State
18. Lamar
19. Jackson State
20. Abilene Christian
21. Stephen F. Austin
22. Youngstown State
23. Presbyterian
24. Western Carolina
25. South Dakota

Ideal scenario:

Cats win out, and win Cat/gris by a couple scores, enough to drop the gris to 4 or 5, rather than 3. Cats wrap up the #2 seed.

NDSU wins out wraps up the #1 seed.

gris drop to #4 or #5.

gris have to go on the road to Fargo. If they pull off the upset, we get the chance to have the most epic Cat/gris ever. And what would be a rematch against a team that the Cats would have just beat in their own house.

If it goes as expected, we go get a shot at NDSU once again, but it’s not in Fargo or Frisco.

There are two places I’d really rather not play in the playoffs, Fargo and Missoula. This would avoid both of them.

What a lot of people were thinking might be a 4, possibly 5 team race may just be a 3 team race. The #2 seed might be the ideal spot to let the other two contenders meet before Nashville.

If SDSU get Mason, Loughridge and O'Grosuke and some of their D back, they could be road warriors in the playoffs, similar to 2021

AGS Poll:

11/3/2025
This Weeks Published Output
Rank Team: Total Points First Place Votes
1 North Dakota State Bison 1100 44
2 Montana State Bobcats 1036
3 Montana Grizzlies 1029
4 Lehigh Mountain Hawks 907
5 Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 880
6 Tarleton State Texans 844
7 Monmouth Hawks 812
8 Harvard Crimson 768
9 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 666
10 Mercer Bears 660
11T UC Davis Aggies 599
11T North Dakota Fighting Hawks 599
13 Villanova Wildcats 593
14 Rhode Island Rams 500
15 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 494
16 Southern Illinois Salukis 465
17 Southeastern Louisiana Lions 415
18 Illinois State Redbirds 347
19 Youngstown State Penguins 287
20 Abilene Christian Wildcats 280
21 Western Carolina Catamounts 270
22 Lamar Cardinals 209
23 South Dakota Coyotes 194
24 Presbyterian Blue Hose 140
25 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 34
ORV:
26 West Georgia Wolves 33
27 Jackson State Tigers 29
28 Lafayette Leopards 22
29 Yale Bulldogs 18
30T Austin Peay Governors 17
30T New Hampshire Wildcats 17
32 William & Mary Tribe 14
33 Dartmouth Big Green 8
34 Delaware State Hornets 6
35 Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs 5
36 Sac State Hornets 2
37 Alabama State Hornets 1

It's hard to imagine Lehigh, Tn Tech, Monmouth, etc coming to Bozeman, Missoula or Fargo without crapping the bed. The danger in this playoff is is an unfortunate draw against SDSU after they get the QB back, UND, or either of the Illinois schools. There could be some landmines out there in the early rounds.

ClowderUp wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 12:08 pm

It's hard to imagine Lehigh, Tn Tech, Monmouth, etc coming to Bozeman, Missoula or Fargo without crapping the bed. The danger in this playoff is is an unfortunate draw against SDSU after they get the QB back, UND, or either of the Illinois schools. There could be some landmines out there in the early rounds.

There is gonna be some weird second round matchups. Teams like UND, Davis, and heck maybe even SDSU are going to be at places like Tenn Tech or Monmouth. Remember the regional thing is mostly gone and they seed the top 16.

And yes there is a chance that the Cats second round matchup is more scary than the qtr would be just like '23. All the more reason to just get the 2 seed because you would be matched up with the winner of the 15 seed vs whoever.

Catsrgrood wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 11:32 am

Ideal scenario:

Cats win out, and win Cat/gris by a couple scores, enough to drop the gris to 4 or 5, rather than 3. Cats wrap up the #2 seed.

NDSU wins out wraps up the #1 seed.

gris drop to #4 or #5.

gris have to go on the road to Fargo. If they pull off the upset, we get the chance to have the most epic Cat/gris ever. And what would be a rematch against a team that the Cats would have just beat in their own house.

If it goes as expected, we go get a shot at NDSU once again, but it’s not in Fargo or Frisco.

There are two places I’d really rather not play in the playoffs, Fargo and Missoula. This would avoid both of them.

What a lot of people were thinking might be a 4, possibly 5 team race may just be a 3 team race. The #2 seed might be the ideal spot to let the other two contenders meet before Nashville.

IF Tarleton wins out, they will be 11-1 with an FBS win and 10 FCS wins, and an FCS loss on the road to a likely top 20 team
IF the gris lose the Brawl they'll be 11-1 with no FBS wins and only 9 FCS wins (remember they played a DII school) and a loss at home to a top 5 FCS school.
IF we lose the Brawl we'll be 9-3 with an FBS loss to a top 5 FBS team and a OT FCS loss to SDSU at home(who will have at least 2 if not more losses)
Even IF Tarleton wins out, the winner of the Brawl will be ranked above them. However, the loser of the Brawl I think will be #4 or lower, below Tarleton, especially if we lose the Brawl.
I could also see an 11-1 Tarleton with an FBS win along with 10 FCS wins and a close loss to an FCS top 20 on the road, would be ranked above an 11-1 (10-1 FCS) um with a loss at home. It could depend on how bad we beat them.
IF we were ranked #2 and the gris got the #3 seed, I would relish them having to come to Bozeman 4 weeks after we beat them at wa-gris.

ClowderUp wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 12:08 pm

It's hard to imagine Lehigh, Tn Tech, Monmouth, etc coming to Bozeman, Missoula or Fargo without crapping the bed. The danger in this playoff is is an unfortunate draw against SDSU after they get the QB back, UND, or either of the Illinois schools. There could be some landmines out there in the early rounds.

They said the same about that Carolina team that went to Missoula a few years ago that couldn’t play in the cold weather

The MICKSTER wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 12:49 pm

Catsrgrood wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 11:32 am

Ideal scenario:

Cats win out, and win Cat/gris by a couple scores, enough to drop the gris to 4 or 5, rather than 3. Cats wrap up the #2 seed.

NDSU wins out wraps up the #1 seed.

gris drop to #4 or #5.

gris have to go on the road to Fargo. If they pull off the upset, we get the chance to have the most epic Cat/gris ever. And what would be a rematch against a team that the Cats would have just beat in their own house.

If it goes as expected, we go get a shot at NDSU once again, but it’s not in Fargo or Frisco.

There are two places I’d really rather not play in the playoffs, Fargo and Missoula. This would avoid both of them.

What a lot of people were thinking might be a 4, possibly 5 team race may just be a 3 team race. The #2 seed might be the ideal spot to let the other two contenders meet before Nashville.

IF Tarleton wins out, they will be 11-1 with an FBS win and 10 FCS wins, and an FCS loss on the road to a likely top 20 team
IF the gris lose the Brawl they'll be 11-1 with no FBS wins and only 9 FCS wins (remember they played a DII school) and a loss at home to a top 5 FCS school.
IF we lose the Brawl we'll be 9-3 with an FBS loss to a top 5 FBS team and a OT FCS loss to SDSU at home(who will have at least 2 if not more losses)
Even IF Tarleton wins out, the winner of the Brawl will be ranked above them. However, the loser of the Brawl I think will be #4 or lower, below Tarleton, especially if we lose the Brawl.
I could also see an 11-1 Tarleton with an FBS win along with 10 FCS wins and a close loss to an FCS top 20 on the road, would be ranked above an 11-1 (10-1 FCS) um with a loss at home. It could depend on how bad we beat them.
IF we were ranked #2 and the gris got the #3 seed, I would relish them having to come to Bozeman 4 weeks after we beat them at wa-gris.

That’s what I’m saying.

If the Cats win by a walk off FG, I could see the Cats and gris just flip flopping in the standings. We’d still get #2 and they’d likely get #3 even with Tarleton winning out.

If the Cats can win by a couple scores, and Tarleton wins out, gris would likely drop down to #4 and Tarleton would get the #3.

The problem is if we lose and Tarleton wins out. We’d get at best the #4, maybe even the #5, putting us on a collision course with NDSU in Fargo.

Cat/gris is absolutely huge this year. Not just for the home field advantage up until Nashville, but also the chance to avoid the other main contender until Nashville.

Catsrgrood wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 11:32 am

Ideal scenario:

Cats win out, and win Cat/gris by a couple scores, enough to drop the gris to 4 or 5, rather than 3. Cats wrap up the #2 seed.

NDSU wins out wraps up the #1 seed.

gris drop to #4 or #5.

gris have to go on the road to Fargo. If they pull off the upset, we get the chance to have the most epic Cat/gris ever. And what would be a rematch against a team that the Cats would have just beat in their own house.

If it goes as expected, we go get a shot at NDSU once again, but it’s not in Fargo or Frisco.

There are two places I’d really rather not play in the playoffs, Fargo and Missoula. This would avoid both of them.

What a lot of people were thinking might be a 4, possibly 5 team race may just be a 3 team race. The #2 seed might be the ideal spot to let the other two contenders meet before Nashville.

I can't argue with this. But I hate looking ahead knowing we have the trap game with Davis right before the Brawl.