The Bobcat Nation

Averaged about 9,000 fans per game at home.
Normal, Illinois is only about a 6-7 hour drive from Nashville.

Averaged 5.6 yards per play in playoffs. 5.6 overall. (MSU 6.7/6.8')
Allowed 5.7 yards per play in playoffs. 5.6 overall. (MSU 4.9/4.8')

30.6 points per game (season) (MSU 38.1)
25.1 points allowed per game (season) (MSU 18.0)

4.6 yards per carry (season) (MSU 5.8')
3.9 yards allowed per carry (season) (MSU 3.8')

141.4 pass offense efficiency rating (season) (MSU 166.4)
131.4 pass defense efficiency rating (season) (MSU 114.7)

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:03 am

Averaged about 9,000 fans per game at home.
Normal, Illinois is only about a 6-7 hour drive from Nashville.

Averaged 5.6 yards per play in playoffs. 5.6 overall. (MSU 6.7/6.8')
Allowed 5.7 yards per play in playoffs. 5.6 overall. (MSU 4.9/4.8')

30.6 points per game (season) (MSU 38.1)
25.1 points allowed per game (season) (MSU 18.0)

4.6 yards per carry (season) (MSU 5.8')
3.9 yards allowed per carry (season) (MSU 3.8')

141.4 pass offense efficiency rating (season) (MSU 166.4)
131.4 pass defense efficiency rating (season) (MSU 114.7)

I was less surprised about their wins agains SLA and ‘Nova, but I rewatched their comeback against NDSU and I still don’t know how they won. All credit to ISU, but with 5 picks, if NDSU could have sustained any drives on offense they would have won. Also a bit surprised they opened up a lead @UCDavis before Davis got back in it a bit. Hell of a run they’re on!

I talked to the NDSU starting left tackle last night for about 30 minutes. I asked him about the ISU defense. He said they have very good LB's and when I asked about the D-line he said they were OK but very good at occupying o-linemen so the LB's could make plays.

Very impressive schedule and results if nothing else:
Oklahoma - Mateer played the entire game - couldn't run on ISU at 32-103
NDSU - ISU down 2 at the end of 3rd quarter - regular season
Beat USD, SDSU, NDSU, Cal- Davis this season

On paper alone sounds like a great matchup.

Go Cats!

Illinois State might have had the most up and down season I've seen. In non-conference play they were a missed extra point away from losing at home to a North Alabama team that ended up going 2-10. Then in their regular season finale they lose 37-7 at home to Southern Illinois, who didn't make the playoffs at 7-5. Now they're all of a sudden looking great after NDSU handed them that second round game. To my eye they've been playing around as well as SFA and the Griz were in the playoffs which gives me a lot of confidence that MSU is rightfully the favorite to win by a decent margin. They can absolutely pull off another upset though.

MSU01 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 11:10 am

Illinois State might have had the most up and down season I've seen. In non-conference play they were a missed extra point away from losing at home to a North Alabama team that ended up going 2-10. Then in their regular season finale they lose 37-7 at home to Southern Illinois, who didn't make the playoffs at 7-5. Now they're all of a sudden looking great after NDSU handed them that second round game. To my eye they've been playing around as well as SFA and the Griz were in the playoffs which gives me a lot of confidence that MSU is rightfully the favorite to win by a decent margin. They can absolutely pull off another upset though.

I hope we don't get that ref crew. Start of the game had some PI no calls that were blatantly missed and a PI on an uncatchable ball.

ISU is going to be a handfull. Their running back, receiver, and linebackers are very good. i watched the uc davis game and was impressed with them.

If the Cats go into the game thinking it's already won and they are showing up for a trophy, we could be in trouble. If the Cats get distracted by what comes after the NC, we could be in trouble. If the Cats get 5 ints and a punt return td but only score 28 on 180ish total yards, we could be in trouble.

If the Cats play like they are capable, we win. If the Cats show up, ready to take care of business, we win. If the Redbirds run out of juice after their long playoff run, we win. If that 103rd ranked pass defense shows up and lets us wear them out through the air just in time for Jones and Davis to take over, we win.

I was going to say this game reminds me of the SDSU semifinal back in 2021. SDSU lost some close games and came into the playoffs unseeded and had to win two road games just to get to MSU. However, SDSU was the No. 1 rated offense in the MVFC that year. Led the league in scoring, yards per play and just 1.0 behind NDSU in pass O efficiency. They were also the No. 3-4 defense in the league.

ISU has been all over the map figuratively, and literally lately, to get to the title game. They're on a roll for sure. Making plays when they need to make plays, which is the No. 1 stat in all sports.

MTmadeCat wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:44 am

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:03 am

Averaged about 9,000 fans per game at home.
Normal, Illinois is only about a 6-7 hour drive from Nashville.

Averaged 5.6 yards per play in playoffs. 5.6 overall. (MSU 6.7/6.8')
Allowed 5.7 yards per play in playoffs. 5.6 overall. (MSU 4.9/4.8')

30.6 points per game (season) (MSU 38.1)
25.1 points allowed per game (season) (MSU 18.0)

4.6 yards per carry (season) (MSU 5.8')
3.9 yards allowed per carry (season) (MSU 3.8')

141.4 pass offense efficiency rating (season) (MSU 166.4)
131.4 pass defense efficiency rating (season) (MSU 114.7)

I was less surprised about their wins agains SLA and ‘Nova, but I rewatched their comeback against NDSU and I still don’t know how they won. All credit to ISU, but with 5 picks, if NDSU could have sustained any drives on offense they would have won. Also a bit surprised they opened up a lead @UCDavis before Davis got back in it a bit. Hell of a run they’re on!

Davis was hanging and moving the ball ok until the turnover bug hit.

hokeyfine wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 11:16 am

ISU is going to be a handfull. Their running back, receiver, and linebackers are very good. i watched the uc davis game and was impressed with them.

They LOOOOVE the 50/50 long ball. Like that’s about 60% of their offense. As for the Davis game, I felt like UCD was just out of gas. Their lack of depth and Pinick’s youth caught up to them all at once. That was not the same team that came to Bozeman. No knocks against ISU as they have a stud back that reminds me of Yale’s Pitsenberger as well as a WR that will make you pay. As somebody said previously, they are similar to UM and SFA.

Statistically we have a big edge. Their win at NDSU obviously is impressive. I still can't comprehend how the Bizuns let that happen while picking off 5 passes. Wonder if Payton was more hurt than they ever let on, even after the game. From there I think this run was a fortunate schedule. A shorthanded Davis team with nobody in the crowd, and a Villanova team that has no speed or offensive capabilities because their QB was not very good. We will need to be sound on defense in our run fit, and the receiver Sobkowicz (sp?) is very good. Rittenhouse is good but turnover-prone. I'm certain they'll get their yards and points but I don't think they will be able to stop us on offense. I didn't think montana could get to 28 on us at home. I don't think this team can at a neutral site. I think we'll win something like 41-24.

Been watching their playoff games. Sobkowicz is an absolute stud and we don't have Kyon Loud. We are screwed.

So they were #6 preseason, did they just take awhile to gel? Obviously had some high hopes going into the year

thisnamesucks wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 6:14 pm

So they were #6 preseason, did they just take awhile to gel? Obviously had some high hopes going into the year

They're just an inconsistent team. They lost at home to Southern Iliinois 37-7 to end the season. They are a good team that got hot and had a good draw post NDSU.

They remind me of the 2021 Cats in a lot of ways.

The stud RB, Dawson, only had 25 yds in their loss to SIU. Makes you wonder if he was sick or something.

Bocephus wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 7:09 pm

The stud RB, Dawson, only had 25 yds in their loss to SIU. Makes you wonder if he was sick or something.

Had trouble finding rushing defense stat for SIU. They were at 111th and PSU was 126th.

Playing in the natty last year will keep everyone grounded...losing by 3 last year really irked the young men, so I don't see them squandering this moment. I think that is the piece not enough people are factoring in. Almost everyone on the team was in frisco last year. They were good enough to win, and they know it. I see them coming out super focused and ensuring we get the win.

BobcatBuiltTexan wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 23, 2025 7:31 pm

Playing in the natty last year will keep everyone grounded...losing by 3 last year really irked the young men, so I don't see them squandering this moment. I think that is the piece not enough people are factoring in. Almost everyone on the team was in frisco last year. They were good enough to win, and they know it. I see them coming out super focused and ensuring we get the win.