Montana State Bobcats Pull Off Stunning Upset Over New Mexico Lobos in Week 0 Matchup

In a thrilling Week 0 matchup, the Montana State Bobcats, ranked No. 4 in the FCS, traveled to Albuquerque to take on the New Mexico Lobos, an FBS opponent. Despite being a 13.5-point underdog, the Bobcats made the oddsmakers look smart by securing a 35-31 victory.

Quarterback Tommy Mellott led the charge for Montana State, completing 21 of 32 passes for 205 yards. However, it was the Bobcats’ dominant running game that proved to be the difference-maker. Adam Jones rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown, while Scottre Humphrey added 140 yards and a score.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Lobos taking a 31-14 lead in the fourth quarter. But the Bobcats refused to give up, scoring 21 unanswered points to take the lead. The winning score came when Humphrey ran four yards for a touchdown with just 10 seconds remaining.

Montana State coach Brent Vigen earned his first win over an FBS program with the victory, which marked the Bobcats’ eighth win of the season. The team begins the campaign ranked No. 4 in the FCS.

For New Mexico coach Bronco Mendenhall, the loss was a tough pill to swallow. Despite the setback, the Lobos did score two defensive touchdowns, which may provide some encouragement for the veteran coach.

Next week, Montana State travels to Utah Tech, which went 2-9 in the United Athletic Conference last year. New Mexico, meanwhile, heads to No. 21 Arizona for a Week 1 matchup with the Wildcats, who finished the 2023 season with a 10-3 record.