Wow what a game. I'll definitely tip my hat to the Ags. That was the best team the cats have played this year, especially their run defense. Very impressive effort. Mad respect for that team. I'll be rooting for the Ags from now on. So glad they took care of the griz in Missoula.

I would say that you gave the Ags more trouble than our loss to Cal.

So, when do tickets go on sale for our first playoff game? I made my cousin's son a fan tonight and he has 12/7 on his calender.

Got home and caught the post game show on tv. That crew was definitely montana biased. They were only interviewed cat players, no Aggies. And sadly, the cat players, especially #41, said they “ let” the aggies back into the game. No consideration for the Ags. Cats360, you’re a cool dude and call it straight up. Come back anytime.

Ok, I believe. We are good, boys. We are good.

If you had told me before the 2018 playoffs that UCD won the National Title, I would have laughed in your face and I wouldn't have believed you. Not to say that team wasn't good, but I think our peak that year was QF or maybe the SF (though I would have liked our chances hosting Maine had we pulled the EWU game out).

This year feels different. Obviously odds are we're not going to win the title or even make the title game because of how good the Dakota St's/Montana St are, but we're right there. Pulled out the Idaho game at home (backup QB I think but whatever). Demolished Poly then won at EWU (even MSU only won there by 14). Beat Montana on the road by 16 when Montana hasn't lost by 16 at home in decades outside of 2018 when we also did it. Then go toe to toe with MSU. Yes they were better but I think we showed we belonged. Would it be the craziest thing if pull the 4 seed, win the R16 game, beat South Dakota at home and we're in the semis? I don't think so. And if you're in the semis, you're right there.

Man I'm pumped. I don't want to look past this season because this is a lot of fun. But next year will be telling. If Plough can put together a playoff caliber team next year, even if it's a road game in the first round, having to replace the QB and star RB, we could have something special on our hands.

The bit I watched of the MSU coach interview, he seemed much more measured. Talked about his team not always doing what they needed to do but credited our team for taking advantage. I'd put much more stock in that than what a college student would say. In reality, it's both. They let us back in the game but we took advantage. Sure, they didn't move the ball as well on offense late to kill the game off. Okay, we had the one big play on the second 4th quarter TD drive and we recovered the onside kick (this one admittedly fluky), but we also went 9 plays 81 yards and 6 plays 51 yards for a pair of TDs. Like the coach said, they gave us the opening and we took full advantage of it.

Won't be until after the selection show since we might have to win next week to secure a bye. We'll be at home but they're not going to sell tickets until they know when the game will be since if we don't get a bye, the second game (if we win the first) will be on the road. As opposed to MSU who will get a bye regardless of their result next week.

As tremendous and exciting as the Aggies comeback on offense was, let us not forget the defense and special teams. After giving up that touchdown drive t open the second half, the D forced Montana State to punt on all their remaining possessions and special teams made that great onside kick to give us a chance.

Miles was sick per the post game interview

We kept the Bobcats to their lowest scoring all season including vs FBS New Mexico (who btw just beat #18 WSU). I do think against elite defenses we'll need to buy Miles more time, and probably obvious, but we need to minimize turnovers

imo we're ranked correctly as a top 4-5 team. Really excited for the Causeway and can hopefully lock down a 4 seed.

Just getting back from the game. Packed house. Had the pleasure of being behind a boisterous but friendly Montana State fan waiting for Woodstock's and a beer. Outside of the Montana's he said this was the best stadium/atmosphere in the Big Sky by far.

We can nitpick things like the fact I could have a full conversation for 15 minutes waiting for food but the gameday atmosphere was special tonight and more importantly the product on the field was special. Incredibly proud of the fight the team showed to comeback.

While such a close loss is disappointing, I'm actually incredibly encouraged about our prospects going into the playoffs. The Cats have been a JUGGERNAUT all season and the Ags have been the closest thing to shutting them the hell down. Their vaunted rushing attack held to 159 yards, their best offense in the country held to 333 yards, held them to their lowest point total of the season, and we dropped over 400 yards on their top rated Big Sky defense.

If only we hadn't allowed a punt return TD...

I think think this result will not impact our standing in the polls in any significant manner which is good. A win against Sac State and we should get at least 1 home playoff game. Here's to a deep run, boys!

It's comforting to know that both these teams will be in the playoffs, and both will likely be Top 8 seeds. The Big Sky is going to be a tough match up vs. the field.

As for Davis' performance, aside from the solid first scoring drive and the late flurry of points, you have to be honest and say the Aggies coughed it up in bad spots, did not protect the quarterback (like, at all), and had a very bad special teams lapse. Whatever they pull off that tape, they need to recollect themselves, correct their deficiencies and win this last game before the final playoff selections take place.

Very impressed with the traveling Bobcat fan crowd, they were loud and supportive. Talked to the police, they said they were having no crowd issues whatsoever which was great to hear as well...now, the game next week at Sac State High...

if I recall from 2018, they hit up the season ticket holders on the Monday after the selection show. Tickets to general public followed very soon. For what it’s worth, our bid for hosting requested 1:00 kickoffs but I don’t know how much importance that has. If we beat sac, we’ll get a bye - look back at 2018 when we got a bye after getting trounced at EWU.

Maybe we can play the causeway in Reno again! Still remember me and Finn successfully convincing the Silver Legacy sports book to turn in the selection show!

Made it to the game with a couple other guys and our four young daughters (5 and under!). The girls did well for the most part but were delirious by the end and wouldn't have made it to overtime (I woulda tried). Now that I have kids, I see why the berms in the endzones make our stadium special.

Nice crowd, lots of non-football things to see and do, and long lines at concessions but hey, everything was open and so it felt like a real operation. I'll say the Cats are proper football fans and know how to make noise--louder than the Aggie Pack and definitely louder than the alumni section. They even made sure to chant GO CATS GO very loudly during all of the Aggie Pack cheers and giveaways.

Hate to see them lose, don't like moral victories, but the Aggies showed they deserve their ranking.

Not sure if I had a cigar going or not, but I probably went and found one after!

Yeah, 2018 was a special season, a special time to be in Reno and watch Davis win it...was unfortunate with all the fires that were going on that the valley couldn't even host the game, but it got played, as it should be.

This year's team could be even better - but they'll have to prove it. Ags need to close!

Football players are schooled to always blame the other teams success on their errors.
Remember the grief given to the Stanford player who said Davis was a good team?
The coach established a rule that they were not to talk about again.

I hope the team can take away some valuable lessons from this game, not the least of which is that they are capable of coming back from adversity. I do not know enough about strategy to tell if the second half success was due to changes that the coaching staff made and/or changes in the approaches the players took against a powerful opponent, but whatever they were could be very useful in the playoffs. They aren't likely to face a better team for at least two games in.

Wanted to make a little write up from after the game as a student sitting in the student section. Got there about 4:10 and they still had some of the 400-500 bandanas they were giving out to students. Grabbed those and wrapped them around our necks before heading to the Aggie Pack section. The stadium staff were standing at the bottom and tops of the rows handing out noise makers which was pretty great. The cowbells lined the seats too, which seemed to be a fan favorite, with a few folks around me conglomerating their 1 cow bell with 7 others that their friends had picked up to make a mega-cow bell, it was pretty funny. Noticed the center section took no time at all to fill up, with the edges slowly getting creeped by the oozing of Montana State fans and their frankly impressive levels of fan merchandise.

We had Batman, a group of frat members, and a guy covered completely in Aggie face paint rocking the crowd. By the end of the first quarter it had filled in pretty well, but it seemed obvious to me that most of the students didn’t follow Aggie Football much outside of knowing Lan Larison (someone had a custom I love lan t shirt) and Cori the punt dog. Highlights from the first half of the game in the students section was the reaction to our first touchdown (such a beautiful drive), and the fans trying to figure out how to distract the Montana State qb, while seemingly thinking his last name was “melon” haha. As the Bobcats started to take the lead, in the end of the first half, and continue it through the 3rd, I was really happy to see so many students stay. This team definitely has grit, and the fans seemed to believe that we could do something to come back (thanks to Coombs defense keeping us in it). Yeah we had some people screaming at Miles, and simply in awe of the punt return from Montana, but the fans seemed generally positive the whole time.

Some things I was not as stoked about was our fans chanting “f*ck Montana” for a considerable amount of the game, while we were down 20+…. we just looked embarrassing. Almost as embarrassing though was the Montana State players chirping back, and their coaches constantly having to tell a few of them to dial it down. It was just a ridiculous scene for a few minutes there after they went up 22 or whatever it was. Banter is good, but it’s just goofy at a certain point. By the 4th quarter I was blown away with how many students stayed, it made me so happy to see, especially considering the amount of crop tops and t shirts people were wearing around me as it got into the mid 40s out. Obviously the onside kick was electric, and our final drive was as well, but that 2 point conversion at the end that ultimately went sour, definitely deflated everyone (as expected).

I will say, it seemed to me they most students were wayyyy more into the game when they had something to shake or bang around to make noise instead of yelling when we only could have so many students in that section. I also think most students left the game impressed with the Aggies fight, which would be a great change in the students collective psyche to stay after halftime knowing we could come back…. If only we did! Either way, an amazing game out at UC Davis Health Stadium. Hoping we can rally the troops for a home playoff game if one comes our way, because this team definitely could have won that game, and I think our fans and students especially, should be enjoying this Sunday morning thinking about the future of Aggie Football.

Thanks for the write up, Jdur. I was happy to see that most of the students stayed throughout the game also. That's a big change from what we usually see. We really need to build a great, student fan base.

Please use a couple of paragraph breaks though so your post would be easier to read for the rest of us. You can still edit it and break it into more reader friendly paragraphs.

About the comeback. No doubt that the aggies showed heart. I also think this was a bit of MS getting too confident and switching to a time wasting offense more than what they normally do. Needless to say, we didn’t think it was over and almost showed them

done :)

So, I hope MIles is in bed and on a steady stream of vitamins and fluids to help whatever illness he's fighting.

All I can say is that I think UC Davis should keep their #4 ranking. Definitely a top 4 team.

I sure hope the bobcats don't have to play those guys again in the playoffs. I don't think anyone is going to want to draw them at this point of the season. Good luck in the causeway.

I believe last night was the first time in Aggie Stadium history we ran out of beer at the concession stands. That was the word on the east side among cat fans when we took our halftime stroll.

Fortunately, we still had beer in the alumni room (Edwards room).

Montana folks drink a lot of beer

We probably should. Our losses are equivalent to those of South Dakota (both lost to an FBS team and a top-3 FCS team by 3 or less, though their loss was on the road). But they haven’t beaten anyone. Best win is either a 7-2 Drake or a 5-6 North Dakota. We’ve got 2 wins much better than that and we won at Southern Utah who is 6-5.

We’ve done our job to prove we’re #4. They get their shot next week.

So great to hear a student write up! Excellent coverage and I'd love to hear your reports for a playoff game.