1984 Montana State Bobcats football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1984 Montana State Bobcats football Big Sky Conference Big Sky 12–2 6–1 Dave Arnold 2nd Bill Diedrick 1st Steve Carson 1st Reno H. Sales Stadium NCAA Division I-AA championBig Sky champion NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game W 19–6 vs. Louisiana Tech 2 The 1984 Montana State Bobcats football team represented the Montana State University (MSU) in the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The team was led by Dave Arnold in his second season as a head coach. The Bobcats played their home games at Reno H. Sales Stadium. After going 1–10 the previous season and finishing last in the Big Sky, the Bobcats had one of the biggest turnarounds in all of college football in 1984, finishing the regular season with an overall record of 9–2, including a 35–31 win over Division I-A Fresno State, and won the Big Sky title. The Bobcats received a bid to the Division I-AA playoffs, defeating Arkansas State and Rhode Island en route to the I-AA Championship Game. In the championship game, Montana State defeated Louisiana Tech 19–6 for the program's first I-AA national title, and first national title since the 1976 team won the NCAA Division II national championship.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kSFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6476%2C5442864 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Dennehy leads Montana State's bowl win December 12, 1976 D1 This would be the Bobcats' last national championship win until 2025.ESPN https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47522008/montana-state-tops-illinois-state-wild-fcs-title-game Montana State tops Illinois State in wild FCS title game January 5, 2026 January 8, 2026 Schedule 1984 NCAA Division I-AA NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Mountain September 8 w y 1984 Mesa State Mavericks Mesa State Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 30–14 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-mavericks-run-afoul-o/158789760/ The Daily Sentinel Mavericks run afoul of a feisty Bobcat September 9, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com September 15 l y y Eastern Washington Joe Albi Stadium Spokane, WA 16–21 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tri-city-herald-eastern-washington-wins/158789907/ Tri-City Herald Eastern Washington wins 7th straight September 16, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com September 22 w y Idaho Kibbie Dome Moscow, ID 34–28 11,600 https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-bobcats-shock-idaho/158789965/ Great Falls Tribune Bobcats shock Idaho September 23, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com September 29 l Idaho State 18 Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 6–22 11,117 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-news-isu-defense-slams-shut-on/158779789/ The Times-News ISU defense slams shut on Bobcats September 30, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com October 6 w y Weber State Wildcat Stadium Ogden, UT 48–0 9,680 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-cats-whitewash-weber-48/158788692/ The Missoulian Cats whitewash Weber, 48–0 October 7, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com October 13 w Nevada Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 44–41 4OT 6,317 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YoRfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3jAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6038%2C4366639 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Montana State goes 4 OT's to stop UNR October 14, 1984 3D October 20 w y y 1984 Portland State Vikings Portland State Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 45–22 10,797 https://www.newspapers.com/article/corvallis-gazette-times-psu-crushed-452/158790073/ Corvallis Gazette-Times PSU crushed 45–22 October 21, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com October 27 w Boise State 8 Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 22–18 8,387 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montana-standard-bobcats-nip-boise/158790159/ The Montana Standard Bobcats nip Boise October 28, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com November 3 w y 15 Montana Dornblaser Field Missoula, MT rivalry 34–24 12,500 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MItfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5C4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4039%2C1200029 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Montana State moves into first November 4, 1984 5C November 10 w 10 Northern Arizona Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 41–3 9,357 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N4tfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5C4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4627%2C3552719 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Montana State wraps up Big Sky crown November 11, 1984 5C November 17 w y y 6 Fresno State Bulldog Stadium Fresno, CA 35–31 24,088 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IItfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7C4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2990%2C831463 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Montana State rallies past Fresno State November 18, 1984 5C December 1 y w 2 Arkansas State 10 Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 31–14 12,037 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110941792/bobcats-advance-by-scalping-indians/ The Montana Standard Bobcats: Advance by scalping Indians December 2, 1984 October 8, 2022 Newspapers.com December 8 y w 2 Rhode Island 2 Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 32–20 12,697 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-interception-return-sparks-mon/158790281/ The Shreveport Times Interception return sparks Montana State past R.I. December 9, 1984 November 10, 2024 Newspapers.com December 15 y y w 2 Louisiana Tech 9 Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game 19–6 9,125 SPN https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80679748/how-about-them-cats/ The Billings Gazette How about them Cats! December 16, 1984 July 2, 2021 Newspapers.com http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/bigsky/montana_state/1980-1984_yearly_results.php Montana State yearly results College Football Data Warehouse August 11, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140727124125/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/bigsky/montana_state/1980-1984_yearly_results.php July 27, 2014 dead https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wAIiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BqYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2964%2C239822 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Associated Press Division I-AA Top 20 November 21, 1984 22 Game summaries Mesa State 1984 Mesa State Mavericks Mavericks 7 0 0 7 Bobcats 20 0 7 3 Vs. No. 9 Louisiana Tech (Division I-AA Championship Game) 1984 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team 1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game No. 9 Bulldogs 0 0 0 6 No. 2 Bobcats 9 10 0 0 Roster 1984 Montana State Bobcats y 86 SR Joe Bignell TE 12 SO Kelly Bradley QB 39 JR Jesse Jones FB  4 JR Tim Clements RB 55 SR Robb Fellows  C 73 JR Bruce Randall OG 60 SO Todd Vasey OG 74 SO Don Leake OT 66 SR Bill Schmidt OT  2 JR Tom White WR  89 SR Brent Bateman WR  24 SR Tom Malhum TE  18 So Kelly Davis WR  44 Jr Darin Dietrich WR  33 JR David Pandt RB  25 JR Eric Miller FB  30 Jr Toby Petty FB 59 SR Lonnie Burt NG 71 SR Troy Timmer DT 91 JR Pat "Tex" Sikora DT 68 SR Mark Fellows Mark Fellows (American football) DE y 27 JR Clete Linebarger CAT 42 SO Kirk Timmer LB y 99 SR Greg Wilkes LB 29 JR Doug Kimball FS 47 SR Joe Roberts SS 17 SO Derek Abell CB 35 SR Rodney Holland CB  58 Fr Tom Jacobs DT  26 Jr John Kitna LB;ST  43 Sr William Johnson CB  9 SO Tyler Winter FS  22 So Steve King SS;ST  3 SR Dirk Nelson P  1 SR Mark Carter K Dave Arnold Steve Carson (DC) Bill Diedrick (OC) J. G. Aegerter (OLB) Mike Kramer (ILB) References Montana State Category:Montana State Bobcats football seasons Category:NCAA Division I Football Champions Category:Big Sky Conference football champion seasons Montana State Bobcats football Montana State