You’d think the biggest Montana sporting event of the year would be easy to watch, but that wasn’t the case in 2021. I explained why.

DISH users forced to find other ways to watch Brawl of the Wild

This was both a fun story to work on and, I believe, an informative look at college sports’ new name, image and likeness rules from a local perspective.

NIL opportunities have been a ‘touchdown’ for Montana State athletes like Troy Andersen

UPDATE: I wrote about MSU’s NIL collective during the 2022 season:

Montana State supporters form NIL collective

Bobcat Collective signs 80 Montana State football players to NIL contracts

This was probably the toughest, most emotional story I worked on during my first year covering Montana State. I’m always impressed and grateful when people I cover open up to me like this.

Football has been ‘big help,’ but pain of father’s loss lingers for Montana State’s Taylor Tuiasosopo

This is one of the weirder stories I’ve covered, as the headline makes pretty obvious.

Northern Colorado coach ‘reprimanded’ for throwing piece of clipboard at Montana State fan

It’s still hard for me to believe that Montana State reached the Football Championship Subdivision title game in my first season covering the team. The Bobcats lost the game by 28 points, but that hardly ruined the experience. The run provided some of the best memories and stories of my sportswriting career.

Below are my favorite articles I wrote leading up to the game, plus the game story from the championship.

Montana State advances to first FCS title game since 1984 with win over South Dakota State

Notebook: Montana State provides window into Tommy Mellott’s rise; injured Bobcats could return in FCS title game

Montana State’s limited FCS title game tickets sell fast

Stepmother’s scary accident puts life into perspective for Montana State’s Brody Grebe

COVID-19 prompts caution for Montana State, North Dakota State as FCS title game nears

Break helping Montana State, North Dakota State get close to full strength for FCS title game

Montana State great Sonny Holland sees similarities between 2021 and 1976 Bobcats

‘All Montanans now’: Led by homegrown stars, Montana State on precipice of national title

Retired sportswriters reflect on Montana State’s 1976, 1984 national title runs

Q&A: Montana State 1984 standout Doug Kimball ready to ‘pass the torch’

Five things to watch: Montana State vs. North Dakota State in FCS championship

Montana State suffers lopsided FCS championship loss to North Dakota State

Last week, I published a story about the preparation for Montana State’s first home football game since 2019 from the school’s and fans’ perspective.

‘It’s right again’: Montana State’s long wait for home football game almost over

Angellica Street, a standout javelin thrower from Montana, alleged some troubling behavior from her coach at Texas A&M. The coach’s weight loss demand caused mental health issues for Street, she said, and led her to transfer to Montana State.

Dispute over weight leads Columbia Falls javelin thrower Angellica Street to transfer from Texas A&M to Montana State

Shortly before Montana State’s 2021-22 sports season began, I wrote about the state of the Bobcats after the pandemic altered (or, when it came to football, canceled) the 2020-21 season. People in the MSU athletic department felt optimistic overall about the coming season, even though the pandemic was far from over.

Montana State athletics ‘feel like we’re back to normal,’ but COVID-19 concerns linger