The Montana State Bobcats take on the Montana Grizzlies in the Brawl of the Wild on Saturday, Nov. 22. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Montana State is favored by -1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -125. Montana, meanwhile, enters as a +1.5 underdog and is -102 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 59.5 total points.
Here’s my Montana State vs. Montana prediction and college football picks for Saturday, November 22.
Montana State vs Montana Prediction
- Montana State vs Montana Pick: Montana State -1.5
My Montana State vs Montana best bet is on the Bobcats to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Montana State vs Montana Odds
| Montana State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -113 | 59.5 -113o / -113u | -125 |
| Montana Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -113 | 59.5 -113o / -113u | -102 |
- Montana State vs Montana Spread: Montana State -1.5, Montana +1.5
- Montana State vs Montana Over/Under: 59.5 Points
- Montana State vs Montana Moneyline: Montana State -125, Montana -102
Montana State vs Montana College Football Betting Preview
Montana State Bobcats Betting Preview: Dominant Bobs
An 0-2 start as Montana State was no sweat, as the Bobcats rattled off nine straight wins — not a single one by fewer than 17 points — to climb back to No. 3 in the FCS coaches poll.
It’s continued dominance from a program that has the third-most wins and fourth-best win percentage in the last decade in the FCS.
Despite a significant deficit in time of possession (37 minutes to 22), plays (83-50) and yards (424-377), Montana State posted a ridiculously efficient game to beat UC Davis, 38-17, last week.
The Bobcats held the Aggies to just 4-of-16 on third down and didn’t allow a touchdown from six minutes left in the first quarter until under four minutes left in the game.
For another season, a creative and dynamic rushing attack leads the way. That’s the recipe for success in the FCS: carve up defenses with a multiple rushing attack and a low-volume but high-efficiency passing game.
Quarterback Justin Lamson ranks eighth in the FCS in passer rating, though his 249 pass attempts ranks 56th; he has 19 touchdown passes against just two interceptions.
Lamson, a Stanford transfer, also leads all Big Sky quarterbacks with 10 rushing touchdowns.
Three Bobcats have rushed for at least 600 yards: Lamson, sophomore Adam Jones (640 yards, nine touchdowns) and veteran Julius Davis (765 yards, seven touchdowns).
They benefit from a deadly combination of elite offensive line talent and dynamic rushing schemes that elevate every player in it.
But an elite defense has propelled Montana State to its 9-2 overall record and third overall ranking.
Last week, the Bobcats forced a pair of turnovers and a 25% conversion rate on third down against the nation’s 28th-ranked Aggies offense.
While safety Caden Dowler is certainly on his way to All-Big Sky honors, this year’s unit won’t have nearly the same recognition output as last year’s (six all-conference nominees).
The secondary is filled with freshmen and sophomores, but that hasn’t stopped Montana State from fielding a premier defense nationally.
The pressure is relieved from these youngsters, though, as the offense is efficient enough to keep the pressure on opposing offenses to catch up rather than for its own defense to get a stop. It’s a top-10 run defense that ranks 16th in takeaways (18).
The expectation for this team — despite its significant offseason losses — is still the top of college football. Championship aspirations are definitely still alive.
Montana Grizzlies Betting Preview: Perfect Slate Thus Far
Nobody has been able to topple the Montana Grizzlies. Despite no bye weeks (the Griz sat out Week 1), Montana is 11-0 straight up, including 3-0 in one-score games. It’s a massive improvement over last year’s 9-5 team that fell well shy of expectations.
Running back Eli Gillman is one of college football’s most dynamic rushers. He leads the Big Sky with 15 rushing touchdowns, and his 1,066 yards rank second.
A truly ridiculous 31 of his 157 rush attempts have gone for 10-plus yards (20%), and he adds 139 receiving yards and two scores there.
Montana hasn’t leaned into Gillman in any one game yet. Aside from an outlier 27-carry day at Idaho State, Gillman usually tops out at 17 carries — it’s likely a method for conservation, as Montana is beating opponents by 19.2 points per game.
Redshirt sophomore QB Keali'i Ah Yat stands eighth nationally with over 2,700 passing yards and has 21 touchdowns against just six interceptions.
He’s one of the FCS’ premier passers and is capable of elevating every pass-catcher around him.
There’s no Junior Bergen on this team, but nine receivers have 100-plus yards, and all have at least one touchdown. Elusive Michael Wortham leads the team with 734 yards and six receiving touchdowns.
Montana’s offense is like the hydra from Greek mythology. Remove one weapon from the game, and two more take his place.
This year’s defense isn’t Montana’s most efficient, though it’s far from bad. The Griz rank 29th in scoring and allowed 30-plus to Idaho, Idaho State and Sacramento State. It’s a team that allows a lot of passing yards and isn’t very good on third down (38.9% conversion rate ranks 53rd).
Cornerbacks Micah Harper and Kenzel Lawler are among the best duos in the FCS. But they hurt from the lack of a pass rush up front. There are yards and explosive plays to be had for opportunistic passers.
It’s hard to argue with a perfect slate so far. Montana is a team poised to compete well into December.
Montana State vs Montana Pick, Betting Analysis
The Brawl of the Wild is one of college football’s best and most passionate rivalries.
Though it often gets delegated to ESPN+, this is appointment television (or, streaming, I suppose) and should be near the top of every football fan’s bucket list to see in person.
Montana leads the all-time series, which began in 1897, 74-43-5. But lately it’s been all Montana State — the ‘Cats have taken six of the last eight meetings dating back to 2016. The last win in Missoula for Montana State came back in 2018.
This is the fifth straight “Cat-Griz game” featuring at least one top-five team and the fourth straight involving a top-three opponent. This year, it’s No. 2 vs. No. 3.
When it comes to premier FCS football, you have to begin by finding the least good of the four major phases of the game. The worst unit in this game is Montana’s defense.
However, the best individual unit in the game is also the Griz offense, which ranks No. 2 in scoring this season. It’s dynamic both in the pass game and run game with more options than what’s reasonable to slow down.
When Montana has the ball, it’s strength on strength.
We haven't yet seen a team effectively apply the brakes to the Bobcats' run game, and that applies to well beyond just this season.
Even in a 37-7 loss in Missoula in 2023, Montana State ran for over 200 yards. It’s a scheme that has no evidence that it's mortal.
Power ratings favor Montana State by -3.3 in the 2025 Brawl of the Wild. The Bobcats rank second overall (behind only North Dakota State), while Montana checks in seventh despite its 11-0 mark.
Montana State’s schedule has been more arduous than Montana’s, featuring South Dakota State at full health and Oregon.
The Grizzlies haven’t gotten a break since August. I’m taking Montana State to secure its first win in Missoula since 2018.
Pick: Montana State -1.5 (Play to -2.5)
Montana State vs Montana Betting Trends
