Montana State football team honors FCS championship with White House visit

The Montana State University Bobcats football team traveled to Washington, D.C., to be honored at the White House after winning the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national title. The championship was clinched on Jan. 5, 2024, when the Bobcats defeated Illinois State 35‑34 in overtime at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, delivering the program’s first national title since 1984 and its first in 41 years.

Montana State finished the season 14‑2, posting playoff victories over Yale, Stephen F. Austin, the University of Montana and Illinois State. President Brock Tessman praised the team’s “hard work and determination,” while head coach Brent Vigen highlighted the squad’s resilience after a previous championship loss. The White House ceremony marked a rare honor for an FCS champion, joining a tradition of visits for major collegiate and professional champions.