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One of four FBS matchups in Week 1 features the Montana State Bobcats, an FCS power, traveling to the New Mexico Lobos. It's the first game for New Mexico coach Bronco Mendenhall, who previously coached at BYU and Virginia. The Lobos haven't had a winning season since 2016, while Montana State has had some recent FCS playoff runs.
Who is Montana State's starting QB today?
Senior Tommy Mellott will get the call for the Bobcats. Injuries cost Mellott most of the 2023 season, as he only played in three games. But in 2022, Mellott passed for 1,507 yards and 10 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,058 yards and 12 more scores.
Mellott led Montana State to the FCS semifinals in 2022 and also saw action on the 2021 team that reached the FCS national title game.
Who is New Mexico's starting QB today?
Sophomore Devon Dampier will get the starting nod for the Lobos. Dampier started one game in 2023. For the season, he passed for 525 yards on 64 pass attempts, with six touchdowns against no interceptions. Dampier is a dual-threat player, as his 328 yards rushing was third-best on UNM's squad last season.
Montana State vs New Mexico: Head-to-head history
The history between both teams is a surprisingly brief one. They last met on January 1, 1947, in the Harbor Bowl. Interestingly, the game ended in a 13-13 tie. It was an evenly-matched battle, as not only did the teams tie in points scored, but each team managed exactly 12 first downs in the game.
Their only other matchup was a previous visit by Montana State to New Mexico in 1923. Montana State won that battle 34-7.
Montana State is currently a 13.5-point favorite in today's game. That's certainly unusual for an FCS team traveling to an FBS team. Last season, despite a 4-8 campaign, New Mexico was an 18-point favorite over FCS foe Tennessee Tech. The Lobos won that game 56-10.
Again, though, Montana State is not a typical FCS team, winning five playoff games in the last three seasons. MSU won the 1984 FCS national title and again, reached the title game in 2021 before losing to North Dakota State.
What do you think about the Montana State versus New Mexico matchup? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below.
