NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF — For the first time ever the FCS Championship game will be contested in Nashville as no. 2 Montana State meets Illinois State Monday night at Vanderbilt’s FirstBank Stadium.
The game is expected to draw a neutral site record crowd as Music City and Vanderbilt roll out the red carpet for the first national championship to be held in the city since the 2014 Women’s Final Four.
“Nashville, the Sports Commission, OVC, Vanderbilt especially, has really put their best foot forward to have a championship here,” FCS Playoff Committee Chair Mark Wharton said. “Obviously, the city (and) everything the fanbases are really going to enjoy so the committee is excited to be here.”
The FCS Championship has been played in a converted soccer stadium in Frisco, Tex. for the past 15 years after being held at Chattanooga’s Finley Stadium for 13 years before that. Even in the short time in Nashville, players have been impressed by the championship set up.
“It’s a lot more impressive,” Montana State running back Adam Jones said at Saturday’s media day. “I think Vanderbilt as a whole is a beautiful place and they’ve done a huge job and it’s all SEC down here, so it’s a pretty cool experience and I’m just trying to take it all in.”
Montana State was in Frisco last year when it was upset by North Dakota State in the final. The Bobcats have been one of the country’s top programs, reaching the semifinals in five of the past six years and three championship appearances.
Some thought this might be a rebuilding year but after starting the season 0-2 Montana State has run off 13 straight wins including a sweep of rival Montana to delight a rabid fanbase that figures to fill plenty of FirstBank Stadium with Bobcat Blue on Monday.
“Montana doesn’t have a pro sports team so it’s either Bobcats or the other team,” Montana State wide receiver Taco Dowler said. “A lot of the state’s leaning towards us lately which is awesome. Winning helps. It just means a lot. It’s why you commit to Montana State to chase (a national championship).
It has been 41 years since Montana State last won a FCS championship. After falling just short in recent years, the Bobcats are looking to validate this team and the entire program with a win.
“It would be completing this mission,” Montana State head coach Brent Vigen said. “It’s the culmination of this season but it’s the efforts of a lot of people over many, many years. We need to go win a football game, but I know it would men a lot to a lot of people for sure.
Illinois State stands in the way after a Cinderella run through the FCS playoffs. After losing 37-7 to Southern Illinois on Senior Day it was one of the last four teams selected to the 24-team playoff field but regrouped for an improbable run to Nashville.
ISU went on the road and defeated no. 16 Southeastern Louisiana 21-3 in round one, then rallied from 14 down in the final 3:00 to upset top-seed and defending national champ North Dakota State in round two.
The Redbirds went on to win 42-31 at no. 8 UC Davis and beat no. 12 Villanova 30-14 to become the first team to win four straight road games to reach the title game.
“We were one of the last four teams in so we had plenty to add fuel to the fire,” Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse said. “We really took that and just ran with it. We knew what we could do.”
Brock Spack, who is in his 17th year as head coach and led the Redbirds to a second-place finish in 2014 and wants his team to believe they can finish the job this time. A victory would give ISU its first ever football national championship.
“I told them, ‘Fellas, you have a chance to do something no one has ever done,’” Spack said. “There can only be one first, so it would mean a lot to them.”
