A streak ends: Wildcats face toughest test in top 5 matchup with Montana State

OGDEN — Something's gotta give on Saturday as both Weber State and Montana State bring unbeaten streaks into their matchup in Bozeman, Montana.

The Wildcats have won eight games in a row, which dates back to the end of last season, and is riding and eight-game road winning streak. Meanwhile, the Bobcats have a 16-game home winning streak on the line when the two teams meet (1 p.m. MDT, ESPN+).

The last time the Wildcats lost a game was in Nov. 2021 to Portland State, and the team's last road loss came at the hands of FBS in-state opponent Utah at the start of the season last year. For the Bobcats, their streak goes even further back when they lost at home to Sacramento State in Oct. 2019.

One way or another, one of the two teams' streak will end Saturday when the teams take the field in a clash of conference and national powers.

Weber State has steadily risen through the national rankings this year with an unbeaten record and come into the weekend ranked No. 5 in the country. And though Montana State has suffered a loss this year — Week 3 at FBS foe Oregon State — the Bobcats are ranked No. 3 in the national rankings.

"The more you win, the bigger the games get," Weber State head coach Jay Hill said. "We talk to our players about that all the time. You've gotta earn the right to play in big games, and our guys have done that now. ... This game got huge because both teams are playing well. It's one that we all had circled on our calendars, but you gotta get to it and you gotta get to it in the fashion that we have.

"So we'll go up there and play it like it's a big game for us, which it is, and hopefully go up and play our best game so far."

Hill and his team are no strangers to big games this season. With an undefeated record, every opponent the Wildcats play want a chance to hand the team their first loss of the year. That's no easy feat, though, with one of the most balanced teams Hill has had during his tenure at Weber State. The offense can put up points quickly, and the defense is strong, quick and hard-hitting.

As the team has moved through the season and continued to win big games — especially on the road — quarterback Bronson Barron said the consistent preparation has been key to the Wildcats' success.

"Even though we are on the road we take preparation very seriously," Barron said. "We talk a lot about how 'the hay is never in the barn,' meaning that there's always something that you can be doing; there's film to be watched. And then I just think we are smart and disciplined with how we travel. Coach Hill has done a great job with how he handles our traveling trips, and we've all bought in and do what is expected of us.

"We love playing on the road. We like playing in hostile, rowdy environments, and playing in Bozeman is exactly what we're expecting and we're excited for that."

The Wildcats have run through their schedule so far with relative ease, the closest game being a 5-point win over UC Davis in the conference opener. But this weekend's game starts a three-game stretch against ranked opponents, with this weekend's matchup against Montana State, followed by contests with Montana and Sacramento State.

If Weber State feels they've been challenged to this point, these next few weeks will be on a whole different level.

The last time the two teams met was a low-scoring, grind-it-out affair, and Hill doesn't see much changing this time around. Both teams have performed well this season against a variety of opponents, and he expects the game to come down to who is prepared and executes better.

"This is a very well coached team; they're very physical," Hill said. "They've got great talent. I mean, this is not a game that we overlooked last year, and I know they're not overlooking us. Last year's game was a dogfight and it could have gone either way, all the way to the bitter end. ... Montana State had a great team. They were on a roll; they had great players and they do again this year.

"I suspect that the game will be very similar. It will be a dogfight, and whoever executes the best in the key moments — it's gonna be a big deal."

Both teams will come into the game with differing winning streaks on the line: one will leave with theirs intact while the other's will break. Hill and his team face their biggest challenge yet, but it's one they are well prepared for, he said. For FCS fans, Saturday afternoon in Bozeman will be a matchup you don't want to miss.

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