NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Montana State's championship win was a long time coming for Bobcat fans.
After 41 years, the blue and gold are celebrating another national championship after No. 2-seeded Montana State won an instant classic, 35-34 in overtime, over Illinois State to capture the crown.
It was the first overtime game in FCS championship history.
The game was attended by 24,105 fans, the largest FCS championship crowd since 1996 and the the seventh-most largest in FCS title-game history.
More than half those fans were clad in Montana State colors, and they basked in the celebration on the FirstBank Stadium field for as long as crowd control staff allowed Monday night.
Hear reaction from the fans:
Frenzied Montana State fans soak in championship celebration