GAME #8: Bobcats Look to Stay Hot in Central California

Saturday, October 25

San Luis Obispo, CA

6 pm MT/5 pm PT

Montana State University

Cal Poly

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Cornerback Carson Williams

Photo by: Daryn Hendrickson

10/24/2025 9:25:00 AM | Football

MSU Game Notes

Montana State faces improved Cal Poly looking to extend five-game winning streak

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Mont. (Oct. 22, 2025) – As Montana State head football coach Brent Vigen looks forward to Saturday's game at Cal Poly, he's pleased that his team's week off was anything but that.

"We used the bye week well," Vigen said as his Bobcats prepare for Saturday's 6 pm MT kickoff. The Cats ride a five-game winning streak into that outing. "We healed some guys up, but the biggest thing is that we made steps to get better individually and as a team."

Montana State (5-2 overall, 3-0 Big Sky Conference) visits a Mustangs (3-4, 1-2) squad that has improved vastly during head coach Paul Wulff's three seasons. "Cal Poly's a team that we've seen real improvement (from). We didn't play them last year, and it's a credit to Coach Wulff and his staff that they continue to take steps."

Including its game against the fifth-ranked Bobcats on Saturday, each of Cal Poly's first four league games of 2025 come against nationally-ranked opponents. After logging a road win at Sacramento State Cal Poly lost a one-score decision to UC Davis and led Montana at halftime in Missoula before falling to UM.

"They've been awfully competitive in the conference season to this point," Vigen said of this week's foe. "They've been on the road a whole bunch, they've only played at home two out of seven games, so I'm sure they're excited to get home. This is an opportunity for us to see where we can (improve), that's the biggest thing."

Improvement is something Vigen has seen from Cal Poly, as well. "Cal Poly, in the conference season in particular, started fast and got themselves in position to be awfully competitive. That's been the most impressive thing. They won at Sacramento State, lost a close game against (UC) Davis, and until that thing got out of hand in Missoula played a good game there. They've shown improvement."

The Mustangs' passing game has fueled the offense, with quarterbacks Ty Dieffenbach and Bo Kelly combining for around 240 passing yards a game. "We saw Dieffenbach (on video) against San Diego, and I was really impressed," Vigen said. "He threw the ball really well that day. They both bring different things to the table, a 6-6 kid that can throw it around but is still pretty athletic in Dieffenbach and Kelly is 6-0, has played a bunch in his time there, and I would say is more of a run-around guy than a drop-back guy."

While Cal Poly's play-calling may change depending on the quarterback, Vigen said the Mustangs' offense doesn't. The quarterbacks employ "two different styles," Vigen said. "I don't know that their offense is quite different (based on who plays), but their strengths are certainly different. They have good receivers they're throwing to and a couple of good backs, and it's as much about who else is out there as just the quarterback."

Cal Poly's offensive weapons begins with receiver Michael Briscoe. His seven touchdown catches is fourth in the FCS, and the 6-2 senior's 19.3 yards per catch is 18^th nationally. Kian Salehi (19 catches, 248 yards), Jordan Garrison (18 catches, 287 yards) and Logan Booher (15 catches, 189 yards) balance the Mustangs' passing attack.

The Cats counter that with a youthful, athletic secondary. While safeties Caden Dowler and Taki Uluilakepa (currently injured) entered the season with starting experience, and cornerback Takhari Carr is in his fourth season with the Cats, the defensive backfield features junior college transfer Bryant Meredith at safety, third-year sophomores Tayden Gray at nickel and JJ Dolan at safety, and redshirt freshmen corners Jhase McMillan, Carson Williams and Seth Johnson.

"It's been a time of significant growth," Vigen said of his team's defensive backs, lauding the group's poise. "Seven games in now it's an experienced group. We started the season with a group we saw as talented but very inexperienced. That Idaho State game was going to be a challenge. (The Bengals) were going to be able to do some things (passing). I know they hit the one long touchdown, that wasn't really the secondary's fault, we were supposed to be underneath that route from a linebacker perspective. They hit a couple more, but I thought (the secondary) kept their heads about them."

Cal Poly's defense plays a physical, aggressive brand of football, Vigen said. "They fly around, they play really hard. They've been disruptive up front. They've had guys in and out based on injury, but their two linebackers lead them in tackling and those guys are very active. They're sideline-to-sideline players, they're pressure guys. They've shown continual improvement. They've been real steady on that side of the ball, and have created problems for teams at the same time."

The Bobcats' offense is built more on balance than dominance this season, using a steady ground game and the most precise passing offense in the FCS. MSU has led the nation in completion percentage for most of the season, riding the accurate arm of quarterback Justin Lamson. Running backs Adam Jones and Julius Davis pacing the ground grind.

One interesting wrinkle to Saturday's game is Cal Poly coach Paul Wulff's long-time familiarity with the Bobcat program. Wulff led teams at Eastern Washington, Washington State and now Cal Poly against the Bobcats from 2000 to this week.

Kickoff at Alex Spanos Stadium on Saturday is 6 pm MT. The game airs on CBS stations across Montana, streams on ESPN+ and is broadcast on the Bobcat Radio Network.

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