Best Plays and Concepts from SDSU and Montana State
The 2025 FCS season has already delivered some heavy-hitting matchups, and Saturday night’s showdown in Bozeman was no exception. South Dakota State and Montana State, two of the top programs in the country, went toe to toe in a double-overtime slugfest that lived up to the hype. SDSU escaped with the win, but both squads left plenty of tape worth studying. Let’s dig into the best calls, plays, and execution that defined this instant classic.
SDSU’s Pin & Pull
South Dakota State leaned on Pin and Pull in multiple forms Saturday night, including a toss variation early in the second quarter. They ran it from a condensed formation with motion away from the run, creating leverage and outflanking the defense. This was textbook use of boundary space. Pin and Pull into the boundary remains one of the most reliable answers in football.
Later in the game, the Jackrabbits went back to Pin and Pull to finish off a drive, running it once to the back and then again as a QB run for a touchdown. It was a clinic in execution. SDSU consistently created clean angles and matched hats across the board, forcing safeties and corners to make tackles in space. It was a clear staple of their success all night.
The Jackrabbits also tagged bubble RPOs off Pin and Pull, which is an easy and effective add-on. They paired it with slants as well, giving the quarterback quick options away from the run action. It’s a simple way to punish overaggressive safeties and linebackers while keeping the same run look up front.
Play Sequencing
SDSU's play sequencing was sharp all night, and it paid off on the game winner. Early in the second quarter, they showed an under-center look and ran outside zone off jet motion. That early call planted the seed for what was coming later.
A simple play on its own, but it set the stage. In overtime, SDSU came back to the same under-center look and used the outside zone action off jet motion as play action. The quarterback delivered a strike to the tight end for the touchdown. Same motion, same backfield action, but a completely different result. That call sealed the game and showed how intentional sequencing creates real stress for a defense.
Off their gun outside zone look, the Jackrabbits mixed in several built-in boot concepts. It gave the quarterback clean reads off the edge and kept the defense honest against flow-heavy pursuit.
One example was a standard boot concept with levels working back to the weak side. But the next variation stood out. SDSU used jet motion and then threw the wheel route off that motion, catching the defense out of position. It was a creative wrinkle off a familiar look.
Outside Zone for the Bobcats
If you’ve watched Montana State, you know they’re an outside zone-heavy team. They ran it well Saturday night, but what stood out was how many quality plays they built off that same outside zone look. It was a balanced mix of run and constraint.
While it’s not a true outside zone look, this play is a boot off jet motion, with the offensive line showing outside zone action up front. The Bobcats hit a skinny post off the boot, threading it between the safeties in a Tampa 2 structure. The boot action pulls the “pole runner” down just enough to create a throwing window behind him.
Montana State also built in RPOs off their outside zone. One example was what we tagged as "Punch," a slot glance route paired with outside zone action. It gave the quarterback a clean read and put pressure on the apex defender to play both run and pass.
Bash Pass
Another wrinkle from the Bobcats was a pass off a "Q Power Bash" look. There was no read element on this call. The ball was always going to the bash player. But pairing the smash concept with the run action created a clean shot and added another layer to the offense.
Boundary 4-Strong
Montana State did a great job on second and long by attacking the defense with a formation into the boundary bunch look. They released the running back into the flat, creating a true 4-strong concept. The result was a route distribution that completely overloaded the defense’s ability to match up.
Q Run Game
Montana State also featured their quarterback in the run game. Here they called "Q Down G" from an unbalanced formation. The wing did a great job inserting to pick up the blitzing outside linebacker, while the running back threw a key block on the interior linebacker. Physical football with clean execution up front.
Conclusion
South Dakota State and Montana State put on a show Saturday night. It was a game filled with physicality, execution, and high-level scheme on both sides. From creative run game variations to well-timed play action and RPOs, both staffs showed why their programs are at the top of the FCS. Whether you're a coach looking to install new wrinkles or just a fan of good football, this was a tape worth studying. The details mattered, and the details decided it.