To keep this historic season going, Cats tasked with stopping the Bison

There is no debating the most historic season in Montana State football history. No, 1984 has always topped them all.

And yet, it's almost hard to believe that. The Division I-AA national championship the Bobcats won 35 years ago was also the last time they made it as far as the 2019 Bobcats have.

Yes, the No. 5 Cats (11-3) are standing on the verge of history as they get set to play in their first FCS semifinal in 35 years. Of course, that historic game also comes with a price. The Cats will face No. 1 North Dakota State (14-0) Saturday afternoon in Fargo, and in a twist of irony, the Bison are riding a 35-game unbeaten streak.

Still, as good as NDSU is, and the Bison have the dynasty and a shiny trophy case to prove it, MSU head coach Jeff Choate, who has taken the Bobcats to unforeseen heights in his four years in Bozeman, says his team must focus on itself, and not about what the Bison are or what they have accomplished - including a dominant win over the Cats in the second round of the playoffs last December in Fargo.

"This has nothing to do with who we're playing. This is all about us," Choate said. "If we start worrying about who we're playing and where we're playing them, we can just call it in. This cannot be about North Dakota State. This is 100 percent about Montana State University. That's what this is about, and that's my message."

The message rings loud and clear, but that doesn't mean Choate doesn't have a healthy respect for the impressive run the Bison are on - a run that includes seven FCS national championships since 2011, as well as just three playoff losses in that stretch.

"What do you want to say? This is a machine," Choate said. "It doesn't matter who's coached them, it doesn't matter who's playing quarterback, as long as that O-line is what it is, they're going to be pretty good.

"When you combine atmosphere, scheme and talent, you've got a pretty good outfit," he said. "They're just dangerous in every phase. They do the little things. They don't penalize themselves, they play great special teams ... we'll have our hands full."

A machine is certainly the best way to describe the Bison. The juggernaut from the Missouri Valley Conference just keeps on rolling, and despite an ugly 9-3 win over Illinois State in last Saturday's quarterfinal, NDSU is still that juggernaut.

Freshman quarterback Trey Lance looks to be the next of a long line of great ones at NDSU as he's gone an entire season without throwing an interception, while the Bison running game is bolstered by a pair of stout tailbacks and, as usual, one of the biggest and baddest offensive lines in the country. On the other side of the ball, led by star linebacker Jabril Cox, the Bison allow a ridiculous 11 points and 266 yards of offense per game. And those numbers are why Choate says his team has its hands full.

The Bobcats, however, will give NDSU plenty to worry about, too.

Offensively, MSU has rushed for over 300 yards in its last five games, including a win over Austin Peay in last Friday's quarterfinal in Bozeman. A big boost has been a healthy Isaiah Ifanse, who topped the 170-yard mark in last week's win. But the steady play of quarterback Tucker Roving in recent weeks has also only enhanced MSU's dangerous run game, which also features star seniors Logan Jones and Travis Jonsen.

Then there's MSU's defense, which is honestly playing as well as the Bison defense right now. Since the start of November, the Bobcats are allowing just 13 ppg, and, for much of that stretch, they've done it without the services of star Troy Andersen. MSU's defense has been extremely good against the run, too, but run or pass, the Bobcats have been as good as it gets on the defensive side of the ball in their current five-game winning streak and that's a big reason why they are on the verge of a trip to the national championship game for the first time in three decades.

But to get there, the Bobcats will have to slay the FCS' biggest dragon of all times. It's not that it can't be done, because it's been done before, and NDSU has arguably its youngest team in the last 10 years. But it's still a herculean defeat, especially in what figures to be a loud and raucous Fargo Dome Saturday afternoon.

Choate, however, feels his troops are up to the task, and that this team has been special all season long.

"We've seen the elephant before. I think that is good for us. We know what we're getting ourselves into. I think that does help us a little bit," Choate said. "Last year I think we were (a) satisfied team that was happy to be there and we weren't still hungry. Hopefully we've got a little fire in our belly this year and we're ready to go give these guys a little bit better game."

Saturday's game between MSU and North Dakota State kicks off at Noon and will be televised nationally on ESPN2. The winner will meet either James Madison or Weber State in the FCS championship game Jan. 11, in Frisco, Texas.