BOZEMAN, Mont., Sept. 22, 2026: Montana State will welcome Northern Arizona to Bobcat Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26, for a late-night Big Sky Conference matchup that will cap a full week of Homecoming celebrations in Bozeman.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. MT at Bobcat Stadium. The game is part of Montana State’s 2026 Homecoming and is set for a national television audience on ESPN2.
Bobcat Stadium Gets a Prime-Time Homecoming Game
Saturday night’s matchup gives Montana State a prime-time home game during one of the school’s biggest campus weekends of the year.
The Bobcats are the defending Football Championship Subdivision national champions, adding another storyline to a game that already carries the Homecoming spotlight. Montana State’s 2026 schedule places Northern Arizona at Bobcat Stadium for the Sept. 26 conference matchup.
The game also gives fans a chance to see Montana State football under the lights rather than during an afternoon kickoff.
Northern Arizona Comes to Bozeman
Northern Arizona will travel from Flagstaff to Bozeman for the Big Sky Conference meeting.
The matchup has attracted national television attention from ESPN2. Northern Arizona’s athletic department said the game will be the Lumberjacks’ fourth all-time appearance on ESPN’s linear television networks and their second straight season playing in front of a national television audience.
Montana State has won the previous two meetings between the programs in Bozeman, in 2019 and 2023. The Bobcats also won the four most recent meetings overall entering the 2026 season.
Homecoming Week Builds Toward Saturday Night
The football game is only part of Montana State’s Homecoming weekend.
The university’s 2026 Homecoming theme is “Catastic Carnival,” with events taking place around campus and the Bozeman community throughout the week.
Friday night will feature an ASMSU festival at Dyche Field with food trucks, live music and lawn games, followed by a Bobcat drone show. A Homecoming pep rally is also scheduled for downtown Bozeman.
Saturday Starts With the Homecoming Parade
The Homecoming festivities continue Saturday morning with the annual parade on Main Street in downtown Bozeman.
The parade is scheduled for 10 a.m., giving students, alumni, families and fans a chance to take part in one of Montana State’s longstanding Homecoming traditions before the evening football game.
Other Saturday activities include the Hike the ‘M, a nursing building tour and a Bobcat Block Party featuring food, games and music.
A Full Day of Bobcat Traditions
The combination of the parade, campus activities and evening football gives the weekend a broader community feel than a typical regular-season game.
Fans can spend the day around Bozeman before heading to Bobcat Stadium for the 8:30 p.m. kickoff. The stadium’s official event listing identifies the Northern Arizona game as the next scheduled football event at the venue.
National TV Puts the Game in the Spotlight
The Sept. 26 matchup is one of Montana State’s nationally televised games during the opening portion of the 2026 season.
Montana State’s football schedule includes three nationally televised games during the first six weeks, with the Northern Arizona matchup joining road games at Nevada and Idaho in receiving national broadcast exposure.
For Northern Arizona, the game offers a chance to play the defending FCS national champions on a national stage. For Montana State, it is a chance to put another home game under the lights in front of a Homecoming crowd.
Kickoff Details
Montana State and Northern Arizona are scheduled to meet Saturday, Sept. 26, at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. MT
Location: Bobcat Stadium, Bozeman, Montana
Matchup: Montana State vs. Northern Arizona
Conference: Big Sky Conference
Broadcast: ESPN2
The game will close out a packed Homecoming Saturday in Bozeman, giving Bobcat fans a prime-time football night after a full day of Montana State traditions.