The FCS Championship game is tomorrow as Montana State and Illinois State make their final preparations. Here are some of the top player battles to watch once the game begins.
Illinois State QB Tommy Rittenhouse, Montana State S Caden Dowler
Will injured Caden Dowler play in the semifinals? He’ll do his best to get on the field Monday night, and if he does, he’ll play chess with Illinois quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse.
Dowler had a five-game shutout streak following his injury, but he was an interception machine late in the season. Meanwhile, Rittenhouse has thrown an interception in four of his last five games. That included seven playoff games, FIVE against North Dakota State.
Every possession counts in the postseason, and Dowler can get his hands on the football to create extra possessions because of his ability to play deep and close on both offensive lines.
Follow: Montana vs. Illinois live updates for 2025-26 FCS title
Montana State RB Adam Jones/Julius Davis, Illinois State LB. vs. Thi Niekamp.
Only eight players were unanimous first-team FCS All-Americans, one of whom was Illinois quarterback Ty Niekam. Niekamp has 155 tackles on the season and will need to add to that number if the Redbirds are to win their first title.
As Mike quarterback, Niekamp should lead Illinois’ defense against Montana’s double-header offense with Adam Jones and Julius Davis. Both running backs have over 1,000 yards this year. The running game could be a factor in the win Monday night.
2025 unanimous first team #FCS All Americans
(STATS, AP, AFCA, SI/FCS FB Central, Phil Steele, Walter Camp)QB Beau Brungard, @ysufootball
RB Joshua Dye, @SUUFB_
Te Chris Corbo, @DartmouthFTBL
DL Lando Brown, @SUUFB_
DL Joshua Stoneking, @PaladinFootball
LB Tye Niekamp,… https://t.co/8GL4GgP2BJ— Stan Becton (@stan_becton) December 29, 2025
REPORT: How Montana State and Illinois State Reached the Championship Game
Illinois State WR Daniel Sobkowicz vs. Montana State CB Carson Williams
If there was an FCS playoff MVP award, it would go to Daniel Sobkovic, who had 8 total tackles during the playoff run at Illinois State. We’ve seen him turn 50-50 balls into 80-20 balls and win big on the slant and upfield. Standing on the 6-foot-3 Sobkowicz creates matchup problems for any secondary.
The answer to this problem lies with Carson Williams, a freshman at the Montana State High School. It will take a team effort to stop Sobkovic, but Williams has caught eight passes this season.
It will be interesting to see how Montana plans to stop Sobkovic and how often he gets one-on-ones. The Bobcats don’t have a cornerback who stands over 6 feet in the two-deep, and only one player with more than two years of experience on the field against the Redbird senior linebacker.
MORE COVERAGE: For complete coverage of the 2025 FCS playoffs, click or click here
WR Taco Dowler vs. Illinois State CB Shadwel Nkuba II
Montana, on the other hand, has its own electric wide receiver in Taco Dowler. Dowler had catches of 67 and 87 yards on the year. He can slant to the house and is the best wide receiver in the championship game.
Will he be shadowed by All-American cornerback Shadwel Nkuba during the game? We’ll have to wait and see, but Nkuba has five interceptions on the season. Two of the best players in the FCS going head-to-head will not disappoint.
Justin ➡️ Taco 87 yards!! 🤯
📺 ABC@justin_lamson10 x @DowlerTaco | #BobcatBuilt pic.twitter.com/LJbP7YeHVj
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) December 20, 2025
Illinois State LT Jake Pope vs. Montana State DE Kenneth Aiden IV
Jake Pope earned First Team All-MVFC honors. Kenneth Eiden IV earned first-team All-Big Sky honors.
We know Pope will be on the left side of Illinois’ offensive line. Will Aiden fight the Pope? Or will he exploit the weakness on the right side of Illinois’ offensive line?
I want to see the best players in the championship game, especially when it’s between the best of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Big Sky.
BRACKET: See the official bracket for the 2025 FCS playoffs
Illinois State LG Landon Woodard, Montana State DT Paul Brott
Likewise, left tackle Landon Woodard and defensive tackle Paul Brott could be matched up. Brott can also move around the line of scrimmage to get the extra play advantage.
There is an underrated story line in how Montana State’s defensive line matches up.
Montana State C JT Reed and RJ Titan Fleischmann vs. Illinois State NT Jake Anderson
When it comes to nose tackles, Jake Anderson is one of the best in the FCS. He will line up over center or in the A gap, which will often match up with center JT Reed. Anderson will also face double teams — that’s the nature of the position — and that’s where Titan Fleischmann comes in.
Fleischmann fell just shy of a unanimous first-team All-America spot, a sign of his elite play. Combined with Reed, who has his own talent, they could slow down Anderson’s interior pressure.
Or Anderson could wreak havoc from within. The trenches are often overlooked, but don’t be surprised if the offensive and defensive lines decide this game.
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