### Montana State Secures Top Seed in FCS Playoff Bracket

Montana State claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the 24-team FCS playoff bracket revealed on Sunday. The Bobcats, who finished their regular season undefeated in the Big Sky Conference, positioned themselves as a dominant force heading into the playoffs. Meanwhile, two-time defending national champion South Dakota State earned the No. 3 seed.

First-round matchups are scheduled for this Saturday and will be available to stream on ESPN+. The games include UT Martin visiting No. 16 New Hampshire, Lehigh traveling to No. 9 Richmond, and No. 12 Illinois State facing Southeast Missouri State. Other key clashes are Drake at No. 13 Tarleton State, Tennessee State at No. 14 Montana, Eastern Kentucky at No. 11 Villanova, Central Connecticut State at No. 10 Rhode Island, and Northern Arizona visiting No. 15 Abilene Christian.

Eight teams have garnered first-round byes, including top-seeded Montana State, No. 2 North Dakota State, No. 3 South Dakota State, No. 4 South Dakota, No. 5 UC Davis, No. 6 Incarnate Word, No. 7 Mercer, and No. 8 Idaho. These teams will enter the fray in the second round, slated for Dec. 7, also broadcast on ESPN+.

The Missouri Valley Conference stands out with three of its teams in the top four seeds. North Dakota State, despite a narrow 29-28 loss to South Dakota last Saturday, claimed the No. 2 spot. South Dakota State came in at No. 3, while South Dakota rounded out the top four. These three teams had fierce encounters during the regular season, each defeating one another and sharing the MVC title. Their contests were highly competitive, averaging a margin of just 2.7 points.

Montana State, acclaimed for their offensive prowess, could be the team to challenge the reigning champions from the Dakotas. They boast the highest scoring offense in the FCS, averaging 40.7 points per game, coupled with an impressive 496.2 yards per game in total offense. Their season opener victory over a potentially bowl-eligible New Mexico further cements their status as a leading contender.

The playoffs reflect strong representation from various conferences, with 10 teams earning automatic berths by winning their respective conferences. These include Montana State (Big Sky), Southeast Missouri State (Big South-OVC), Richmond (Coastal Athletic Association), South Dakota State (Missouri Valley), Central Connecticut State (Northeast), Lehigh (Patriot), Drake (Pioneer), Mercer (Southern), Incarnate Word (Southland), and Abilene Christian (United Athletic).

The Big Sky Conference leads with five teams in the playoff field, followed closely by the Missouri Valley and Coastal Athletic Association, each with four teams. The playoffs culminate with the championship game set for January 6 in Frisco, Texas, handled by ESPN's coverage.

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