Source: Vigen, Oregon State close to deal

Montana State football coach Brent Vigen could be on the move.

A bylined story at si.com on Monday noted that Vigen and Oregon State are close to a long-term deal for him to coach the Beavers, who fired Trent Bray in October after an 0-7 start. 

It’s a “source-has-a-source" story: the Twitter/X handle #KalshiCFB posted the original rumor on social media. 

But Ryan Clarke of The Oregonian reported that Vigen landed at Portland International Airport Sunday, one day after MSU defeated Montana 31-28 in the 124th Brawl of the Wild. 

“I can’t say anything,” Vigen told the reporter. A spokesman at the OSU athletics department also declined to comment to the Oregonian. 

Vigen is 57-12 in his fifth season as MSU’s coach, including a 3-2 mark against the Grizzlies. His Bobcats played for the FCS title in 2021 and last season.  

Montana State, seeded No. 2 in this year’s FCS playoff field, has a bye this week. Meanwhile Oregon State (2-9) is at Washington State (5-6) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. 

The Beavers are 2-2 under interim coach Robb Akey, who was Idaho’s head coach from 2007-12 when the Vandals were in the FBS. 

Sam Herder of HEROSports.com reported Monday that Vigen is a finalist along with Tim Polasek of unbeaten North Dakota State, Alabama assistant JaMarcus Shephard and possibly Justin Wilcox, recently dismissed by Cal.