As the Mountain West game between New Mexico and North Dakota State picked up steam on Saturday and Scottre Humphrey got his first carry for the Lobos, I thought: 

That’s another thing Montana State has done better than just about everyone else.

I don’t know if any FCS team has been hit harder by the transfer portal through the years than the defending national champion Bobcats. But it certainly feels like the Cats absorb these losses better than most. 

To date Montana State is 7-1, one win better than the 6-1 FBS Lobos who saw Humphrey — he rushed for 1,386 yards for the 2024 Bobcats and leads UNM with 453 this season — pick up 31 yards on 10 carries against the Bison. He scored a touchdown in the Lobos’ 21-16 victory. 

Earlier in the day the Bobcat tandem of Adam Jones and Jared White — the latter spelling Colson Coon, who was injured — tore off scoring runs of 27 and 57 yards in MSU’s come-from-behind 38-33 win over Weber State. 

Tom Stuber of skylinesportsmt.com noted that in the last four-plus games MSU has racked up eight touchdown runs of 27 yards or more. 

Certainly Humphrey would have a positive effect on MSU’s run game. Also, the Cats keep chugging along without him.  

They’re also without Cedric Jefferson, who left the 2025 champs for Utah. That’s a year after fellow lineman Conner Moore (Michigan State) hit the portal and two years after front liners Omar Aigbedion (Baylor) and Rush Reimer (Cal) left and seriously, how in the Rohan Jones (Arkansas) are they doing this? 

Over at Montana, fans might be thinking Yeah, that guy starting at corner for Duke (Kyon Loud) would help, but there’s no sense worrying about spilt milk. Better to celebrate the additions of linebacker Nai Mose and safety Braeden Orlandi, and especially that of defensive lineman Tyler King.  

Yet the Griz have lost two straight and face another standout quarterback Saturday in Eastern Washington’s Nate Bell. 

Back to MSU, which hosts Cal Poly Saturday. The Mustangs have been hurt by injury, notably to linebacker Mikey D’Amato.  

Before D’Amato landed in San Luis Obispo by way of Saddleback Community College, he spent 2022 at Montana State. In 2025 he was first-team all-Big Sky for the Mustangs, after making 137 tackles — third-highest in history in a program that produced Kyle Shotwell and Jordan Beck. 

He’s also missed four games, including Cal Poly’s  43-26 home loss to Utah Tech last week, the Trailblazers’ first win. Six turnovers hurt the Mustangs; D’Amato’s absence didn’t help. 

“Mikey was here for a short time, and so we know him,” MSU coach Brent Vigen said. “His experience and his play-making ability, that loss is definitely felt. They’re still doing the same things. ... But to lose a player of his caliber does take a toll.” 

Unless you’re the Bobcats, perhaps.