From Big Schools to Big Success: How Justin Lamson Found His Perfect Home at Montana State

The Big Picture: Sometimes Moving "Down" Means Moving Up

Imagine you’re playing on a really big, famous sports team—but you never get to play in the actual games. You just watch from the sidelines. Then you move to a smaller team where everyone trusts you, lets you play, and you win a national championship. That’s exactly what happened to Justin Lamson!

Important Point: College football has two main levels:

FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) – The biggest schools like Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State (what people usually call "Division I")

FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) – Smaller schools that still play high-level football but have their own playoff and championship

Lamson went from FBS schools (Syracuse and Stanford) to an FCS school (Montana State)—and it was the best decision of his career.

Justin Lamson’s Winding Road to Montana

1. The Early Years: Sitting and Waiting

Syracuse (2 years): Enrolled but never played a single down (that means zero game snaps)
Stanford (1 year): Finally got on the field!
- Played in 12 games but started only 1 game
- Rushed for 8 touchdowns – the most ever by a Stanford QB in one season
- Still didn’t feel like the "chosen guy"

2. The Transfer Merry-Go-Round

Committed to Bowling Green (another FBS school)
Coach left for the NFL (Philadelphia Eagles)
Changed his mind and looked elsewhere
Landed at Montana State – where Coach Brent Vigen had recruited him in high school!

3. The Perfect Fit

"I always really wanted someone just to trust me. That’s really what I was looking for. That’s why I came to Montana State." – Justin Lamson

The Magic Season: Montana State’s 2024 Championship Run

Lamson didn’t just play—he dominated. Check out these numbers:

Stat	Number	What It Means
Completion %	71.6%	Super accurate! (Over 70% is elite)
Passing Yards	3,172	Threw for over 3,000 yards
Passing TDs	26	Threw 26 touchdowns
Interceptions	Only 3	Barely ever threw to the other team
Rushing Yards	734	Ran for nearly 750 yards himself
Rushing TDs	16	Scored 16 times on the ground

The Championship Game: Pure Drama

Montana State 35 – Illinois State 34

Lamson scored 4 total touchdowns (2 running, 2 passing)
Won the school’s first national title since 1984 (that’s 40 years!)

Why He Stayed: Loyalty Over Leverage

After winning it all, Lamson could have transferred back to a bigger FBS school for his final year. Many players do this—it’s called "cashing in." But Lamson said no thanks.

His reasons:

Coaches Vigen and Sterbick stayed
He feels trusted and comfortable
Wants to win another title
Working on a master’s degree in finance (smart!)

Fun Fact: Lamson wants to be a "more polished quarterback." Even after a championship season, he watches game film and sees lots of things to improve. That’s a champion’s mindset!

Meet the Supporting Cast: Montana State’s Offensive Weapons

Lamson isn’t doing it alone. The Bobcats have serious talent around him:

Adam Jones – Running Back

1,000+ yards rushing in each of the last two seasons
Consistent, durable, and tough

Taco Dowler – Wide Receiver (Yes, that’s his real name!)

77 catches for 1,025 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2025
Big-play threat who can stretch the field

Pro Tip: When a QB has a great running back AND a 1,000-yard receiver, defenses can’t focus on just one thing. That makes Lamson’s job easier!

Other FCS Superstars You Should Know

The FCS is loaded with talent. Here are five more players lighting it up:

1. Beau Brungard – QB, Youngstown State

2024 Walter Payton Award Winner (Best FCS Offensive Player)

4,702 total yards (Led ALL of FCS!)
3,230 passing + 1,468 rushing
26 passing TDs, 27 rushing TDs
6.1 yards per carry (insane for a QB!)

2. Marquis Buchanan – WR, Rhode Island

The Catch Machine

78 catches, 1,337 yards (FCS LEADER in 2024)
2024: 82 catches, 1,124 yards
Caught 5+ passes in 13 of 14 games
6-foot-4 – a giant target!

3. Eli Gillman – RB, Montana

The Home-State Legend

3,677 career rushing yards (needs 394 for school record)
2024: 1,540 yards, 21 TDs → Big Sky Offensive POY
2023: Jerry Rice Award (Best FCS Freshman!)
Three straight 900+ yard seasons

4. Tye Niekamp – LB, Illinois State

The Tackle Machine

346 tackles in 3 years (36 for loss!)
160 tackles in 2024 (FCS LEADER)
112 tackles in 2023
AP First-Team All-American
Missouri Valley Defensive POY
Even had 1.5 sacks in the championship game loss

5. Joshua Stoneking – DE, Furman

The Quarterback Nightmare

14.5 sacks (FCS LEADER!)
That’s more than half of Furman’s 26 team sacks
79 tackles, 23 for loss
Multiple sacks in 5 of 12 games
Buck Buchanan Award Runner-Up (Best FCS Defender)

6. DJ Williams – QB, Southern Illinois

The Comeback King

Missed most of 2024 with hand injury
2025: 2,846 pass yds, 22 TDs + 847 rush yds, 18 TDs
True dual-threat (can beat you both ways)
Top 10 in Walter Payton Award voting

What This Means for the 2025 Season

Montana State’s Checklist for a Repeat:

Returning championship QB (Lamson)
Elite running back (Jones)
1,000-yard receiver (Dowler)
Trusted coaching staff (Vigen & Sterbick)
Hungry mindset (Lamson wants to be "more polished")

The Big Question:

Can anyone dethrone the champs? Brungard, Gillman, Williams, and others have something to say about that!

Summary: The Lamson Lesson

Justin Lamson’s story teaches us:

Trust matters more than prestige – He chose where he was wanted
Development > Exposure – Got better playing, not watching
Winning at any level feels amazing – FCS championship = real trophy
Smart players plan for life after football – Master’s in finance!
Loyalty can beat the transfer portal frenzy – He stayed when he could’ve left

Bottom Line: Sometimes the "smaller" stage is exactly where you become a giant.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

What’s the difference between FBS and FCS?

FBS = The biggest schools (SEC, Big Ten, etc.) with bowl games and a 4-team playoff. FCS = Smaller schools with a 24-team playoff and a true national championship game. Both are Division I!

Why didn’t Lamson just stay at Stanford or go to another big school?

He wasn’t the starter at Stanford (only 1 start). He wanted a coach who trusted him to be THE guy. Montana State gave him that trust—and he repaid it with a title.

Is FCS football "worse" than FBS?

No! It’s just different. FCS players are incredibly talented—many go to the NFL (like Cooper Kupp, Carson Wentz, Darius Leonard). The game is faster, more wide-open, and the playoff is more exciting because more teams get a real shot.

What’s the Walter Payton Award?

It’s the Heisman Trophy of FCS – given to the best offensive player each year. Beau Brungard won it in 2024.

Can Montana State win back-to-back titles?

They have the perfect recipe: returning QB, elite skill players, stable coaching, and a chip on their shoulder. But FCS is brutal—one bad game in the playoff and you’re done. That’s what makes it fun!

Want to follow the action? The 2025 FCS season kicks off in late August, with the championship game in Frisco, Texas this January. Keep an eye on #1 Montana State and all these superstars!

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