The Team That Carried “41” Back to the Top (Montana State Bobcats, USA)

Quick answer: What does the number 41 mean to Montana State football?

At Montana State, “41” is a living memorial: Montana as the 41st state, and the 1941 team whose era was followed by wartime loss. John wrote about it after the Bobcats won the FCS national championship 35–34 in Nashville, the first FCS title game to reach overtime.

John doesn't usually post twice in a day, but he made an exception. In Nashville, Montana State won the FCS national championship 35–34 over Illinois State, the first title game in FCS history to reach overtime. The game turned on work you can't autograph. Illinois State lined up a late field goal with the lead in reach, and Jhase McMillan got a hand on it. In overtime, Illinois State scored first, then had its extra point blocked. Montana State needed a touchdown. On fourth-and-10, Justin Lamson hit Taco Dowler for the score, and Myles Sansted's extra point finished it. The number 41 has always mattered there. It's a living memorial in the program: Montana as the forty-first state, and the 1941 team whose era was followed by wartime loss. A former coach said he read the memorial plaque twenty times. Championships reward poise, John writes, and they also reward memory. Luke, John notes, is a freshman at MSU. What a way to start college.

Why it matters for leaders: Carry the standard, learn the story behind the number, and earn your place in it.

Q: How was the championship won?

A: After a blocked field goal and a blocked extra point, Justin Lamson hit Taco Dowler on fourth-and-10 in overtime, and Myles Sansted's extra point won it.

Q: What is the takeaway?

A: Carry the standard, learn the story behind the number, and earn being part of it.

Read the full essay on Substack → https://heroespath.substack.com/p/the-team-that-carried-41-back-to

By John Fenzel, founder and CEO of Heroes' Path Foundation