BOZEMAN — Top-ranked Montana State will be without starters Justin Lamson and Taco Dowler for its nationally televised Big Sky Conference football game versus No. 18 Northern Arizona on Saturday, sources confirmed to MTN Sports.
Skyline Sports was the first to report that Lamson and Dowler would miss the game, which is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 p.m. inside Bobcat Stadium and air on ESPN2.
Montana State has since confirmed Lamson and Dowler would miss the game versus Northern Arizona and that Patrick Duchien and Carter Dahlke would start in their places. Duchien, at quarterback, and Dahlke, at receiver and punt returner, will be making their first career starts.
Additionally, running back Adam Jones is probable for the game but may not start. If he doesn't, Colson Coon would get the start.
Lamson and Dowler will miss the game due to injuries suffered last week against Central Connecticut State. Lamson, who has been a revelation at quarterback since joining the program in 2025, is missing his first game since transferring to MSU.
He started all 16 games in helping the Bobcats win the FCS national championship last season and is 4-0 as a starter this season. Montana State has won 18 consecutive games with Lamson starting at QB.
In four games this season, Lamson has completed 76 of 102 pass attempts (74.5%) after connecting on a Big Sky-record 71.6% of his passes last season. He's thrown for 923 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception this season.
Duchien, a Florence product, will start in Lamson's place. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback is in his fourth year at Montana State and played in five games last season. He's taken snaps in three games this season, completing all five of his pass attempts for 47 yards and a touchdown against Utah Tech; going 5-of-7 passing for 93 yards with a TD and an interception against Butler; and running in a touchdown last week against Central Connecticut.
Dowler, the All-American all-purpose player who starts at receiver and excels as a punt returner, caught seven passes for 38 yards against Central Connecticut. For the season, he has 24 catches for 224 yards and one touchdown.
Dowler has also returned 11 punts for 202 yards this season and became the Big Sky's all-time leader in career punt return yards.