Saturday, November 5
Ogden, UT
1:35 PM
Montana State University
at
at WEBER STATE
Zach Minter has his eyes on Weber State's high-powered offense Saturday
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Second-Ranked MSU Heads for Cat Fight in Ogden
11/3/2011 5:40:00 PM | Football
Bobcats, Weber State meet Saturday on Altitude TV at 1:30 pm
For a team that came into the season considered a high-flying, pass-first aerial act, Montana State certainly seems to run the ball well. Behind its workhorse offensive line and riding the sturdy legs of running backs Cody Kirk (MSU's third 1,000-yard rusher in the last four years) and Tray Robinson, the Bobcats are now 9th in the FCS in rushing after churning out over 1,000 yards in the last three games. Amazingly, this surge comes in the midst of a retooling in the team's offensive front. In the last month, starting right tackle Leo Davis has missed three games and, upon returning, moved at least temporarily to guard, with Alex Terrien taking over at right tackle. That restructuring has coincided with MSU's offensive surge. This week MSU faces a Weber State team that won three of its first four league games before stumbling at Montana last weekend without its starting quarterback, Mike Hoke. A junior, Hoke is currently third in the Big Sky in pass efficiency, one spot ahead of Bobcat quarterback DeNarius McGhee.
MSU Game Notes vs. Weber State
WSU Game Notes vs. Montana State
Updated MSU Player Capsules
THIS WEEK'S GAME
KICKOFF: 1:35 pm
SITE: Ogden, UT
STADIUM: Stewart Stadium
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Jeff Lasky, Dan Davies, Tyler Wiltgen-SL)
TELEVISION: Altitude (Chris Marlowe, Scott Hastings, Maya Starks-SL)
FOR OPENERS
• Rob Ash's 37th MSU win last week moves him into fourth place on MSU's career victories list, three behind current ISU coach Mike Kramer
• Montana State has clinched its 11th straight winning season in league play
STADIUM STUFF
• MSU averages 41.3 points and 504.2 yards in its five home games this season
• Cody Kirk has rushed for 678 yards in five 2011 home games
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
• Jason Cunningham (8.9 points per game) and Cody Kirk (8.7) are second and third in the Big Sky in scoring
• MSU leads the BSC in rush defense, pass defense, total defense, and scoring defense
2011 MSU SCHEDULE
Sept 1 at Utah, L, 10-27
Sept 10 UC Davis, W, 38-14
Sept 17 Minot State, W, 43-7
Sept 24 *at Eastern Wash., W, 36-21
Oct 1 *Sacramento St, W, 31-21
Oct 8 *at Portland St, W, 38-36
Oct 15 *Northern Arizona, W, 41-24
Oct 22 *at Northern Colo., W, 31-21
Oct 29 *Idaho State, W, 54-13
Nov 5 *at Weber St, 1:35 pm MT
Nov 19 *Montana, 12:05 pm
HIGHLIGHTS
• MSU's 415 rushing yards Saturday was the fourth-highest total in school history
• Cody Kirk and Tray Robinson became the second set of Bobcat backs to gain over 100 yards each in two different games on Saturday
• MSU has gained at least 500 yards 10 times over the past two seasons, one more than from 1992-2009 combined
STREAKS
• WR Elvis Akpla has caught a pass in each of his 31 games at MSU, and a touchdown pass in the last eight
• Alex Terrien's 35 straight starts include games at all three O-line positions
• The Cats have scored 30+ points in a school-record eight straight games
• MSU now owns back-to-back 8-win seasons for the first time since 1956-58
MILESTONES
• DeNarius McGhee's 41 career TD passes is 4th in Bobcat history, and his 18 in 2011 is tied for MSU's 6th-best year
• MSU is 6-0 in Big Sky play for the first time since 1976
SHINING
• The Bobcat O-Line paved the way for 1,019 rushing yards with just one sack allowed in last three games
• RB Cody Kirk has rushed for 528 yards in the last three games
• DE Brad Daly added a half-sack to his Big Sky-leading total (7.5) vs. ISU
MSU Game Notes vs. Weber State
WSU Game Notes vs. Montana State
Updated MSU Player Capsules
THIS WEEK'S GAME
KICKOFF: 1:35 pm
SITE: Ogden, UT
STADIUM: Stewart Stadium
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Jeff Lasky, Dan Davies, Tyler Wiltgen-SL)
TELEVISION: Altitude (Chris Marlowe, Scott Hastings, Maya Starks-SL)
FOR OPENERS
• Rob Ash's 37th MSU win last week moves him into fourth place on MSU's career victories list, three behind current ISU coach Mike Kramer
• Montana State has clinched its 11th straight winning season in league play
STADIUM STUFF
• MSU averages 41.3 points and 504.2 yards in its five home games this season
• Cody Kirk has rushed for 678 yards in five 2011 home games
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
• Jason Cunningham (8.9 points per game) and Cody Kirk (8.7) are second and third in the Big Sky in scoring
• MSU leads the BSC in rush defense, pass defense, total defense, and scoring defense
2011 MSU SCHEDULE
Sept 1 at Utah, L, 10-27
Sept 10 UC Davis, W, 38-14
Sept 17 Minot State, W, 43-7
Sept 24 *at Eastern Wash., W, 36-21
Oct 1 *Sacramento St, W, 31-21
Oct 8 *at Portland St, W, 38-36
Oct 15 *Northern Arizona, W, 41-24
Oct 22 *at Northern Colo., W, 31-21
Oct 29 *Idaho State, W, 54-13
Nov 5 *at Weber St, 1:35 pm MT
Nov 19 *Montana, 12:05 pm
HIGHLIGHTS
• MSU's 415 rushing yards Saturday was the fourth-highest total in school history
• Cody Kirk and Tray Robinson became the second set of Bobcat backs to gain over 100 yards each in two different games on Saturday
• MSU has gained at least 500 yards 10 times over the past two seasons, one more than from 1992-2009 combined
STREAKS
• WR Elvis Akpla has caught a pass in each of his 31 games at MSU, and a touchdown pass in the last eight
• Alex Terrien's 35 straight starts include games at all three O-line positions
• The Cats have scored 30+ points in a school-record eight straight games
• MSU now owns back-to-back 8-win seasons for the first time since 1956-58
MILESTONES
• DeNarius McGhee's 41 career TD passes is 4th in Bobcat history, and his 18 in 2011 is tied for MSU's 6th-best year
• MSU is 6-0 in Big Sky play for the first time since 1976
SHINING
• The Bobcat O-Line paved the way for 1,019 rushing yards with just one sack allowed in last three games
• RB Cody Kirk has rushed for 528 yards in the last three games
• DE Brad Daly added a half-sack to his Big Sky-leading total (7.5) vs. ISU
This week's game preview is brought to you by Montana Disaster and Emergency Services.
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