Montana State University
MONTANA
Cat-Griz: 112th Meeting
11/16/2012 12:19:00 PM | Football
The Bobcats will face Montana at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the 112th meeting in the storied rivalry
MONTANA STATE GAME NOTES (pdf)
MONTANA GAME NOTES (pdf)
THE STORYLINE
Intriguing matchups abound when the 2012 regular season culminates Saturday with the 112th Cat-Griz game in Missoula. Led by a bruising ground game featuring the electric duo of Peter Nguyen and Jordan Canada and possibly battering-ram back Dan Moore, Montana's top-ranked offense looks to extend its dominance against a Bobcat defense which also leads the Big Sky. MSU allows just 65.9 yards a game, but surrendered 232 rushing yards to Portland State a week ago. UM freshman quarterback Shay Smithwick-Hann brings a hot hand to Saturday's showdown, standing second in the league in pass efficiency in conference games. His opposite, Denarius McGhee, carries a career record of 28-7 into the contest. The Bobcats are competing for a share of the Big Sky title this weekend.
FOR OPENERS
• Bobcat defensive end Caleb Schreibeis leads the FCS in forced fumbles (seven), and is fourth in sacks (13)
• Montana State has posted three straight nine-win seasons for the first time
• Rob Ash's 48th win last week vs. PSU sets the all-time Bobcat record
STADIUM STUFF
• MSU has won only twice in Washington-Grizzly Stadium - 2002, and '10
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
• Big Sky teams own wins over the Pac 12 (Sac State beat Colorado), Mountain West (NAU topped UNLV, Cal Poly beat Wyoming), and WAC (EWU beat Idaho) this season
• Montana leads the Big Sky in total offense (461.7), MSU in total defense (305.2)
• Cody Kirk's 14 TDs from scrimmage (in just eight games) is the most in the Big Sky
THIS WEEK'S GAME
KICKOFF: 1:35 pm
SITE: Missoula, MT
STADIUM: Washington-Grizzly Stadium
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Tyler Wiltgen, Dan Davies)
TELEVISION: ROOT Sports (Tom Glasgow, Sed Bonner, Jason Stiles, Jenny Cavnar, Jen Mueller)
2012 MSU SCHEDULE
Aug 30 Chadron State, W, 33-6
Sept 8 at Drake, W, 34-24
Sept 15 Stephen F. Austin, W, 43-35
Sept 22 *Northern Colorado, W, 41-16
Sept 29 *at Southern Utah, W, 24-17
Oct 6 *at UC Davis, W, 48-41
Oct 13 *Eastern Wash., L, 24-27
Oct 27 *North Dakota, W, 55-10
Nov. 3 *at Sacramento St, W, 20-17
Nov 10 *Portland State, W, 65-30
Nov 17 *at Montana, 1:35 pm
HIGHLIGHTS
• The 35 wins by this year's seniors is the most by any group over four seasons in school history
• The Bobcats' 20 league wins since 2010 is the most in the Big Sky
STREAKS
• MSU's 26 straight weeks in the top 10 is longer than any other string of consecutive weeks in the top 25 in school history
• Cody Kirk has rushed for at least 100 yards in three straight games
• Caleb Schreibeis has at least one sack in each of his first nine games of 2012, and has forced at least one fumble in three straight games
MILESTONES
• DeNarius McGhee's 68 career TD passes is an MSU record, and his 8,441 passing yards is second in school history
• Rob Ash's 48 career wins is the most in MSU history
• DeNarius McGhee's 28 wins as starting quarterback is the MSU's most ever
• Cody Kirk's 29 career rushing TDs is tied for 1st in MSU history
SHINING
• RB Cody Kirk rushed for 411 yards and seven TDs in the last three games
• QB DeNarius McGhee threw four touchdown passes against Portland State
• DE Caleb Schreibeis has joined the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List for FCS Defensive Player of the Year
