All-America tight end Blake Wolf catches a pass in MSU's last outing against SDSU
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
MSU Playoff Potpourri: A Look at the Cats and the FCS Playoffs
11/23/2014 12:29:00 PM | Football
Montana State hosts MVC foe for first time since 2010
Montana State opens the 2014 post-season with its 16th NCAA Playoffs game when it hosts South Dakota State on Saturday at 2 pm in Bobcat Stadium. Below are some facts for Bobcat fans prepping for this year's playoffs...
* Montana State is 9-6 in NCAA Playoffs competition, 6-6 in the Division I-AA/FCS era. MSU has advanced to the post-season in nine seasons, counting 2014, and four of the last five.
* The 2014 season marks only the second time in school history the team has advanced to the playoffs without winning at least a share of the Big Sky title. The previous time was 2006, when the Bobcats beat Furman at home before falling at Appalachian State.
* Montana State is 10-2 all-time against South Dakota State, and the last meeting between the two was a hard-fought 27-24 Bobcat win in Bozeman in 2004.
* Saturday's contest is MSU's fourth matchup against a Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent. North Dakota State beat the Cats 42-17 in the second round of the 2010 FCS Playoffs, and Northern Iowa won 35-14 at Cedar Falls in the first round in 2003. MSU beat NDSU 10-3 at Fargo during the 1976 semifinals.
* The game marks MSU's third straight playoff home game. The Cats beat Stony Brook before losing to Sam Houston State in Bobcat Stadium during their last playoff appearance, 2012.
* New Hampshire, a 2011 Bobcat playoff opponent, is the top seed in this year's tournament. The Wildcats are one of four Colonial Athletic Association teams selected (joining James Madison, Richmond and Villanova).
* The Missouri Valley leads the field with five entries - NDSU, Illinois State, Indiana State and Northern Iowa in addition to SDSU.
* MSU has faced four of this year's 23 other playoff teams in the post-season, and in all has faced eight of its 23 possible opponents previously.
* The Jackrabbits feature a punishing ground game, led by star running back Zach Zenner (1,634 yards, 16 touchdowns, 136.2 yards per game and 5.8 yards a carry).
* Quarterback Zach Lujan has thrown for 1,943 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a team, SDSU has thrown for 3,231 yards and 25 touchdowns, and of that production 1,318 yards and 15 touchdowns have gone to Jake Wieneke.
* Montana State is 9-6 in NCAA Playoffs competition, 6-6 in the Division I-AA/FCS era. MSU has advanced to the post-season in nine seasons, counting 2014, and four of the last five.
* The 2014 season marks only the second time in school history the team has advanced to the playoffs without winning at least a share of the Big Sky title. The previous time was 2006, when the Bobcats beat Furman at home before falling at Appalachian State.
* Montana State is 10-2 all-time against South Dakota State, and the last meeting between the two was a hard-fought 27-24 Bobcat win in Bozeman in 2004.
* Saturday's contest is MSU's fourth matchup against a Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent. North Dakota State beat the Cats 42-17 in the second round of the 2010 FCS Playoffs, and Northern Iowa won 35-14 at Cedar Falls in the first round in 2003. MSU beat NDSU 10-3 at Fargo during the 1976 semifinals.
* The game marks MSU's third straight playoff home game. The Cats beat Stony Brook before losing to Sam Houston State in Bobcat Stadium during their last playoff appearance, 2012.
* New Hampshire, a 2011 Bobcat playoff opponent, is the top seed in this year's tournament. The Wildcats are one of four Colonial Athletic Association teams selected (joining James Madison, Richmond and Villanova).
* The Missouri Valley leads the field with five entries - NDSU, Illinois State, Indiana State and Northern Iowa in addition to SDSU.
* MSU has faced four of this year's 23 other playoff teams in the post-season, and in all has faced eight of its 23 possible opponents previously.
* The Jackrabbits feature a punishing ground game, led by star running back Zach Zenner (1,634 yards, 16 touchdowns, 136.2 yards per game and 5.8 yards a carry).
* Quarterback Zach Lujan has thrown for 1,943 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a team, SDSU has thrown for 3,231 yards and 25 touchdowns, and of that production 1,318 yards and 15 touchdowns have gone to Jake Wieneke.
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