Photo by: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez
Bobcats, Grizzlies Get Together on Gridiron for 116th Brawl of the Wild
11/16/2016 5:11:00 PM | Football
2016 Cat-Griz showdown is at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday
THE STORYLINE
Montana State closes out its 2016 season in traditional style Saturday when the Bobcats visit Montana for the 116th Cat-Griz game. This year's Brawl of the Wild pits a 6-4 Grizzly team fighting for its playoff lives against Jeff Choate's first Bobcat team looking to finish on a positive note. MSU has quietly posted a strong season defensively, standing in the top of of all Big Sky defensive rankings, but faces a stern test in UM's explosive offense.
MSU vs.UM SERIES RECORD AND NOTES
Series Record (Home/Road)....................................................................................... 37-73-5*
Jeff Choate vs. Montana (Home/Road)............................................................. 0-0 (0-0/0-0)
Jeff Choate vs. Bob Stitt (Home/Road)............................................................. 0-0 (0-0/0-0)
Bob Stitt vs. MSU (Home/Road).......................................................................... 1-0 (0-0/1-0)
*-UM's 2011 win was vacated due to violation of NCAA rules
SERIES NOTES: The Bobcats have lost three straight to Montana, with the Grizzlies increasing their point total in each of those games (escalating to last year's 54 points)... MSU is 4-1 when holding Montana to less than 20 points in the last 24 games, 0-23 when the Grizzlies score 20 or more.
ON THE RECORD
• Chris Murray's 718 rushing yards is an MSU freshman record
STADIUM STUFF
• Montana State visited Washington-Grizzly Stadium eight times before earning its first victory there, but has won on three of its last seven trips to Missoula
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
• Chris Murray has rushed for 10 touchdowns this season, tied for the second-highest total in the Big Sky
• While Montana scores 41.7 points a game, second in the Big Sky, the Bobcats allow 25.9 points a game, also second
• UM's defense allows the fewest yards per game in the league (344.3)
HIGHLIGHTS
• MSU's win against UC Davis snapped a six-game losing streak, the program's longest since 1999-2001
• Chris Murray's three 100-yard rushing games this year is second in school history by a quarterback (Dakota Prukop, 5, 2014)
STREAKS
• JP Flynn has started 42 straight games, and Saturday's start gives him one of the eight longest consecutive start streaks in Bobcat history
• Freshman quarterback Chris Murray has rushed for a touchdown in three straight
• After forcing at least one turnover in the first five games this season, MSU failed to get a turnover in four straight before Mac Bignell's fumble recovery Saturday
• This season snaps a string of seven straight appearing in the national polls
MILESTONES
• Chad Newell's 2,037 career rushing yards is 10th in school history, his 28 career rushing touchdowns is one from catching Don Hass for second place
• Chris Murray's 718 rushing yards leads the team, something a Bobcat freshman has done over a full season only three times in the last 50 years
Montana State closes out its 2016 season in traditional style Saturday when the Bobcats visit Montana for the 116th Cat-Griz game. This year's Brawl of the Wild pits a 6-4 Grizzly team fighting for its playoff lives against Jeff Choate's first Bobcat team looking to finish on a positive note. MSU has quietly posted a strong season defensively, standing in the top of of all Big Sky defensive rankings, but faces a stern test in UM's explosive offense.
MSU vs.UM SERIES RECORD AND NOTES
Series Record (Home/Road)....................................................................................... 37-73-5*
Jeff Choate vs. Montana (Home/Road)............................................................. 0-0 (0-0/0-0)
Jeff Choate vs. Bob Stitt (Home/Road)............................................................. 0-0 (0-0/0-0)
Bob Stitt vs. MSU (Home/Road).......................................................................... 1-0 (0-0/1-0)
*-UM's 2011 win was vacated due to violation of NCAA rules
SERIES NOTES: The Bobcats have lost three straight to Montana, with the Grizzlies increasing their point total in each of those games (escalating to last year's 54 points)... MSU is 4-1 when holding Montana to less than 20 points in the last 24 games, 0-23 when the Grizzlies score 20 or more.
ON THE RECORD
• Chris Murray's 718 rushing yards is an MSU freshman record
STADIUM STUFF
• Montana State visited Washington-Grizzly Stadium eight times before earning its first victory there, but has won on three of its last seven trips to Missoula
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
• Chris Murray has rushed for 10 touchdowns this season, tied for the second-highest total in the Big Sky
• While Montana scores 41.7 points a game, second in the Big Sky, the Bobcats allow 25.9 points a game, also second
• UM's defense allows the fewest yards per game in the league (344.3)
HIGHLIGHTS
• MSU's win against UC Davis snapped a six-game losing streak, the program's longest since 1999-2001
• Chris Murray's three 100-yard rushing games this year is second in school history by a quarterback (Dakota Prukop, 5, 2014)
STREAKS
• JP Flynn has started 42 straight games, and Saturday's start gives him one of the eight longest consecutive start streaks in Bobcat history
• Freshman quarterback Chris Murray has rushed for a touchdown in three straight
• After forcing at least one turnover in the first five games this season, MSU failed to get a turnover in four straight before Mac Bignell's fumble recovery Saturday
• This season snaps a string of seven straight appearing in the national polls
MILESTONES
• Chad Newell's 2,037 career rushing yards is 10th in school history, his 28 career rushing touchdowns is one from catching Don Hass for second place
• Chris Murray's 718 rushing yards leads the team, something a Bobcat freshman has done over a full season only three times in the last 50 years
Players Mentioned
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OL
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RB
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QB
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