Saturday, November 4
BOZEMAN
12 pm
Montana State University
vs
#25 Kennesaw State (Military/Ag Appreciation)
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
GAME #9: Montana State hosts 25th-ranked Kennesaw State Saturday
11/3/2017 8:51:00 AM | Football
MSU faces sixth ranked foe of 2017
Winter descended on Bozeman Wednesday, with snow flying, and it all worked as an apt metaphor for Montana State football's immediate future.
Cold weather. Line-of-scrimmage football. Important games.
That begins Saturday, when 25th-ranked Kennesaw State becomes the first team from Georgia ever to visit Bozeman. Only five teams have traveled further to play in Bobcat Stadium. But none of that was on Jeff Choate's mind while preparing to face one of the nation's most prolific offenses and stingy defenses.
"Kennesaw State is a very good football team, ranked 25th in the nation," Choate said. "This is a late-season non-conference game against a 7-1 team that is really good at playing its own style of football."
The Owls ride a seven-game win streak into Bobcat Stadium on Saturday, with the only loss to nationally-ranked Samford. Kennesaw State is the top rushing team in the FCS, averaging 329.4 yards a game, but is hardly a one-trick pony on that side of the football. While the style may be unique to the Cats, the quality is not. Kennesaw State is the sixth ranked opponent Montana State has faced this season – five of the six remain ranked, including FBS foe Washington State – and the third non-league opponent. Montana State have never before faced six ranked foes in the regular season, and the three ranked non-conference opponents equals the number MSU faced from 2007-16 combined.
Regardless of statistics and rankings, Choate says Kennesaw State poses challenges. "They're kind of a standard triple option team. They're big at the guard positions but kind of smaller and very athletic everywhere else on the offensive line. They have talented skill players, they play a number of guys at wingback, and they have a very productive receiver."
The Owls' trigger man is quarterback Chandler Burks, the team's leading rusher, but KSU operates a diverse offense. "They have a handful of guys that handle the ball," Choate said. "The fullback, (Jake) McKenzie, is always going to be the main cog, and if they can get the dive going then everything else falls into line. They have a receiver, (Justin) Sumpter, who averages 20.3 yards a reception. They don't throw the ball at a tremendous clip, when they do they're generally explosive plays, and he's kind of the main target, especially in the red zone."
Defensively, the Owls rely on strength in the middle and speed on the perimeter. Nose tackle Auzoyah Alufohai, a 322 lb junior who Choate calls "very difficult to move," anchors the defensive line. Safety Bryson Armstrong leads the team with 52 tackles, including six sacks, and has intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles. That points to the KSU defense's shining strength – takeaways. The Owls have intercepted 16 passes and recovered six opponent fumbles for a turnover margin of +14.
"They have great team speed, probably the fastest defense we've seen," said MSU offensive coordinator Brian Armstrong. "They really run very well sideline to sideline. They're very athletic, they've got good twitch on the defensive line."
Armstrong said playing a team that the Bobcats have no history which may place a greater premium on game-day adjustments. "There are a lot of things we have to find answers to on Saturday, matchups and those kinds of things," he said.
Montana State's 28-14 win over Idaho State last week gave the Bobcats back-to-back wins for the first time this season, and both came in contests the Cats didn't lead at halftime. Choate likes his team's progress. "It's a positive step that we're winning close games," he said. "We're gradually becoming a team that's learning to get out of its own way. Slowly but surely we're understanding what our style is offensively and defensively, and we're playing to that at important times."
A year ago, Montana State entered the home stretch on a six-game league losing streak. The Bobcats beat UC Davis on Senior Day, then registered the exhilarating win in Missoula to cap a season of growth. The 2017 Bobcats enter November 4-4, with four Big Sky wins against two league losses. "I think we're maturing as a football program," Choate said.
As part of Ag/Military Appreciation Day , ceremonies include MSU's recent recognition as a Military Order of the Purple Heart University for success in helping veterans integrate into campus, introduction of Purple Heart recipients from every major conflict beginning with World War II, introduction of Leaders in Agriculture recipients from across Montana, and recognition of MSU's farm-to-table program featuring families involved in providing fresh and locally-grown food on the MSU campus. Bobcat Athletics will also honor men and women who fought wildfires across Montana throughout the summer and fall. Order tickets at www.msubobcats.com.
Kickoff Saturday is 12 noon. The game is televised across the state on SWX affiliates and streamed on-line at msubobcats.com (cost is $10).
Cold weather. Line-of-scrimmage football. Important games.
That begins Saturday, when 25th-ranked Kennesaw State becomes the first team from Georgia ever to visit Bozeman. Only five teams have traveled further to play in Bobcat Stadium. But none of that was on Jeff Choate's mind while preparing to face one of the nation's most prolific offenses and stingy defenses.
"Kennesaw State is a very good football team, ranked 25th in the nation," Choate said. "This is a late-season non-conference game against a 7-1 team that is really good at playing its own style of football."
The Owls ride a seven-game win streak into Bobcat Stadium on Saturday, with the only loss to nationally-ranked Samford. Kennesaw State is the top rushing team in the FCS, averaging 329.4 yards a game, but is hardly a one-trick pony on that side of the football. While the style may be unique to the Cats, the quality is not. Kennesaw State is the sixth ranked opponent Montana State has faced this season – five of the six remain ranked, including FBS foe Washington State – and the third non-league opponent. Montana State have never before faced six ranked foes in the regular season, and the three ranked non-conference opponents equals the number MSU faced from 2007-16 combined.
Regardless of statistics and rankings, Choate says Kennesaw State poses challenges. "They're kind of a standard triple option team. They're big at the guard positions but kind of smaller and very athletic everywhere else on the offensive line. They have talented skill players, they play a number of guys at wingback, and they have a very productive receiver."
The Owls' trigger man is quarterback Chandler Burks, the team's leading rusher, but KSU operates a diverse offense. "They have a handful of guys that handle the ball," Choate said. "The fullback, (Jake) McKenzie, is always going to be the main cog, and if they can get the dive going then everything else falls into line. They have a receiver, (Justin) Sumpter, who averages 20.3 yards a reception. They don't throw the ball at a tremendous clip, when they do they're generally explosive plays, and he's kind of the main target, especially in the red zone."
Defensively, the Owls rely on strength in the middle and speed on the perimeter. Nose tackle Auzoyah Alufohai, a 322 lb junior who Choate calls "very difficult to move," anchors the defensive line. Safety Bryson Armstrong leads the team with 52 tackles, including six sacks, and has intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles. That points to the KSU defense's shining strength – takeaways. The Owls have intercepted 16 passes and recovered six opponent fumbles for a turnover margin of +14.
"They have great team speed, probably the fastest defense we've seen," said MSU offensive coordinator Brian Armstrong. "They really run very well sideline to sideline. They're very athletic, they've got good twitch on the defensive line."
Armstrong said playing a team that the Bobcats have no history which may place a greater premium on game-day adjustments. "There are a lot of things we have to find answers to on Saturday, matchups and those kinds of things," he said.
Montana State's 28-14 win over Idaho State last week gave the Bobcats back-to-back wins for the first time this season, and both came in contests the Cats didn't lead at halftime. Choate likes his team's progress. "It's a positive step that we're winning close games," he said. "We're gradually becoming a team that's learning to get out of its own way. Slowly but surely we're understanding what our style is offensively and defensively, and we're playing to that at important times."
A year ago, Montana State entered the home stretch on a six-game league losing streak. The Bobcats beat UC Davis on Senior Day, then registered the exhilarating win in Missoula to cap a season of growth. The 2017 Bobcats enter November 4-4, with four Big Sky wins against two league losses. "I think we're maturing as a football program," Choate said.
As part of Ag/Military Appreciation Day , ceremonies include MSU's recent recognition as a Military Order of the Purple Heart University for success in helping veterans integrate into campus, introduction of Purple Heart recipients from every major conflict beginning with World War II, introduction of Leaders in Agriculture recipients from across Montana, and recognition of MSU's farm-to-table program featuring families involved in providing fresh and locally-grown food on the MSU campus. Bobcat Athletics will also honor men and women who fought wildfires across Montana throughout the summer and fall. Order tickets at www.msubobcats.com.
Kickoff Saturday is 12 noon. The game is televised across the state on SWX affiliates and streamed on-line at msubobcats.com (cost is $10).
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