Mac Bignell's sack was a big moment in Saturday's opener
Photo by: Brian Morse
BOBCAT SUNDAY NOTEBOOK #1: Montana State D Stands Firm at Wazzu
9/3/2017 8:09:00 PM | Football
Bobcat offense never gets on track in season-opening shutout
Montana State limited 24th-ranked (FBS) Washington State to 73 plays and 31 points on Saturday, but the Cougars stymied the Cats at every turn in a 31-0 WSU win. Defensive player of the year candidate Hercules Mata'afa lived up to the hype, logging five tackles, 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage, and 1.5 sacks, while disrupting MSU plays regularly. Heisman Trophy candidate Luke Falk was 20-for-20 passing at halftime and finished 33-for-39 for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Chris Murray rushed for 55 yards to lead the Bobcats, but MSU's defense was the team's main storyline. The Bobcats limited Washington State to 11 drives, including just three of more than one play before halftime, but the Cougars averaged 7.0 yards per play and sustained six drives of at least seven plays to control the game.
Player of the Week Nominees
Offense – none
Defense – LB Mac Bignell (6-1, 215, Sr, Drummond, Montana): Senior linebacker Mac Bignell picked up in 2017 where he left off in 2016 at Washington State on Saturday, logging nine tackles, two behind the line of scrimmage, and one sack. His sack provided the Bobcats one of their best moments of the night, pinning the Cougars at their own two and eventually forcing the team's first punt of the night. Bignell's two tackles-for-loss give him 37.0 in his career, six away from MSU's career top 10 and 13.5 from the Big Sky list, which begins at sixth.
Special Teams – none
Freshman of the Week – none
Offensive Lineman of the Week – none
Statistical Rankings
Top 15 in NCAA Team Rankings – T1. 4th Down Conversions (1.000); T1. Fumbles Lost (0); 13. Fewest Penalty Yards (23); 14. Fewest Penalties per Game (4.0) and Fewest Penalty Yards per Game (23.0).
NCAA Individual Rankings – Chase Benson: T20th in sacks (1). Mac Bignell: T20th in sacks (1). Luke Daly: 20th in punting average (43.0). Bryson McCabe: T20th in solo tackles (8.0). Grant Collins: T1st in fumbles recovered (1). Khari Garcia: T3rd in forced fumbles (1). Damien Washington: T3rd in forced fumbles (1).
Post-Game News and Notes
Injury Report: Likely Out for Season – LB Lukas McCarthy.
• Washington State, last week's 24th-ranked team and Montana State's first ranked FBS opponent in 10 years, tossed the first shutout against the Cats since 2006 (130 games) and the first against MSU in a season-opener since 1988 (when Florida beat the Bobcats 69-0).
• After converting 11 of 19 4th down conversions a season ago, the Cats extended drives on their first two fourth down tries this season.
• The Bobcats played a fairly clean game given the circumstances Saturday, losing only one turnover (an interception), not fumbling, and committing only four penalties for 23 yards.
• Washington State ran 73 plays against Montana State on Saturday, which would have been the Cougars' third-lowest total in 2016, and the 511 total yards would have been WSU's seventh-highest total a season ago.
• In seven of his 12 games as a Bobcat, sophomore quarterback Chris Murray has Montana State's long run from scrimmage.
• Chris Murray has led the Bobcats in rushing five times in his career.
• The Bobcats enter Saturday's tilt with an 80-21-3 mark in home openers, and have won 10 straight such games, and 14 of 15
First Look: Montana State vs. South Dakota State
Game Details: Date – Saturday, September 9 Kickoff – 6 pm Special Promotion – ANNUAL GOLD RUSH GAME Audio – Statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network and msubobcats.com Video – Statewide on SWX Montana (Fox stations across Montana except in Billings, SWX) Streaming – msubobcats.com ($)
At A Glance: Montana State looks to buck some recent history when powerful South Dakota State visits Bobcat Stadium on Saturday. The Cats have lost four straight home games against nationally-ranked foes, seven straight against teams in the top 10, and the Jackrabbits beat MSU 47-40 in the first round of the 2014 FCS Playoffs. This year's SDSU squad is loaded with individual stars. Receiver Jake Wieneke, one of South Dakota State's three Payton Award candidates, caught four passes for 57 yards against the Bobcats in that playoff game as a freshman. SDSU pummeled Duquesne to open the season at home last Thursday, with quarterback Taryn Christion throwing for 254 yards and five touchdowns while adding 96 yards on the ground. Wieneke caught six passes, four for touchdowns.
Player of the Week Nominees
Offense – none
Defense – LB Mac Bignell (6-1, 215, Sr, Drummond, Montana): Senior linebacker Mac Bignell picked up in 2017 where he left off in 2016 at Washington State on Saturday, logging nine tackles, two behind the line of scrimmage, and one sack. His sack provided the Bobcats one of their best moments of the night, pinning the Cougars at their own two and eventually forcing the team's first punt of the night. Bignell's two tackles-for-loss give him 37.0 in his career, six away from MSU's career top 10 and 13.5 from the Big Sky list, which begins at sixth.
Special Teams – none
Freshman of the Week – none
Offensive Lineman of the Week – none
Statistical Rankings
Top 15 in NCAA Team Rankings – T1. 4th Down Conversions (1.000); T1. Fumbles Lost (0); 13. Fewest Penalty Yards (23); 14. Fewest Penalties per Game (4.0) and Fewest Penalty Yards per Game (23.0).
NCAA Individual Rankings – Chase Benson: T20th in sacks (1). Mac Bignell: T20th in sacks (1). Luke Daly: 20th in punting average (43.0). Bryson McCabe: T20th in solo tackles (8.0). Grant Collins: T1st in fumbles recovered (1). Khari Garcia: T3rd in forced fumbles (1). Damien Washington: T3rd in forced fumbles (1).
Post-Game News and Notes
Injury Report: Likely Out for Season – LB Lukas McCarthy.
• Washington State, last week's 24th-ranked team and Montana State's first ranked FBS opponent in 10 years, tossed the first shutout against the Cats since 2006 (130 games) and the first against MSU in a season-opener since 1988 (when Florida beat the Bobcats 69-0).
• After converting 11 of 19 4th down conversions a season ago, the Cats extended drives on their first two fourth down tries this season.
• The Bobcats played a fairly clean game given the circumstances Saturday, losing only one turnover (an interception), not fumbling, and committing only four penalties for 23 yards.
• Washington State ran 73 plays against Montana State on Saturday, which would have been the Cougars' third-lowest total in 2016, and the 511 total yards would have been WSU's seventh-highest total a season ago.
• In seven of his 12 games as a Bobcat, sophomore quarterback Chris Murray has Montana State's long run from scrimmage.
• Chris Murray has led the Bobcats in rushing five times in his career.
• The Bobcats enter Saturday's tilt with an 80-21-3 mark in home openers, and have won 10 straight such games, and 14 of 15
First Look: Montana State vs. South Dakota State
Game Details: Date – Saturday, September 9 Kickoff – 6 pm Special Promotion – ANNUAL GOLD RUSH GAME Audio – Statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network and msubobcats.com Video – Statewide on SWX Montana (Fox stations across Montana except in Billings, SWX) Streaming – msubobcats.com ($)
At A Glance: Montana State looks to buck some recent history when powerful South Dakota State visits Bobcat Stadium on Saturday. The Cats have lost four straight home games against nationally-ranked foes, seven straight against teams in the top 10, and the Jackrabbits beat MSU 47-40 in the first round of the 2014 FCS Playoffs. This year's SDSU squad is loaded with individual stars. Receiver Jake Wieneke, one of South Dakota State's three Payton Award candidates, caught four passes for 57 yards against the Bobcats in that playoff game as a freshman. SDSU pummeled Duquesne to open the season at home last Thursday, with quarterback Taryn Christion throwing for 254 yards and five touchdowns while adding 96 yards on the ground. Wieneke caught six passes, four for touchdowns.
Players Mentioned
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