Troy Andersen
Photo by: Garrett Becker
BOBCAT FOOTBALL SUNDAY NOTEBOOK #10: Ground Game Highlights MSU Win at UNC
11/10/2019 3:24:00 PM | Football
Bobcats post second striaght win of 30 or more points
Below is a quick look at Montana State's 45-14 win at Northern Colorado on Saturday...
PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS
ALL-PURPOSE: Troy Andersen, LB/QB (6-4, 233, Jr, Dillon, Montana)
Troy Andersen threw for a touchdown, rushed for one, and logged eight tackles with a sack in Montana State's 45-14 win at Northern Colorado on Saturday. The day marked the third game in the last four when Andersen registered both a touchdown and tackle-for-loss in the same contest. Andersen has rushed for six touchdowns this season, three in the last four games, and threw his first touchdown pass of 2019 on Saturday. He also has 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks in the last four games. His 32nd career rushing touchdown is 2nd in Bobcat history.
OFFENSE: Mitch Brott, LT (6-6, 300, Sr, Billings, MT)
On the day he made his 45th consecutive start, which covers every game of his MSU varsity career, Mitch Brott keyed a historic Bobcat offensive effort. With Brott at left tackle, Montana State rushed for 451 yards, third-most in program history and the most in the history of Northern Colorado's Nottingham Field. Montana State averages a Big Sky-best 257.5 rushing yards per game, 8th in the FCS, and after allowing one UNC sack the Cats stand 8th in the FCS and lead the Big Sky with just 1.0 sacks allowed per game.
DEFENSE: Josh Hill, LB (5-11, 210, Sr, Kalispell, MT)
Senior linebacker Josh Hill logged a season-high 10 tackles, including eight solos and two behind the line of scrimmage, to lead Montana State's defense in a 45-14 win at Northern Colorado on Saturday. His first tackle-for-loss came on the game's first drive, when, facing a third-and-two, he stopped Bears quarterback Jacob Knipp for a loss of one. That was his third tackle on that drive's six plays. Hill also had a third-down stop for no gain to terminate Northern Colorado's sixth drive, when the Bobcats led 24-7. He also had a third-quarter tackle-for-loss on a pass completion.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Coy Steel, RS/Coverage (5-8, 177, So, Sheridan, WY)
Sophomore Coy Steel impacted all phases of Montana State's kicking game Saturday, returning four punts for 48 yards and recording one tackle in kickoff coverage. That tackle pinned the Bears at their 18-yard line to begin the team's second drive of the second quarter, and after a three-and-out Steel returned the punt 28 yards to the UNC 42-yard line to set up a three-play touchdown drive. That was the longest of his seven punts returned this season.
POST-GAME NEWS & NOTES
• MSU's seventh win of the season clinches a second straight winning season and second straight of seven regular-season wins.
• Montana State has posted winning margins of 30 points or more three times this season, the first time that's happened against same-division opponents since the team did so four times in 1973 (42-7 vs. Idaho State, 38-6 vs. Fresno State, 33-0 vs. Weber State, 45-0 vs. NAU).
• The Cats have won the last two games by at least 30 points, the first time MSU has done so in consecutive games since 1966. That season the Bobcats had two such streaks, topping South Dakota State 41-6 and Portland State 50-7 to open the season, the whipping North Dakota 59-21 and the Grizzlies 38-0 in succession in November. Montana State finished that 1966 season 8-3 with a composite score of 394 to 134.
• Three Montana State defensive regulars scored touchdowns on Saturday – nose tackle Jason Scrempos caught a two-yard touchdown pass from starting linebackers Troy Andersen, Andersen scored on an 11-yard run, and linebacker Callahan O'Reilly ran a fake punt 73 yards for a touchdown. Those three defensive players, who either are regular or part-time starters, outscored Northern Colorado's offense 18-14, and scored more points than MSU's regular defense allowed (0 points, as UNC scored one defensive touchdown and scored late on Bobcat reserves).
• Montana State's 451 rushing yards Saturday was third-most in a single game in Bobcat history and was the all-time Nottingham Field record, although MSU linebackers coach Bobby Daly claims Callahan O'Reilly's 73-yard fake punt for the team's linebackers room.
• Montana State has rushed for 1,995 yards in the last seven games (a 285.0 average in that span), with only 79 yards from starting running back Isaiah Ifanse.
• UC Davis is Montana State's sixth straight opponent to win the game before playing the Cats.
• In the last four games Troy Andersen has 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks, with an interception and a pass breakup.
• Montana State has forced at least one turnover in 21 consecutive games, with yesterday's coming in the form of JoJo Henderson's second interception on the season.
• Montana State's interceptions against Southern Utah were by linebacker Troy Andersen and Buck (end/linebacker hybrid) Amandre Williams. Williams has two picks this season.
• After the Northern Colorado win the Bobcats have no committed one of fewer turnovers in nine of the team's 10 games.
• The Bobcats have lost just 11 fumbles in the last 34 games.
• Montana State has run 149 plays in the fourth quarter against FCS opponents this season, with 115 of them running plays.
• Bryce Sterk is 4th in the FCS in sacks (1.10 per game) and 21st in tackles for loss (1.5) per game.
• Montana State is 26th in the FCS with 5.3 penalties per game.
• The Bobcats stands 8th in the FCS and 1st in the Big Sky with 1.0 sacks allowed per game.
• Montana State has allowed 55 fourth-quarter points this season (21 of them at Cal Poly).
• Montana State has out-scored its opponents in each quarter this season, including 157-85 after halftime.
• Jered Padmos stands 4th in the FCS with 45.5 yards per punt, and only 12 of his 45 punts have been returned.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS
ALL-PURPOSE: Troy Andersen, LB/QB (6-4, 233, Jr, Dillon, Montana)
Troy Andersen threw for a touchdown, rushed for one, and logged eight tackles with a sack in Montana State's 45-14 win at Northern Colorado on Saturday. The day marked the third game in the last four when Andersen registered both a touchdown and tackle-for-loss in the same contest. Andersen has rushed for six touchdowns this season, three in the last four games, and threw his first touchdown pass of 2019 on Saturday. He also has 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks in the last four games. His 32nd career rushing touchdown is 2nd in Bobcat history.
OFFENSE: Mitch Brott, LT (6-6, 300, Sr, Billings, MT)
On the day he made his 45th consecutive start, which covers every game of his MSU varsity career, Mitch Brott keyed a historic Bobcat offensive effort. With Brott at left tackle, Montana State rushed for 451 yards, third-most in program history and the most in the history of Northern Colorado's Nottingham Field. Montana State averages a Big Sky-best 257.5 rushing yards per game, 8th in the FCS, and after allowing one UNC sack the Cats stand 8th in the FCS and lead the Big Sky with just 1.0 sacks allowed per game.
DEFENSE: Josh Hill, LB (5-11, 210, Sr, Kalispell, MT)
Senior linebacker Josh Hill logged a season-high 10 tackles, including eight solos and two behind the line of scrimmage, to lead Montana State's defense in a 45-14 win at Northern Colorado on Saturday. His first tackle-for-loss came on the game's first drive, when, facing a third-and-two, he stopped Bears quarterback Jacob Knipp for a loss of one. That was his third tackle on that drive's six plays. Hill also had a third-down stop for no gain to terminate Northern Colorado's sixth drive, when the Bobcats led 24-7. He also had a third-quarter tackle-for-loss on a pass completion.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Coy Steel, RS/Coverage (5-8, 177, So, Sheridan, WY)
Sophomore Coy Steel impacted all phases of Montana State's kicking game Saturday, returning four punts for 48 yards and recording one tackle in kickoff coverage. That tackle pinned the Bears at their 18-yard line to begin the team's second drive of the second quarter, and after a three-and-out Steel returned the punt 28 yards to the UNC 42-yard line to set up a three-play touchdown drive. That was the longest of his seven punts returned this season.
POST-GAME NEWS & NOTES
• MSU's seventh win of the season clinches a second straight winning season and second straight of seven regular-season wins.
• Montana State has posted winning margins of 30 points or more three times this season, the first time that's happened against same-division opponents since the team did so four times in 1973 (42-7 vs. Idaho State, 38-6 vs. Fresno State, 33-0 vs. Weber State, 45-0 vs. NAU).
• The Cats have won the last two games by at least 30 points, the first time MSU has done so in consecutive games since 1966. That season the Bobcats had two such streaks, topping South Dakota State 41-6 and Portland State 50-7 to open the season, the whipping North Dakota 59-21 and the Grizzlies 38-0 in succession in November. Montana State finished that 1966 season 8-3 with a composite score of 394 to 134.
• Three Montana State defensive regulars scored touchdowns on Saturday – nose tackle Jason Scrempos caught a two-yard touchdown pass from starting linebackers Troy Andersen, Andersen scored on an 11-yard run, and linebacker Callahan O'Reilly ran a fake punt 73 yards for a touchdown. Those three defensive players, who either are regular or part-time starters, outscored Northern Colorado's offense 18-14, and scored more points than MSU's regular defense allowed (0 points, as UNC scored one defensive touchdown and scored late on Bobcat reserves).
• Montana State's 451 rushing yards Saturday was third-most in a single game in Bobcat history and was the all-time Nottingham Field record, although MSU linebackers coach Bobby Daly claims Callahan O'Reilly's 73-yard fake punt for the team's linebackers room.
• Montana State has rushed for 1,995 yards in the last seven games (a 285.0 average in that span), with only 79 yards from starting running back Isaiah Ifanse.
• UC Davis is Montana State's sixth straight opponent to win the game before playing the Cats.
• In the last four games Troy Andersen has 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks, with an interception and a pass breakup.
• Montana State has forced at least one turnover in 21 consecutive games, with yesterday's coming in the form of JoJo Henderson's second interception on the season.
• Montana State's interceptions against Southern Utah were by linebacker Troy Andersen and Buck (end/linebacker hybrid) Amandre Williams. Williams has two picks this season.
• After the Northern Colorado win the Bobcats have no committed one of fewer turnovers in nine of the team's 10 games.
• The Bobcats have lost just 11 fumbles in the last 34 games.
• Montana State has run 149 plays in the fourth quarter against FCS opponents this season, with 115 of them running plays.
• Bryce Sterk is 4th in the FCS in sacks (1.10 per game) and 21st in tackles for loss (1.5) per game.
• Montana State is 26th in the FCS with 5.3 penalties per game.
• The Bobcats stands 8th in the FCS and 1st in the Big Sky with 1.0 sacks allowed per game.
• Montana State has allowed 55 fourth-quarter points this season (21 of them at Cal Poly).
• Montana State has out-scored its opponents in each quarter this season, including 157-85 after halftime.
• Jered Padmos stands 4th in the FCS with 45.5 yards per punt, and only 12 of his 45 punts have been returned.
Players Mentioned
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