Bobcats Blow Past Grizzlies in Historic Fashion for Fourth Straight Cat-Griz Win

Saturday, November 23

BOZEMAN

12 p.m.

Montana State University

9-3 , 6-2

Montana

9-3 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Montana

Montana State

Photo by: Garrett Becker

Bobcats Blow Past Grizzlies in Historic Fashion for Fourth Straight Cat-Griz Win

11/23/2019 6:37:00 PM | Football

Box Score

MSU tops Grizzlies 48-14 in Bozeman

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Montana – It was a game for the ages.

Montana State rushed for more yards in the first half than any FCS opponent had against Montana this season, scored more points than any Bobcat team in Cat-Griz history, and held the Grizzlies scoreless in the second half while cruising to a 48-14 victory in Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.

The Bobcats followed a familiar formula to a familiar outcome. In beating the Grizzlies for the fourth straight season, Montana Sate rushed for 382 yards, 207 before halftime, marking the third straight game the Cats had rushed for at least 250 yards and the eighth time in 11 games MSU rambled for over 200 yards.

"It's great," MSU senior offensive lineman Mitch Brott said of his team's dominance on the ground, "but that's the goal. That is our standard. It's nothing new. It's something that we always strive for, to be able to run the ball, dominate the D-line, and that's something we did today."

Montana State controlled the game with its ability to pound the UM defense on the ground. MSU averaged 6.2 yards per rush, and scored six touchdowns on the ground. But the day began with what everyone in blue-and-gold called tone-setters.

On the opening kickoff, freshman Jory Choate tackled Montana's mercurial Malik Flowers at the 14-yard line to put the Grizzlies in an offensive hole from the outset. Then after a delay of game before its first offensive play, UM suffered what proved to be a near-fatal blow. Jahque Alleyne's jarring tackle on UM receiver Samori Toure knocked the ball out, and Bobcat senior Derek Marks jumped on it.

The surreal nature of the scene set in slowly. It was Marks' fumble recovery 12 months ago, after Grant Collins and Tucker Yates knocked the ball out at the goal line, that clinched MSU's stunning win in Missoula and set off a wild celebration. This year's fumble recovery by the defensive tackle who watched so many Cat-Griz games in Bobcat Stadium as a young MSU fan and whose grandfather, the late Harry Huntsinger, played for Montana State, had none of the finality but much of the significance.

His thought at the moment, though, was clear. "Just jump on the ball and get it back for our offense."

Beginning at the Grizzly 18, it wasn't a direct path to the end zone, but it was a sure one. MSU fumbled twice during the five-play drive, recovering both, and when Kevin Kassis found the end zone on a reverse MSU led 7-0.

MSU's defense forced a three-and-out on Montana's next drive, and Tristan Bailey nailed a 25-yard field goal. One more UM three-and-out produced an 18-yard Logan Jones run, and Montana State led 17-0. As it turns out, those were all the point the Cats needed.

Montana scored a pair of second-quarter scores, but in spite of Marcus Knight's seven-yard run just before halftime MSU took a 31-14 lead into the intermission. The teams traded punts to begin the third quarter, but the Cats wound up the ground game on the team's third drive. Isaiah Ifanse ran for six, five, and 30 yards. Bailey capped it with a field goal, and MSU's lead was 34-14. Ifanse scored on runs of three and 17 yards early in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

Many didn't see this result coming, but senior safety Brayden Konkol said he did. "I said last night, this doesn't have to be close," the lifelong Bobcat fan said. "We've just got to play a good game and it ain't going to be close. We've seen the tape. We're a good football team. The only time we lose is when we beat ourselves. So if we just go play a good game, no one can compete with us."

Saturday's win was part of fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate's vision when he took the MSU job in December of 2015. It's part of a process he has preached to his players throughout his time.

"You're not the team you were yesterday, you're not the man you were yesterday," he said. "This was all about living in the present, doing what we had to do to be successful today. You get nothing for being the most physical team last week, and I'm sure Bobby would say the same thing. It's all about settling it between the white lines. Like I told our guys, you want to win this thing you've got to control the four corners between the white lines. After that you can control the four corners of this state."

Montana State learns its playoff fate on Sunday at 10:30 am during the FCS Playoff Selection Show. A public watch party begins at 10 am in Worthington Arena. The Cats are thought to be a playoff entry for the second straight season.

Saturday's win pushes the Bobcats to 9-3 on the season, the program's first 9-win regular season since 2012, and 6-2 in the Big Sky. Montana finishes with identical records.

#GoCatsGo