Michael Rider's game-ending interception
Photo by: Paul Bussi
BOBCAT CALENDAR: DeNarius McGhee Got MSU Going and Michael Rider Closed the Deal When the Cats Earned Their Gold Today in 2010, Presented by Inland Northwest Toyota Dealers Association
11/20/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
In the biting cold of Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Montana State beat the Grizzlies today in 2010
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
November 20
SPOTLIGHT: Jeff Choate often says one of his favorite things about football is that kids that locker next to each other, say a receiver an an offensive lineman, play entirely different games. And he is also unabashed in his of love of college football's ability to bring together individuals from entirely different life circumstances into the crucible of a singluar goal.
Today in 2010, Montana State marched into Washington-Grizzly Stadium and in bone-chilling conditions beat the Grizzlies 21-16. That victory handed the Cats their first Big Sky title in five years and only their second win ever in that structure. It was Rob Ash's first win in four tries against UM, and it boosted the Bobcats into the FCS Playoffs.
That game also stands as a testimony to Choate's notion that college football is such a strong binding force.
The list of Bobcat heroes from this day is long, but the Cats were led to victory in front of more than 26,000 fans by a brilliant freshman quarterback from Texas, an offensive line anchored by a future NFL standout from Glendive, and a couple of defensive standouts who came to MSU from Billings as walk-ons.
The Bobcats started fast. Mercurial Texan Everett Gilbert's 36-yard opening kickoff return was boosted by a personal foul, and MSU began its first drive in Grizzly territory. Orenzo Davis, a JC transfer from Denver, carried four times for 24 yards, then rising star DeNarius McGhee made his first true mark on the Cat-Griz series by throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to fellow redshirt freshman Tanner Bleskin.
The Grizzlies answered emphatically. Chase Reynolds, a future NFL standout himself, dashed 59 yards on UM's first offensive play from scrimmage, and the game was tied at seven.
Back came the Bobcats. Davis added 16 more yards to his hot start, McGhee hooked up with Bleskin and Oregon transfer Elvis Akpla, and finally McGhee hit fellow Texan CJ Palmer on a nine-yard completion to put the Bobcats ahead 14-7.
Again, the Grizzlies answered. Reynolds tacked 41 yards onto his total, pushing it to 100 in just one quarter of play, and Roper finished the drive with a six-yard rtouchdown un. After one quarter the teams had combined for 147 yards, four touchdowns, 28 points and a dozen first downs.
Montana State converted the day's fifth drive into another touchdown on Davis' twisting 17-yard run, and MSU led 21-14. Five drives, five touchdowns, and all of a sudden the worries about Montana State's young team - and specifically McGhee, the team's redshirt freshman quarterback - acclimating to a the intensity of a Cat-Griz game seemed distant.
From this point, the pace slowed. UM punted twice, the Cats once, and the half ended with MSU possessing the ball in its own territory and the lead 21-14.
The Grizzlies drove deep into MSU territory after receiving the second half kickoff, and the Bobcats made the game's first enormous defensive play. With UM facing a second-and-seven at the Bobcat 10, Libby's Joel Fuller forced a Gerald Kemp fumble and former Billings walk-on Caleb Schreibeis recovered to turn away a potential scoring drive.
On its next drive UM moved deep into Bobcat territory again, and again the Bobcat defense rose up when Jordan Craney picked off a Roper pass. MSU retained its 21-14 lead.
That changed on MSU's next offensive possession. Late in the third quarter a bad snap in punt formation resulted in a Grizzly safety, and MSU's lead was trimmed to 21-16. UM took the ensuing kick and marched toward the end zone. On second-and goal from the five, Reynolds broke into the open for a flash, but future All-America linebacker Jody Owens knocked the ball out and Clay Bignell recovered it at the Bobcat one. Another deep Grizzly drive, another dramatic defensive stand for the Bobcats.
Montana State's next drive didn't result in a score, but freshman punter Rory Perez flipped the field and UM took over in its own territory. After trading stops, and with about 20 seconds remaining the Bobcats punted to the Griz. Justin Roper completed a pass on the ensuing possession to give the home team one last chance. On the game's final play, Roper launched a bomb toward the end zone. Right in front of the goal line at the north end of the field, Michael Rider, the one-time walk-on from Billings West, moved into the ball's path, lept into the air, and intercepted the pass to end the game.
All in all this stunning win resulted from brilliant performances by so many Bobcats, young and old, from Montana and so many other places, potential stars and unheralded players from the depths of the two-deep. Montana State claimed a share of the program's first Big Sky title in five years - and the first of three in a row. It was Rob Ash's first win over the Grizzlies and only MSU's second win ever in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, but it also ushered in a successful decade for the Bobcats. From 2010 to 2019 the Bobcats won three Big Sky titles, appeared in the FCS Playoffs six times, and
UM rushed for 259 yards and gained nearly 100 more than MSU in total offense (374 to 278), but McGhee's efficient effort was crucial. He was 11-for-18 passing, and Montana State didn't turn the ball over.
That was only the beginning of the individual superlatives. Reynolds led the Griz with 180 yards rushing, but Davis answered that effort with 140 of his own. Julius Lloyd caught four passes. Owens' 10 tackles and forced fumble stand out on the stat sheet, but Schreibeis added seven tackles, and Rider had four with the interception. Those two one-time walk-ons from Billings helped lead a brilliant, resilient effort in Washington-Grizzly Stadium on that frigid afternoon.
BOBCAT GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2010 - MSU 21, at #11 UM 16
2004 - at UM 38, MSU 22
1999 - UM 49, MSU 3
1965 - at Idaho 54, MSU 0
1937 - at BYU 19, MSU 0
FINIS: Rob Ash is no one's idea of a rah-rah football coach. He believed in planning, in execution, in preparation. But in the weeks leading to the win in Missoula a decade ago, Ash pulled off one of the great motivational ploys in Cat-Griz history.
In the months leading to the game, Montana State petitioned the league, and ultimately UM, to wear gold jerseys for the Cat-Griz game. The reply, which didn't arrive until the days leading up to the game, was no. The reasoning: there wouldn't be enough contrast between the home team's uniforms and the road team's.
The Bobcats arrived on game day in their standard apparel - gold helmets and pants, white road jerseys. The Grizzlies wore all black uniforms with orange-ish numbers, along with the standard silver helmets.
In the week leading to the game, Ash told his team they wouldn't be wearing the gold jerseys. But, he added, "Gold is for winners. We'll pull them out after we win."
And that's what happened. As the team celebrated its victory, large cardboard boxes materialized on the field. Those gold jerseys flew out of the boxes and were waved like battle flags, spoils of a victory hard earned.
Because, as Coach Ash had said, gold is for winners.
November 20
SPOTLIGHT: Jeff Choate often says one of his favorite things about football is that kids that locker next to each other, say a receiver an an offensive lineman, play entirely different games. And he is also unabashed in his of love of college football's ability to bring together individuals from entirely different life circumstances into the crucible of a singluar goal.
Today in 2010, Montana State marched into Washington-Grizzly Stadium and in bone-chilling conditions beat the Grizzlies 21-16. That victory handed the Cats their first Big Sky title in five years and only their second win ever in that structure. It was Rob Ash's first win in four tries against UM, and it boosted the Bobcats into the FCS Playoffs.
That game also stands as a testimony to Choate's notion that college football is such a strong binding force.
The list of Bobcat heroes from this day is long, but the Cats were led to victory in front of more than 26,000 fans by a brilliant freshman quarterback from Texas, an offensive line anchored by a future NFL standout from Glendive, and a couple of defensive standouts who came to MSU from Billings as walk-ons.
The Bobcats started fast. Mercurial Texan Everett Gilbert's 36-yard opening kickoff return was boosted by a personal foul, and MSU began its first drive in Grizzly territory. Orenzo Davis, a JC transfer from Denver, carried four times for 24 yards, then rising star DeNarius McGhee made his first true mark on the Cat-Griz series by throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to fellow redshirt freshman Tanner Bleskin.
The Grizzlies answered emphatically. Chase Reynolds, a future NFL standout himself, dashed 59 yards on UM's first offensive play from scrimmage, and the game was tied at seven.
Back came the Bobcats. Davis added 16 more yards to his hot start, McGhee hooked up with Bleskin and Oregon transfer Elvis Akpla, and finally McGhee hit fellow Texan CJ Palmer on a nine-yard completion to put the Bobcats ahead 14-7.
Again, the Grizzlies answered. Reynolds tacked 41 yards onto his total, pushing it to 100 in just one quarter of play, and Roper finished the drive with a six-yard rtouchdown un. After one quarter the teams had combined for 147 yards, four touchdowns, 28 points and a dozen first downs.
Montana State converted the day's fifth drive into another touchdown on Davis' twisting 17-yard run, and MSU led 21-14. Five drives, five touchdowns, and all of a sudden the worries about Montana State's young team - and specifically McGhee, the team's redshirt freshman quarterback - acclimating to a the intensity of a Cat-Griz game seemed distant.
From this point, the pace slowed. UM punted twice, the Cats once, and the half ended with MSU possessing the ball in its own territory and the lead 21-14.
The Grizzlies drove deep into MSU territory after receiving the second half kickoff, and the Bobcats made the game's first enormous defensive play. With UM facing a second-and-seven at the Bobcat 10, Libby's Joel Fuller forced a Gerald Kemp fumble and former Billings walk-on Caleb Schreibeis recovered to turn away a potential scoring drive.
On its next drive UM moved deep into Bobcat territory again, and again the Bobcat defense rose up when Jordan Craney picked off a Roper pass. MSU retained its 21-14 lead.
That changed on MSU's next offensive possession. Late in the third quarter a bad snap in punt formation resulted in a Grizzly safety, and MSU's lead was trimmed to 21-16. UM took the ensuing kick and marched toward the end zone. On second-and goal from the five, Reynolds broke into the open for a flash, but future All-America linebacker Jody Owens knocked the ball out and Clay Bignell recovered it at the Bobcat one. Another deep Grizzly drive, another dramatic defensive stand for the Bobcats.
Montana State's next drive didn't result in a score, but freshman punter Rory Perez flipped the field and UM took over in its own territory. After trading stops, and with about 20 seconds remaining the Bobcats punted to the Griz. Justin Roper completed a pass on the ensuing possession to give the home team one last chance. On the game's final play, Roper launched a bomb toward the end zone. Right in front of the goal line at the north end of the field, Michael Rider, the one-time walk-on from Billings West, moved into the ball's path, lept into the air, and intercepted the pass to end the game.
All in all this stunning win resulted from brilliant performances by so many Bobcats, young and old, from Montana and so many other places, potential stars and unheralded players from the depths of the two-deep. Montana State claimed a share of the program's first Big Sky title in five years - and the first of three in a row. It was Rob Ash's first win over the Grizzlies and only MSU's second win ever in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, but it also ushered in a successful decade for the Bobcats. From 2010 to 2019 the Bobcats won three Big Sky titles, appeared in the FCS Playoffs six times, and
UM rushed for 259 yards and gained nearly 100 more than MSU in total offense (374 to 278), but McGhee's efficient effort was crucial. He was 11-for-18 passing, and Montana State didn't turn the ball over.
That was only the beginning of the individual superlatives. Reynolds led the Griz with 180 yards rushing, but Davis answered that effort with 140 of his own. Julius Lloyd caught four passes. Owens' 10 tackles and forced fumble stand out on the stat sheet, but Schreibeis added seven tackles, and Rider had four with the interception. Those two one-time walk-ons from Billings helped lead a brilliant, resilient effort in Washington-Grizzly Stadium on that frigid afternoon.
BOBCAT GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2010 - MSU 21, at #11 UM 16
2004 - at UM 38, MSU 22
1999 - UM 49, MSU 3
1965 - at Idaho 54, MSU 0
1937 - at BYU 19, MSU 0
FINIS: Rob Ash is no one's idea of a rah-rah football coach. He believed in planning, in execution, in preparation. But in the weeks leading to the win in Missoula a decade ago, Ash pulled off one of the great motivational ploys in Cat-Griz history.
In the months leading to the game, Montana State petitioned the league, and ultimately UM, to wear gold jerseys for the Cat-Griz game. The reply, which didn't arrive until the days leading up to the game, was no. The reasoning: there wouldn't be enough contrast between the home team's uniforms and the road team's.
The Bobcats arrived on game day in their standard apparel - gold helmets and pants, white road jerseys. The Grizzlies wore all black uniforms with orange-ish numbers, along with the standard silver helmets.
In the week leading to the game, Ash told his team they wouldn't be wearing the gold jerseys. But, he added, "Gold is for winners. We'll pull them out after we win."
And that's what happened. As the team celebrated its victory, large cardboard boxes materialized on the field. Those gold jerseys flew out of the boxes and were waved like battle flags, spoils of a victory hard earned.
Because, as Coach Ash had said, gold is for winners.
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