Saturday, December 4
BOZEMAN
2 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
UT Martin
GAME #12: Bobcats Host OVC Champion UT Martin in FCS Playoffs on Saturday at 2 pm
12/3/2021 10:52:00 AM | Football
Montana State faces powerful Skyhawks
THE STORYLINE
Montana State begins its third consecutive season in the FCS Playoffs looking to defy the basic holiday tenet that giving is better than taking when the University of Tennessee at Martin invades Bobcat Stadium for a second round contest on Saturday at 2 pm MT. The Skyhawks rode the strength of six takeaways to a 32-31 first round win at Missouri State last week. UTM stands 18th in the FCS with 26 turnovers gained in 2021, and face a Bobcat team with the fewest turnovers lost (7, tied with James Madison) in the FCS. MSU and the Skyhawks each stand among the top teams in the FCS in average yards per rush, setting the stage for a physical slugfest in Bobcat Stadium. The game is streamed on ESPN+.
GAME DATA
KICKOFF: 2 pm
SITE: Bozeman, Montana
STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium (17,777)
RECORDS: Montana State is 9-2, 7-1 in Big Sky play. UT Martin is 10-2 overall, 5-1 in the OVC, and beat Missouri State in the first round of the playoffs.
THE BOBCATS
LOCATION: Bozeman, MT
ENROLLMENT: 16,841
STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium (17,777)
2021 RECORD: 9-2
CONF/RECORD: Big Sky/7-1
COACH: Brent Vigen
ALMA MATER: NDSU '98
RECORD: 9-2, 1st/same
vs. UTM: 0-0
THE SKYHAWKS
LOCATION: Martin, Tennessee
ENROLLMENT: 6,850
2021 RECORD: 10-2
CONF/RECORD: Ohio Valley/5-1
COACH: Jason Simpson
ALMA MATER: Southern Miss/94
OVERALL: 130-63/16th
AT UTM: same
vs. MSU: 0-0
HOW TO LISTEN
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network statewide, msubobcats.com, Varsity Network
ON THE CALL: Zach Mackey, Mikey Rider (analyst), Dan Davies (sideline)
HOW TO WATCH
TV: none
STREAM: ESPN+
ON THE CALL: Conner Onion, Marcus Ray
UTM-MSU SERIES
* Montana State and the Skyhawks have never met on the gridiron, marking the third straight season MSU's playoff opener is against a first-tme foe.
* The Bobcats topped Austin Peay, like UTM an Ohio Valley member, in the 2019 FCS quarterfinals.
TEAM NOTES
* Seven of MSU's 16 eight-win seasons in history have occurred in this century, as have four of the eight nine-win seasons.
* After qualifying for the NCAA Playoffs twice previously, the Bobcats have earned 10 bids since 2002.
* Brent Vigen's nine wins is the most in MSU history by a first-year Bobcat coach.
ON THE OFFENSE
* Montana State's Big Sky-best rushing offense (218.5 yards per game) faces the Ohio Valley Conference's top rushing defense (UTM allowed 128.7 per game)
* MSU's 5.20 yards per rush is 10th in the FCS, while UTM's 5.49 is 7th.
* Isaiah Ifanse's 114.4 rushing yards per game is 5th in the FCS, and he averages 95.4 yards in his five playoff games
ON THE DEFENSE
* MSU is 7th in the FCS with 167.7 passing yards allowed per game.
* UM's 29 points (7 came on special teams) in the regular season finale was the most by a 2021 MSU opponent, while no Bobcat foe has topped 355 total yards.
STADIUM STUFF
* Montana State has won three straight home playoff games, and stand 10-3 all-time in post-season games played in Bobcat or Reno H. Sales Stadium.
* Isaiah Ifanse has two playoff games of 100+ rushing yards in Bobcat Staidum.
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
* MSU finished second in the Big Sky in 2021, the fourth straight season improving the team's place in the final standings.
* The Cats led the Big Sky in total defense and finished second in scoring defense.
Montana State begins its third consecutive season in the FCS Playoffs looking to defy the basic holiday tenet that giving is better than taking when the University of Tennessee at Martin invades Bobcat Stadium for a second round contest on Saturday at 2 pm MT. The Skyhawks rode the strength of six takeaways to a 32-31 first round win at Missouri State last week. UTM stands 18th in the FCS with 26 turnovers gained in 2021, and face a Bobcat team with the fewest turnovers lost (7, tied with James Madison) in the FCS. MSU and the Skyhawks each stand among the top teams in the FCS in average yards per rush, setting the stage for a physical slugfest in Bobcat Stadium. The game is streamed on ESPN+.
GAME DATA
KICKOFF: 2 pm
SITE: Bozeman, Montana
STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium (17,777)
RECORDS: Montana State is 9-2, 7-1 in Big Sky play. UT Martin is 10-2 overall, 5-1 in the OVC, and beat Missouri State in the first round of the playoffs.
THE BOBCATS
LOCATION: Bozeman, MT
ENROLLMENT: 16,841
STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium (17,777)
2021 RECORD: 9-2
CONF/RECORD: Big Sky/7-1
COACH: Brent Vigen
ALMA MATER: NDSU '98
RECORD: 9-2, 1st/same
vs. UTM: 0-0
THE SKYHAWKS
LOCATION: Martin, Tennessee
ENROLLMENT: 6,850
2021 RECORD: 10-2
CONF/RECORD: Ohio Valley/5-1
COACH: Jason Simpson
ALMA MATER: Southern Miss/94
OVERALL: 130-63/16th
AT UTM: same
vs. MSU: 0-0
HOW TO LISTEN
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network statewide, msubobcats.com, Varsity Network
ON THE CALL: Zach Mackey, Mikey Rider (analyst), Dan Davies (sideline)
HOW TO WATCH
TV: none
STREAM: ESPN+
ON THE CALL: Conner Onion, Marcus Ray
UTM-MSU SERIES
* Montana State and the Skyhawks have never met on the gridiron, marking the third straight season MSU's playoff opener is against a first-tme foe.
* The Bobcats topped Austin Peay, like UTM an Ohio Valley member, in the 2019 FCS quarterfinals.
TEAM NOTES
* Seven of MSU's 16 eight-win seasons in history have occurred in this century, as have four of the eight nine-win seasons.
* After qualifying for the NCAA Playoffs twice previously, the Bobcats have earned 10 bids since 2002.
* Brent Vigen's nine wins is the most in MSU history by a first-year Bobcat coach.
ON THE OFFENSE
* Montana State's Big Sky-best rushing offense (218.5 yards per game) faces the Ohio Valley Conference's top rushing defense (UTM allowed 128.7 per game)
* MSU's 5.20 yards per rush is 10th in the FCS, while UTM's 5.49 is 7th.
* Isaiah Ifanse's 114.4 rushing yards per game is 5th in the FCS, and he averages 95.4 yards in his five playoff games
ON THE DEFENSE
* MSU is 7th in the FCS with 167.7 passing yards allowed per game.
* UM's 29 points (7 came on special teams) in the regular season finale was the most by a 2021 MSU opponent, while no Bobcat foe has topped 355 total yards.
STADIUM STUFF
* Montana State has won three straight home playoff games, and stand 10-3 all-time in post-season games played in Bobcat or Reno H. Sales Stadium.
* Isaiah Ifanse has two playoff games of 100+ rushing yards in Bobcat Staidum.
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
* MSU finished second in the Big Sky in 2021, the fourth straight season improving the team's place in the final standings.
* The Cats led the Big Sky in total defense and finished second in scoring defense.
Players Mentioned
RB
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