Photo by: Garrett Becker
GAME #7: Montana State Visits Northern Colorado for Saturday Showdown with Bears
10/14/2022 12:33:00 PM | Football
MSU pits strong ground game against Bears' top-tier defensive talent
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State hits the road for the first time in three weeks this weekend, visiting Northern Colorado in Greeley on Saturday.
The Cats (5-1 overall, 3-0 Big Sky) ride a three-game win streak into Nottingham Field Saturday. A Bears team that beat Idaho State 35-14 in their last home game. The momentum in this series belongs to Saturday's road team. The Bobcats and Bears first met in 1923 when each team called the Rocky Mountain Conference home, and while the all-time series stands 23-10-1 in Montana State's favor the Bobcats have won 10 of the 11 meetings as Big Sky foes.
"They have some really good players and have played without a bunch of guys," said MSU head coach Brent Vigen. "Their quarterback Dylan McCaffrey throws it real well and I really like their running back, Elijah Dotson, who transferred from Sacramento State. Defensively they have some talented guys and they play hard."
Dotson established himself as one of the Big Sky's best all-purpose threats at Sacramento State, and nothing has changed for him in Greeley. He returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State, and averages 58.0 yards a game rushing and 31.5 receiving to lead the team in both categories. McCaffrey completes 61 percent of his passes and throws for 135.3 yards per game.
Defensively, Elijah Anderson-Taylor has forced three fumbles in six games, third in the FCS, and has logged at least 10 tackles in five straight games. His 10.5 tackles per game is ninth nationally.
The Bobcats enter Saturday's game ranked second nationally with 289.5 rushing yards a game and sixth with 41.2 points per game. Running back Lane Sumner returned from injury against Idaho State and rushed for 100 yards, his second effort of at least 100 yards in his two games. Linebacker Callahan O'Reilly has had a hand in six turnovers this season (three interceptions, two fumbles forced, one recovered). The Bobcats have also benefited from an explosive special teams unit, with Marqui Johnson among the top kick returners in the FCS.
Saturday's game is televised across the Treasure State on CBS stations across the Treasure State on the Montana Television Network. Kickoff is 1 pm MT.
#GoCatsGo
The Cats (5-1 overall, 3-0 Big Sky) ride a three-game win streak into Nottingham Field Saturday. A Bears team that beat Idaho State 35-14 in their last home game. The momentum in this series belongs to Saturday's road team. The Bobcats and Bears first met in 1923 when each team called the Rocky Mountain Conference home, and while the all-time series stands 23-10-1 in Montana State's favor the Bobcats have won 10 of the 11 meetings as Big Sky foes.
"They have some really good players and have played without a bunch of guys," said MSU head coach Brent Vigen. "Their quarterback Dylan McCaffrey throws it real well and I really like their running back, Elijah Dotson, who transferred from Sacramento State. Defensively they have some talented guys and they play hard."
Dotson established himself as one of the Big Sky's best all-purpose threats at Sacramento State, and nothing has changed for him in Greeley. He returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State, and averages 58.0 yards a game rushing and 31.5 receiving to lead the team in both categories. McCaffrey completes 61 percent of his passes and throws for 135.3 yards per game.
Defensively, Elijah Anderson-Taylor has forced three fumbles in six games, third in the FCS, and has logged at least 10 tackles in five straight games. His 10.5 tackles per game is ninth nationally.
The Bobcats enter Saturday's game ranked second nationally with 289.5 rushing yards a game and sixth with 41.2 points per game. Running back Lane Sumner returned from injury against Idaho State and rushed for 100 yards, his second effort of at least 100 yards in his two games. Linebacker Callahan O'Reilly has had a hand in six turnovers this season (three interceptions, two fumbles forced, one recovered). The Bobcats have also benefited from an explosive special teams unit, with Marqui Johnson among the top kick returners in the FCS.
Saturday's game is televised across the Treasure State on CBS stations across the Treasure State on the Montana Television Network. Kickoff is 1 pm MT.
#GoCatsGo
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