Omar Aigbedion
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
GAME #4: Montana State Visits Weber State for Big Sky Opener
9/21/2023 10:17:00 AM | Football
MSU, Wildcats get together for fourth time in less than two full years
BOZEMAN, Montana – There's one thing that the three gridiron showdowns between Montana State and Weber State taught us about the current state of the rivalry between these long-time Big Sky have taught.
You never know.
Just a bit less than two years ago the teams combined for 491 yards and 21 first downs. Total. Two teams. MSU won that game. The next time Montana State met the Wildcats, WSU's special teams accounted for seven scores, two returns for touchdowns and five long snaps over the punter that resulted in Bobcat safeties. Again, MSU found a way to scratch out a win. The third matchup, last December in the FCS Playoffs, saw the Bobcats race to a big lead then hang on for dear life and a narrow season-saving victory.
Three games within 14 months resulted in radically different games, but they've each been decided in the game's final moments. And Montana State won each of them.
"Obviously we've played Weber State three times in the last two years," said Bobcats coach Brent Vigen, "and they've all been down-to-the wire games in different forms. The low-scoring game in Ogden two years ago was really a defensive struggle while last year's games were higher scoring. The first game had all the special teams plays while the playoff game we opened up a pretty good lead and they came back to make it very interesting."
The fourth meeting between these top 10 FCS programs in Vigen's three seasons at MSU shapes up as another battle. The teams decided the previous three by 16 total points, and Vigen said his team took a step in last week's 57-20 win over Stetson toward the kind of play its next opponent demands. "I thought we played really physical (last week), and I thought that was important in that game. Our physicality, our effort, those things didn't move backward based on who we were playing. I really felt good about how that looked in the offensive and defensive lines."
Each team has one game most illuminating on its season to date. Weber State rushed for 211 yards and forced six turnovers in demolishing nationally-ranked Northern Iowa 34-17 in Cedar Falls two weeks ago. On the same night, Montana State went to the final play of the game in a near-upset of top-ranked and defending national champion South Dakota State, also rushing for 211 yards.
The Wildcats average 25.3 points and 274.3 yards per game this season, with the team's only loss the 31-7 defeat by No. 12 FBS Utah last week. Damon Bankston leads the WSU offense, averaging 107.3 yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry as the team's primary running back. Quarterback Kylan Weisser has completed 34 of his 66 passes this season for 361 yards and two touchdowns. Jacob Sharp has five catches for 123 yards.
With Mickey Mental replacing Jay Hill as the program's head coach this season, Vigen said the team hasn't changed much in style or quality. "They're playing a similar brand of football. I do think their offense and defense really complement each other, and they've done as much on special teams as any team in our league."
Big Sky Preseason Defensive MVP Winston Reid is the engine of the Wildcats' stop unit. His 36 tackles and 5.5 tackles-for-loss both lead his team. Jack Kelly has forced two fumbles, and three different Wildcats own one interception.
Sean Chambers operates the Bobcat office for a second week, stepping in for injured Tommy Mellott for a second straight week. Rushed for 55 yards and threw for 140 in last week's win against Stetson. He manages MSU's Big Sky-leading ground game as a contributor and participant. He is one of five Bobcats averaging between 49 and 62 yards per game.
Vigen said his team is ready for the beginning of Big Sky play. "Coming out of the non-conference 2-1 isn't exactly where we want to be," he said, "but these three games have prepared us for the conference and set us up to have a better sense for where we're at."
The third-ranked Bobcats and No. 8/10 Weber State kick off at 6 pm Saturday. The game airs around Montana on CBS stations, while Keaton Gillogly, RJ Fitzgerald and Dan Davies broadcast the contest on the Bobcat Sports Radio Network.
#GoCatsGo
You never know.
Just a bit less than two years ago the teams combined for 491 yards and 21 first downs. Total. Two teams. MSU won that game. The next time Montana State met the Wildcats, WSU's special teams accounted for seven scores, two returns for touchdowns and five long snaps over the punter that resulted in Bobcat safeties. Again, MSU found a way to scratch out a win. The third matchup, last December in the FCS Playoffs, saw the Bobcats race to a big lead then hang on for dear life and a narrow season-saving victory.
Three games within 14 months resulted in radically different games, but they've each been decided in the game's final moments. And Montana State won each of them.
"Obviously we've played Weber State three times in the last two years," said Bobcats coach Brent Vigen, "and they've all been down-to-the wire games in different forms. The low-scoring game in Ogden two years ago was really a defensive struggle while last year's games were higher scoring. The first game had all the special teams plays while the playoff game we opened up a pretty good lead and they came back to make it very interesting."
The fourth meeting between these top 10 FCS programs in Vigen's three seasons at MSU shapes up as another battle. The teams decided the previous three by 16 total points, and Vigen said his team took a step in last week's 57-20 win over Stetson toward the kind of play its next opponent demands. "I thought we played really physical (last week), and I thought that was important in that game. Our physicality, our effort, those things didn't move backward based on who we were playing. I really felt good about how that looked in the offensive and defensive lines."
Each team has one game most illuminating on its season to date. Weber State rushed for 211 yards and forced six turnovers in demolishing nationally-ranked Northern Iowa 34-17 in Cedar Falls two weeks ago. On the same night, Montana State went to the final play of the game in a near-upset of top-ranked and defending national champion South Dakota State, also rushing for 211 yards.
The Wildcats average 25.3 points and 274.3 yards per game this season, with the team's only loss the 31-7 defeat by No. 12 FBS Utah last week. Damon Bankston leads the WSU offense, averaging 107.3 yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry as the team's primary running back. Quarterback Kylan Weisser has completed 34 of his 66 passes this season for 361 yards and two touchdowns. Jacob Sharp has five catches for 123 yards.
With Mickey Mental replacing Jay Hill as the program's head coach this season, Vigen said the team hasn't changed much in style or quality. "They're playing a similar brand of football. I do think their offense and defense really complement each other, and they've done as much on special teams as any team in our league."
Big Sky Preseason Defensive MVP Winston Reid is the engine of the Wildcats' stop unit. His 36 tackles and 5.5 tackles-for-loss both lead his team. Jack Kelly has forced two fumbles, and three different Wildcats own one interception.
Sean Chambers operates the Bobcat office for a second week, stepping in for injured Tommy Mellott for a second straight week. Rushed for 55 yards and threw for 140 in last week's win against Stetson. He manages MSU's Big Sky-leading ground game as a contributor and participant. He is one of five Bobcats averaging between 49 and 62 yards per game.
Vigen said his team is ready for the beginning of Big Sky play. "Coming out of the non-conference 2-1 isn't exactly where we want to be," he said, "but these three games have prepared us for the conference and set us up to have a better sense for where we're at."
The third-ranked Bobcats and No. 8/10 Weber State kick off at 6 pm Saturday. The game airs around Montana on CBS stations, while Keaton Gillogly, RJ Fitzgerald and Dan Davies broadcast the contest on the Bobcat Sports Radio Network.
#GoCatsGo
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