Titan Fleischmann and Scottre Humphrey celebrate in Pocatello
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
GAME #6: Montana State Welcomes Long-Time Rival For Homecoming
10/4/2024 10:49:00 AM | Football
MSU hosts Northern Colorado Bears
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State coach Brent Vigen knows one of the main storylines surrounding Northern Colorado, his team's opponent this week. He wants to hear nothing of it.
"In Northern Colorado, we face a team that has been struggling record-wise, but they've competed really well at times this year," Vigen said. "They took Abilene Christian —, a ranked team —, right to the brink. It took a last-second field goal for Abilene Christian to win that game. They've had flashes."
The Bears, 0-5 on the season and 0-1 in Big Sky play, arrive in Bobcat Stadium on a 17-game losing streak. This year's squad is led by an experienced defense front featuring four seniors starters in the line and three experienced linebackers. The team gives up 33.2 points per game, but that number is skewed by the 38 points allowed at Colorado State and Stephen F. Austin's 48 points scored. None of the other three foes reached 30 points.
"They've got some good players up front, and that's always the first thing that jumps out at you," Vigen said. "In their front seven, they have some talented players, some good size and good athleticism for that size. They move in and out of different fronts and they're not afraid to pressure."
Safety Cam Chapa's 30 tackles leads a UNC defense featuring 10 players with at least 20 tackles. Chapa and Keenan Guthrie have UNC's interceptions this season, while Guthrie and Ladavion Osborn have forced fumbles that UNC recovered. That accounts for the team's four takeaways this season.
Northern Colorado's season offensively has been defined by injuries at the quarterback position. Five different players have thrown more than one pass, and four different Bears have started a game at that position. "That in itself makes your stomach turn as a coach," Vigen said of the revolving door at quarterback.
Montana State's fourth-year head coach said the process of preparing a defensive plan for a team with multiple quarterbacks begins with who is likely available. "I think we feel that there's a couple guys that are out, so you narrow in on the guys that you feel like will play and what is their mode, what is their style," Vigen said.
"In this past game, it doesn't appear the two guys they played are going to be out for this week and they're two different types. (Kia'i Keone) is much more of a runner, and as far as their running game goes, they do have an element of quarterback run and he would be their main threat."
Keone is the team's second-leading rusher, averaging 4.0 yards per carry and 43.7 yards a game. Darius Stewart's 5.0 yards a carry and 58.8 yards per game leads the team. Kaiden Box made his debut behind center for the Bears when he started last week's game, completing two of his eight pass attempts.
The Cats return home after a hard-fought win at Idaho State last week. "It wasn't easy," Vigen said. "Our guys had to fight for it, and a lot of the credit goes to Idaho State. They definitely have some players that cause some problems."
The Bengals trimmed MSU's lead to 17-10 early in the fourth quarter — but after that, it was all Bobcats. "Our players didn't panic when it got to that point where it was a one-score game," Vigen said. "They responded with a touchdown, a big play, then got a stop and a long drive for a touchdown."
The win raised Montana State's record to 5-0 on the season, 1-0 in Big Sky play. When the 1984 National Championship Bobcats are honored at this week's Homecoming contest, the members of that team's high-flying offense may struggle to recognize this year's ground-oriented attack as descendants. That team gained three-quarters of its yards through the air, while the 2024 Cats gain 64% of their yards through the air.
Sophomore running back Scottre Humphrey continues to rank among the nation's top ball carriers. He enters this week's game with 117.4 rushing yards per game, sixth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), while freshman running back Adam Jones' 79.2 yards a game is 38th. Senior quarterback Tommy Mellott rushes for 42.0 yards per game, and he completes passes at a .682 rate (70-102, no interceptions and eight touchdowns), 10th in the FCS.
Efficiency also remains a hallmark of the Bobcats defense. MSU's 18.4 points allowed per game is eighth nationally, and the team is 14th in third down defense (.294). Senior safety Rylan Ortt's first interception of the season at ISU came at a crucial moment of that contest, following a Bengals takeaway, and he is second on the Bobcat team with 25 total tackles. Linebackers McCade O'Reilly (29) and Danny Uluilakepa (25) are also at the top of MSU's tackles chart.
This week's game kicks off at 2 pm, and airs around Montana on Scripps' CBS stations (along with MTN in Missoula/Kalispell).
#GoCatsGo
"In Northern Colorado, we face a team that has been struggling record-wise, but they've competed really well at times this year," Vigen said. "They took Abilene Christian —, a ranked team —, right to the brink. It took a last-second field goal for Abilene Christian to win that game. They've had flashes."
The Bears, 0-5 on the season and 0-1 in Big Sky play, arrive in Bobcat Stadium on a 17-game losing streak. This year's squad is led by an experienced defense front featuring four seniors starters in the line and three experienced linebackers. The team gives up 33.2 points per game, but that number is skewed by the 38 points allowed at Colorado State and Stephen F. Austin's 48 points scored. None of the other three foes reached 30 points.
"They've got some good players up front, and that's always the first thing that jumps out at you," Vigen said. "In their front seven, they have some talented players, some good size and good athleticism for that size. They move in and out of different fronts and they're not afraid to pressure."
Safety Cam Chapa's 30 tackles leads a UNC defense featuring 10 players with at least 20 tackles. Chapa and Keenan Guthrie have UNC's interceptions this season, while Guthrie and Ladavion Osborn have forced fumbles that UNC recovered. That accounts for the team's four takeaways this season.
Northern Colorado's season offensively has been defined by injuries at the quarterback position. Five different players have thrown more than one pass, and four different Bears have started a game at that position. "That in itself makes your stomach turn as a coach," Vigen said of the revolving door at quarterback.
Montana State's fourth-year head coach said the process of preparing a defensive plan for a team with multiple quarterbacks begins with who is likely available. "I think we feel that there's a couple guys that are out, so you narrow in on the guys that you feel like will play and what is their mode, what is their style," Vigen said.
"In this past game, it doesn't appear the two guys they played are going to be out for this week and they're two different types. (Kia'i Keone) is much more of a runner, and as far as their running game goes, they do have an element of quarterback run and he would be their main threat."
Keone is the team's second-leading rusher, averaging 4.0 yards per carry and 43.7 yards a game. Darius Stewart's 5.0 yards a carry and 58.8 yards per game leads the team. Kaiden Box made his debut behind center for the Bears when he started last week's game, completing two of his eight pass attempts.
The Cats return home after a hard-fought win at Idaho State last week. "It wasn't easy," Vigen said. "Our guys had to fight for it, and a lot of the credit goes to Idaho State. They definitely have some players that cause some problems."
The Bengals trimmed MSU's lead to 17-10 early in the fourth quarter — but after that, it was all Bobcats. "Our players didn't panic when it got to that point where it was a one-score game," Vigen said. "They responded with a touchdown, a big play, then got a stop and a long drive for a touchdown."
The win raised Montana State's record to 5-0 on the season, 1-0 in Big Sky play. When the 1984 National Championship Bobcats are honored at this week's Homecoming contest, the members of that team's high-flying offense may struggle to recognize this year's ground-oriented attack as descendants. That team gained three-quarters of its yards through the air, while the 2024 Cats gain 64% of their yards through the air.
Sophomore running back Scottre Humphrey continues to rank among the nation's top ball carriers. He enters this week's game with 117.4 rushing yards per game, sixth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), while freshman running back Adam Jones' 79.2 yards a game is 38th. Senior quarterback Tommy Mellott rushes for 42.0 yards per game, and he completes passes at a .682 rate (70-102, no interceptions and eight touchdowns), 10th in the FCS.
Efficiency also remains a hallmark of the Bobcats defense. MSU's 18.4 points allowed per game is eighth nationally, and the team is 14th in third down defense (.294). Senior safety Rylan Ortt's first interception of the season at ISU came at a crucial moment of that contest, following a Bengals takeaway, and he is second on the Bobcat team with 25 total tackles. Linebackers McCade O'Reilly (29) and Danny Uluilakepa (25) are also at the top of MSU's tackles chart.
This week's game kicks off at 2 pm, and airs around Montana on Scripps' CBS stations (along with MTN in Missoula/Kalispell).
#GoCatsGo
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