Taco Dowler heads toward the end zone
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
GAME #12: Bobcats Battle Grizzlies for 123rd Time
11/21/2024 2:31:00 PM | Football
Montana State faces ancient rival looking for outright Big Sky title
BOZEMAN, Montana – Brent Vigen grew up immersed in the North Dakota State-North Dakota rivalry. He coached against South Dakota State while at NDSU and against Colorado State during his time at Wyoming. Montana State's fourth-year head coach knows plenty about college football rivalries — and he knows one thing for sure:.
"This game counts as one (game), but it does mean more," he said on Monday while preparing his fourth Bobcat team for the 123rd Cat-Griz showdown on Saturday. "We have so many guys from the state of Montana on the roster, we have a number of guys from Missoula, we have a number of seniors that this will be their last Brawl. For those reasons, for those guys, and for so much more, we need to do everything we can to get a win this weekend."
Vigen's second-ranked Bobcats and their ancient rivals from the University of Montana get together in Bobcat Stadium at noon on Saturday. The contest isn't a winner-take-all affair, after MSU's win a week ago at UC Davis sealed a share of the league title and its automatic berth to the FCS Playoffs for the Cats, but the No. 9 Grizzlies have plenty on the line.
"Clinching a share of the title and the automatic bid from our conference are certainly two accomplishments that we appreciate," he said. "But ultimately, this team is after more. We'd love nothing more than to have the conference title outright. They're obviously fighting for things, as well. Their win last week put them in a position where this game matters quite a bit for where they're going to get seeded, they have a lot of guys from Montana on their roster, and all that, too."
The Bobcats face a UM team that thrives on a dynamic, balanced offense. The Griz stand 16th nationally in total offense (439.6 yards per game) and 11th in scoring offense (31.6 points per game). Quarterback Logan Fife throws for 152.4 yards per game while flashing mobility and athleticism. Running backs Eli Gillman (921 rushing yards this season) and Nick Ostmo (734) form a productive tandem.
"Montana has been very prolific at times," Vigen said. "I know they've played two quarterbacks, but I suspect after the way things played out on Saturday it will be Fife that we see. When he's been out there he's put up good numbers – completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception, yards, all that – and he obviously produced really well on Saturday. Running back-wise between Gillman and Ostmo they have a good one-two punch."
Four different receivers enter Saturday's game with at least 25 catches. Keelan White leads the way with 45 catches for 494 yards, while Aaron Fontes and Junior Bergen have each caught 39 passes and Sawyer Racanelli has caught 25 balls. "When you look at their receiving corps, there's a lot of depth there, a lot of versatility, different types of receivers, and they've been on the end of a lot of that quarterback success."
Montana State counters with a defense that is 12th in the FCS in fewest yards allowed with 301.3 yards per game and 7th in scoring defense at 17.5 points per game. The Bobcats matched a season high with six sacks at UC Davis last week. Defensive end Kenneth Eiden IV logged two of those, with one other tackle-for-loss.
The Bobcats face a UM defense on the uptick. After allowing 159 points in four consecutive mid-season games, the Grizzlies have surrendered just 54 points in their most recent four outings.
"Defensively, they run a scheme that's, at least within our schedule, is unique to them," Vigen said. "They fly around, they wreak havoc, they create a lot of different pictures, and for us it will start with our ability to run the football. The last few years we've had success at times, we haven't had success at times, so we've got to figure that part out. And we've got to be able to throw the ball against them. There's going to be matchups there we have to win. Certainly their defense presents challenges and we're going to have to prepare really well to do the things we need to do."
What the Cats generally need to do, Vigen emphasizes week in and out, is run the ball effectively. By and large, the offense has achieved that goal. MSU is second nationally with 317.2 rushing yards per game, with running backs Scottre Humphrey (111.0 yards per game) and Adam Jones (73.1 yards per game) leading the way. Quarterback Tommy Mellott adds 53.6 yards per game on the ground, and is also 2nd in the FCS in passing efficiency.
While lauding the Grizzlies' defense, Mellott, a Butte native, said the game's personal nature often overshadows strategy. "They always play with a lot of energy, a lot of passion on defense, they run to the ball, they're physical, and they continue to be a little more and more expansive with what they do on defense as we've seen them throughout the season. Obviously, I know a lot of their players personally, I've grown up around them, watched them play football when they were in high school. So I know a lot about them and I'm excited to go compete against them."
The Bobcats (11-0 overall, 7-0 in the Big Sky) chase history on Saturday, seeking the program's first outright Big Sky title since 1984 and its first regular season record ever. The team stood 2nd in the FCS selection committee's midseason rankings, indicating that a win Saturday could lead to the second seed in the upcoming post-season and home field advantage through the tournament's semifinals.
But Vigen said none of that matters more than taking care of the business at hand. "We have to go out and prepare really well. We don't have to change the script. Our process each week has put us in position on Saturday to play as well as possible, and that can't change this week, doesn't need to change this week. We've talked continually about getting better, about improvement, and finding improvement at this stretch of the season isn't easy. But I think we're positioned to be able to do that, and there's no better chance to measure ourselves than come this Saturday."
Saturday's game airs around the state on MTN stations, streams on ESPN+, and statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network. It's also available on Learfield's Varsity Network app.
#GoCatsGo
"This game counts as one (game), but it does mean more," he said on Monday while preparing his fourth Bobcat team for the 123rd Cat-Griz showdown on Saturday. "We have so many guys from the state of Montana on the roster, we have a number of guys from Missoula, we have a number of seniors that this will be their last Brawl. For those reasons, for those guys, and for so much more, we need to do everything we can to get a win this weekend."
Vigen's second-ranked Bobcats and their ancient rivals from the University of Montana get together in Bobcat Stadium at noon on Saturday. The contest isn't a winner-take-all affair, after MSU's win a week ago at UC Davis sealed a share of the league title and its automatic berth to the FCS Playoffs for the Cats, but the No. 9 Grizzlies have plenty on the line.
"Clinching a share of the title and the automatic bid from our conference are certainly two accomplishments that we appreciate," he said. "But ultimately, this team is after more. We'd love nothing more than to have the conference title outright. They're obviously fighting for things, as well. Their win last week put them in a position where this game matters quite a bit for where they're going to get seeded, they have a lot of guys from Montana on their roster, and all that, too."
The Bobcats face a UM team that thrives on a dynamic, balanced offense. The Griz stand 16th nationally in total offense (439.6 yards per game) and 11th in scoring offense (31.6 points per game). Quarterback Logan Fife throws for 152.4 yards per game while flashing mobility and athleticism. Running backs Eli Gillman (921 rushing yards this season) and Nick Ostmo (734) form a productive tandem.
"Montana has been very prolific at times," Vigen said. "I know they've played two quarterbacks, but I suspect after the way things played out on Saturday it will be Fife that we see. When he's been out there he's put up good numbers – completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception, yards, all that – and he obviously produced really well on Saturday. Running back-wise between Gillman and Ostmo they have a good one-two punch."
Four different receivers enter Saturday's game with at least 25 catches. Keelan White leads the way with 45 catches for 494 yards, while Aaron Fontes and Junior Bergen have each caught 39 passes and Sawyer Racanelli has caught 25 balls. "When you look at their receiving corps, there's a lot of depth there, a lot of versatility, different types of receivers, and they've been on the end of a lot of that quarterback success."
Montana State counters with a defense that is 12th in the FCS in fewest yards allowed with 301.3 yards per game and 7th in scoring defense at 17.5 points per game. The Bobcats matched a season high with six sacks at UC Davis last week. Defensive end Kenneth Eiden IV logged two of those, with one other tackle-for-loss.
The Bobcats face a UM defense on the uptick. After allowing 159 points in four consecutive mid-season games, the Grizzlies have surrendered just 54 points in their most recent four outings.
"Defensively, they run a scheme that's, at least within our schedule, is unique to them," Vigen said. "They fly around, they wreak havoc, they create a lot of different pictures, and for us it will start with our ability to run the football. The last few years we've had success at times, we haven't had success at times, so we've got to figure that part out. And we've got to be able to throw the ball against them. There's going to be matchups there we have to win. Certainly their defense presents challenges and we're going to have to prepare really well to do the things we need to do."
What the Cats generally need to do, Vigen emphasizes week in and out, is run the ball effectively. By and large, the offense has achieved that goal. MSU is second nationally with 317.2 rushing yards per game, with running backs Scottre Humphrey (111.0 yards per game) and Adam Jones (73.1 yards per game) leading the way. Quarterback Tommy Mellott adds 53.6 yards per game on the ground, and is also 2nd in the FCS in passing efficiency.
While lauding the Grizzlies' defense, Mellott, a Butte native, said the game's personal nature often overshadows strategy. "They always play with a lot of energy, a lot of passion on defense, they run to the ball, they're physical, and they continue to be a little more and more expansive with what they do on defense as we've seen them throughout the season. Obviously, I know a lot of their players personally, I've grown up around them, watched them play football when they were in high school. So I know a lot about them and I'm excited to go compete against them."
The Bobcats (11-0 overall, 7-0 in the Big Sky) chase history on Saturday, seeking the program's first outright Big Sky title since 1984 and its first regular season record ever. The team stood 2nd in the FCS selection committee's midseason rankings, indicating that a win Saturday could lead to the second seed in the upcoming post-season and home field advantage through the tournament's semifinals.
But Vigen said none of that matters more than taking care of the business at hand. "We have to go out and prepare really well. We don't have to change the script. Our process each week has put us in position on Saturday to play as well as possible, and that can't change this week, doesn't need to change this week. We've talked continually about getting better, about improvement, and finding improvement at this stretch of the season isn't easy. But I think we're positioned to be able to do that, and there's no better chance to measure ourselves than come this Saturday."
Saturday's game airs around the state on MTN stations, streams on ESPN+, and statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network. It's also available on Learfield's Varsity Network app.
#GoCatsGo
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