DeNarius McGhee leads the Bobcats into Eastern Washington's Inferno on Saturday
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcats Head to Palouse to Face Defending National Champs
9/22/2011 7:45:00 AM | Football
MSU faces an 0-3 Eastern Washington team who shared last year's league title with Cats
Montana State jumps into the Big Sky fray in perhaps the most daunting fashion possible this weekend, facing defending National Champion Eastern Washington in the Eagles' home opener. The Eagles carry into Saturday's matchup a most unexpected resume - the team is 0-3, 0-1 in Big Sky play, after sandwiching a disappointing loss at South Dakota with heartbreaking three-point losses at Washington in the opener and at Montana last week. Bo Levi Mitchell paces the red-hot Eagles offense, throwing for 359.7 yards a game. The senior signal caller is third in the FCS in total offense average. Senior receiver Nicholas Edwards is sixth nationally in receiving (114.0). Saturday's game gives MSU its first look at The Inferno, EWU's distinctive red turf field on which it has never lost.
MSU Game Notes vs. EWU
EWU Game Notes vs. MSU
MSU Game Notes vs. EWU
EWU Game Notes vs. MSU
THIS WEEK'S GAME
KICKOFF: 5:05 pm MT/4:05 pm PT
SITE: Cheney, WA
STADIUM: Roos Field
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Jeff Lasky, Tyler Wiltgen)
TELEVISION: Max Media Montana (Chris Byers, Mike Callaghan, AJ Donatoni-SL)
FOR OPENERS
•Montana State stands ninth nationally in total defense at 254.7 yards per game
•MSU is 4-0 under Rob Ash against the Great West (2-0 vs. South Dakota, 1-0 vs. Southern Utah, 1-0 against UC Davis)
STADIUM STUFF
•Eastern Washington has never lost on its year-old red Sprinturf playing field
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
•Big Sky home teams won all five games played last weekend
•Rory Perez leads the Big Sky and is 5th nationally with a 44.4 yards-per-punt average
INJURY REPORT
The Bobcats lost a pair of key special teams contributors Saturday when DE Preston Gale and RB Kerry Sloan each suffered season-ending knee injuries. CB Sean Gords, who missed Saturday's game (knee) is expected to practice and play this week.
RANKINGS REPORT
Montana State has moved up to fourth in this week's FCS rankings, the highest for a Bobcat squad since the 1984 National Championship season (the 1985 polls are unavailable). Saturday's game marks Montana State's first game against a nationally-ranked opponent this season. The Cats were 2-1 against ranked FCS foes last year (beating Eastern Washington and Montana, losing to North Dakota State).
HIGHLIGHTS
•MSU held Minot State to 176 yards, the lowest total by the Bobcat defense since mid-2009 and the fourth straight regular season game MSU has held the foe under 300 yards of total offense
•Linebacker Aleksei Grosulak saw his first game action of 2011 vs. Minot State
•Receiver Elvis Akpla is 4th in the Big Sky in receiving yards per game (84.0), and 1st in punt return average (7.0)
•MSU has posted a winning record the last 11 seasons it has opened with a returning starter at QB
STREAKS
•WR Elvis Akpla has caught a pass in his last 24 straight games
•Guard Alex Terrien has started 29 consecutive games for the Bobcats
MILESTONES
•Denarius McGhee's 28 career TD passes is fourth in Bobcat history
SHINING
•FS Steven Bethley became the first Bobcat in three seasons to pick off two passes in one game last week against Minot
•RB Cody Kirk has 218 rushing yards in the last two games
•P Rory Perez averaged 44.4 yards per punt, booming one 64-yarder, and now leads the Big Sky in punting
This week's game preview is brought to you by Montana Disaster and Emergency Services.
Leon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
