Following are game notes for the Montana State football team’s game at the University of Montana on Saturday provided by the MSU Sports Information Department. Click below for a PDF of the media game notes.

 Cats vs. Griz Notes

THE STORYLINE
Intriguing matchups abound when the 2012 regular season culminates Saturday with the 112th Cat-Griz game in Missoula. Led by a bruising ground game featuring the electric duo of Peter Nguyen and Jordan Canada and possibly battering-ram back Dan Moore, Montana’s top-ranked offense looks to extend its dominance against a Bobcat defense which also leads the Big Sky. MSU allows just 65.9 yards a game, but surrendered 232 rushing yards to Portland State a week ago. UM freshman quarterback Shay Smithwick-Hann brings a hot hand to Saturday’s showdown, standing second in the league in pass efficiency in conference games. His opposite, Denarius McGhee, carries a career record of 28-7 into the contest. The Bobcats are competing for a share of the Big Sky title this weekend.

FOR OPENERS
•  Bobcat defensive end Caleb Schreibeis leads the FCS in forced fumbles (seven), and is fourth in sacks (13)

•  Montana State has posted three straight nine-win seasons for the first time

•  Rob Ash’s 48th win last week vs. PSU sets the all-time Bobcat record

STADIUM STUFF
•  MSU has won only twice in Washington-Grizzly Stadium – 2002, and ‘10

BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
•  Big Sky teams own wins over the Pac 12 (Sac State beat Colorado), Mountain West (NAU topped UNLV, Cal Poly beat Wyoming), and WAC (EWU beat Idaho) this season

•  Montana leads the Big Sky in total offense (461.7), MSU in total defense (305.2)

•  Cody Kirk’s 14 TDs from scrimmage (in just eight games) is the most in the Big Sky

THIS WEEK’S GAME
KICKOFF: 1:35 pm

SITE: Missoula, MT

STADIUM: Washington-Grizzly Stadium

RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Tyler Wiltgen, Dan Davies)

TELEVISION: ROOT Sports (Tom Glasgow, Sed Bonner, Jason Stiles, Jenny Cavnar, Jen Mueller)

2012 MSU SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 —   Chadron State, W, 33-6

Sept. 8  —    at Drake, W, 34-24

Sept. 15 —   Stephen F. Austin, W, 43-35

Sept. 22  —  *Northern Colorado, W, 41-16

Sept. 29 — *at Southern Utah, W, 24-17

Oct. 6 —   *at UC Davis, W, 48-41

Oct. 13  — *Eastern Wash., L, 24-27

Oct. 27  —  *North Dakota, W, 55-10

Nov. 3  —   *at Sacramento St, W, 20-17

Nov. 10  —  *Portland State, W, 65-30

Nov. 17  —  *at Montana, 1:35 pm

HIGHLIGHTS
•  The 35 wins by this year’s seniors is the most by any group over four seasons in school history

•  The Bobcats’ 20 league wins since 2010 is the most in the Big Sky

STREAKS
•  MSU’s 26 straight weeks in the top 10 is longer than any other string of consecutive weeks in the top 25 in school history

•  Cody Kirk has rushed for at least 100 yards in three straight games

•  Caleb Schreibeis has at least one sack in each of his first nine games of 2012, and has forced at least one fumble in three straight games

MILESTONES

•  DeNarius McGhee‘s 68 career TD passes is an MSU record, and his 8,441 passing yards is second in school history

•  Rob Ash’s 48 career wins is the most in MSU history

•  DeNarius McGhee’s 28 wins as starting quarterback is the MSU’s most ever

•  Cody Kirk’s 25 career rushing TDs is 2nd in MSU history

SHINING
•  RB Cody Kirk rushed for 411 yards and seven TDs in the last three games

•  QB DeNarius McGhee threw four touchdown passes against Portland State

•  DE Caleb Schreibeis has forced seven opponent fumbles this season and has at least one sack in his nine games