Montana State’s win Saturday was the 43rd of Rob Ash’s Bobcat career, moving him a win closer to some major milestones. MSU’s sixth-year head coach…
* Moved to within four wins of Sonny Holland’s school-record 47 victories with MSU’s triumph over Northern Colorado
* Registered his 219th career win as a college head coach, tied for 46th in college football history
* Raised MSU’s record to 4-0 for the first time since 1999
INJURY REPORT
OUT – SEASON: DE Odin Coe, OL Christian Williams, OL Tyler Blomstrom. OUT – INDEFINITELY: OL Charles Lee. QUESTIONABLE: DT Zach Minter.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
Offense – QB DeNarius McGhee (6-0, 212, Jr, Euless, TX)
DeNarius McGhee threw for 387 yards and rushed for another 44, leading Montana State to a 41-16 win over Northern Colorado. McGhee finished the game 34-for-44 passing, including 10-for-14 during a first quarter in which the Bobcats jumped out to a 21-0 lead. McGhee threw two touchdowns without and interception, and also rushed for a touchdown. McGhee led the Bobcats on three touchdown drives of 75 yards or longer, including one of 90 yards. In fact, seven of the 10 possessions McGhee engineered ended in scores. His 77.3% passing night moved him into second in the Big Sky in pass efficiency, and he is also second in the league and 11th nationally in total offense. McGhee is now fourth in MSU history with 7,066 career passing yards, and third with 56 touchdown passes (Travis Lulay is second with 58, Kelly Bradley first with 60). McGhee has now thrown a touchdown pass in each of his 29 career games at MSU, all starts.
Defense – DE Caleb Schreibeis (6-3, 252, Sr, Billings, MT)
Caleb Schreibeis registered two tackles Saturday, but both were behind the line of scrimmage. He registered one tackle for loss and one sack, also breaking up one pass and hurrying the quarterback twice.
Special Teams – none
BOBCAT NOTES
• Montana State has scored at least 30 points in its first four games of 2012, and stands second in the league and 12th in the FCS in scoring offense (37.8 points per game)
• Only once previously has Montana State scored at least 30 points in its first four games of a season – 1956, when the Cats finished 9-0-1 and as NAIA National Champions
• The Bobcats have scored 40 points in back-to-back games for the third time in Rob Ash’s five-plus seasons at MSU, and for only the eighth time ever against collegiate competition
• The Bobcats stand fifth in the FCS in rushing defense (66.5), leading the Big Sky in that category
• Tanner Bleskin has caught 10 passes each in the past two games, posting his first two career 100-yard receiving games
• DeNarius McGhee has struck for at least one touchdown pass in each of his 29 games at Montana State
• After failing to force a turnover in its first two games, the Bobcats have four in the last two
• Montana State leads the Big Sky in third down conversions (57.4%) and opponent third down conversions (23.6%).
• The Bobcats lead the Big Sky in first downs (26.5 per game), and the team’s 33 first downs Saturday were the most since rolling up 35 against Eastern Washington in 2004
TEAM AWARDS
OFFENSIVE MVP: DeNarius McGhee (Euless, Tex.)
DEFENSIVE MVP: Caleb Schreibeis (Billings), Na’a Moeakiola (Euless, Tex.)
KICK TEAMS MVP: FG/PAT unit (5-5 PAT, 2-2 FG)
OFFENSIVE SCOUT: Chad Newell (Billings)
DEFENSIVE SCOUT: Brad Nordahl (Frenchtown)
SPECIAL TEAMS SCOUT: Eric Johnson (Billings)
— MSU Sports Information
