— It is the fourth straight year the road team has won this game and the fifth time in the last six years. The last home team to win was Montana in 2008. The four straight road wins is the longest in the history of the 112 games played between the two schools.

— DeNarius McGhee is only the second starting quarterback at Montana State to win back-to-back games in Missoula against the Grizzlies. The only other MSU quarterback to do that was Dennis Erickson in 1966 and 1968.

— The back-to-back wins by the Bobcats against the Grizzlies in Missoula is the first time that has happened in this series since 1974 and 1976. The win in 1976 helped propel the Bobcats on to the national championship that year.

— One common thread between all five national titles teams from Montana is they won the Divide War game on the road prior to win the national title. The Cats won national titles in 1956, 1976 and 1984. The Grizzlies won national titles in 1995 and 2001.

— Rob Ash becomes only the fourth Bobcats’ coach to win back-to-back games against the Grizzlies in Missoula The other three coaches are Williams Adams in 1899 and 1900, Jim Sweeney in 1964, 1966, and 1968, and Sonny Holland who beat Montana in 1972, 1974 and 1976.

Four small-town seniors from Montana lead the Bobcats out of the tunnel Saturday. If you combine the hometowns Rick Haluszka (19) from Harlem, Kruiz Siewing (10) from Saco, Heath Howard (6) from Plentywood and Kazz Siewing (3) from Saco, the population is still less than 5,000.
(Pat Kearney photos)