Following are the game notes for Montana State’s home opener against Chadron State as provided by MSU Sports Information. The football game will be played at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Bobcat Stadium.

 THE STORYLINE

For all the talk about what’s new at the beginning of Montana State’s 2012 football season – an offensive coordinator, a home night game for the first time, 80 percent of the offensive line – the things that are the same are those that really matter. A head coach entering his sixth season with the core of a coaching staff that has been at his side the entire tenure, a third-year starting quarterback, nine returning starters on defense – those factors led to the Bobcats’ No. 4 national ranking entering the season. The Cats host Chadron State, a strong Division II outfit from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, to open 2012.

 FOR OPENERS

— The last three times Montana State opened its season with a home game the Cats did so against a school from the Rocky Mountain Conference, to which MSU once belonged

—  Chadron State won its last trip to Bozeman, a 35-24 triumph in 2006 powered by current New England Patriot Danny Woodhead

—P  Montana State has hosted Chadron State to open its season twice previously – a 20-10 win in 1999, and a 24-14 win in 1997

 STADIUM STUFF

— MSU’s 2012 season opener stands as the first home night game in school history

BIG SKY BULLET POINTS

—  Big Sky coaches and media each pick MSU to win the Big Sky

 THIS WEEK’S GAME

KICKOFF: 7:05 pm

SITE: Bozeman, MT

STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium

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

TELEVISION: Max Media (Chris Byer, Mike Callaghan, Jeff Eberle)

 2012 MSU SCHEDULE

Aug 30    Chadron State, 7:05 pm

Sept 8     at Drake, 5:05 pm MT

Sept 15   Stephen F. Austin, 1:35 pm

Sept 22   *Northern Colorado, 2:05 pm

Sept 29   *at Southern Utah, 1:35 pm

Oct 6       *at UC Davis, 5:05 pm MT

Oct 13     *Eastern Wash., 1:35 pm

Oct 27     *North Dakota, 2:05 pm

Nov. 3     *at Sacramento St, 5:05 pm MT

Nov 10    *Portland State, 1:35 pm

Nov 17    *at Montana, 1:35 pm

 HIGHLIGHTS

—  Montana State opens the 2012 season ranked No. 4 in both The Sports Network media/SID poll and the FCS Coaches Poll, the school’s highest preseason ranking since at least 1985

— MSU has gained at least 500 yards 10 times over the past two seasons, one more than from 1992-2009 combined

STREAKS

—  DeNarius McGhee has started – and completed a touchdown pass – in each of his first 25 games as a Bobcat

— Linebacker Jody Owens, the preseason Big Sky Defensive MVP, had tackles-for-loss in three straight games and seven of the last eight to close 2011

—  Montana State has compiled 10 consecutive winning seasons, the longest such streak in school history

 MILESTONES

—  DeNarius McGhee‘s 46 career TD passes is 4th in Bobcat history

—l  Elvis Akpla’s 2,107 career receiving yards is a Bobcat record

 SHINING

— DT Zach Minter landed on every Preseason All-America team after his unanimous All-Big Sky season of 2011

—  LB Jody Owens also earned Preseason All-America mention on every team released, along with the added distinction of Preseason Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year honors

—  QB DeNarius McGhee has thrown for 5,962 yards through two seasons