Following are game notes for the Montana State football team’s Friday playoff game against Sam Houston State as provided by the MSU Sports Information Department. Click below for a PDF of the media game notes.
THE STORYLINE
For the second straight season, Montana State faces Sam Houston State in the FCS Playoffs quarterfinals. This time around, the fifth-ranked Bearkats visit Bobcat Stadium a 6 pm Friday night contest televised nationally on ESPN2. Friday’s contest arrives with plenty of fanfare, marking the first time the Bobcats have hosted two Playoff home games in the same season since 1984. Like last week, the Cats face a strong ground game – SHSU ranks seventh in the FCS at 273.9 yards a game. The Bearkats bring a staunch defense to Bozeman, as well, standing 15th nationally in total defense (312.2) and 14th in scoring defense (18.8). MSU counters with the nation’s eighth-ranked defensive squad (304.6).
THIS WEEK’S GAME
KICKOFF: 6 p.m.
SITE: Bozeman, MT
STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium
RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Tyler Wiltgen, Dan Davies)
TELEVISION: ESPN2 (Tom Hart, John Congemi, Allison Williams)
FOR OPENERS
• Sam Houston State averages 42.3 points and 460.5 yards a game, while MSU allows 20.0 points and 304.6 yards a contest
• Montana State has won 10 games in consecutive seasons for the first time
STADIUM STUFF
• MSU averages 429.9 yards and 33.5 points per game on its five-year old turf field
PLAYOFF BULLET POINTS
• Friday’s game marks Montana State’s fifth quarterfinal appearance (once in the eight-team Division II Playoffs in 1976, four times in the I-AA or FCS Playoffs), although the first two times (1976 and ‘84) came without virtue of a win
• The Cats own a 2-2 all-time playoff record against Southland Conference squads
• The Bobcats stand 9-5 all-time in NCAA Playoff games
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, W, 16-7
Dec 1 $Stony Brook, W, 16-10
Dec 7 $Sam Houston St., 6 p.m.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The 40 wins by this year’s seniors is the most by any four-year group at MSU
• The Bobcats’ 21 league wins since 2010 is the most in the Big Sky
STREAKS
• MSU’s 27 straight weeks in the top 10 is longer than any other string of consecutive weeks in the top 25 in school history
• DeNarius McGhee has thrown a TD pass in three straight games since his string of 33 straight ended at Sac St
• Caleb Schreibeis has been in on at least one sack in each of his 11 games in 2012, and has forced at least one fumble in four of MSU’s last five games
MILESTONES
• DeNarius McGhee‘s 70 career TD passes is an MSU record, and his 8,441 passing yards is second in school history
• Rob Ash’s 49 career wins is the most in MSU history
• DeNarius McGhee’s 29 wins as starting quarterback is the MSU’s most ever
• Cody Kirk’s 29 career rushing TDs is tied for 1st in MSU history
SHINING
• LB Jody Owens earned Big Sky Defensive MVP honors, MSU’s fourth such selection in the last 10 years
• QB DeNarius McGhee earned Big Sky Offensive MVP honors as a junior, his second such award
• DE Caleb Schreibeis has forced an FCS-leading eight fumbles
