Pigskin Prophecies

On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Bobcats will compete against the University of Montana Grizzlies in the 118th Brawl of the Wild contest. This year, MSU will travel to Missoula to battle against our cross-state rivals. The Cats have won the past two matchups and will be vying for a three-peat, while Montana will look to reclaim the Great Divide Trophy and the State Champion title.

Heading into Saturday’s competition, both teams sit at a 6-4 record, and a win has the ability to push either program into the FCS playoffs. Football fans should be ready for a battle under the Big Sky.

MSU

The Bobcats come into this weekend ranked 25th in the nation by the STATS FCS poll after winning their last two games. After a rough patch in the middle of the season, the Cats seem to have gotten back on track, and just in time.

Offensively, the Cats have increased their production in the last few weeks. During their past two games, MSU has scored a total of 84 points while holding their opponents to only 49. The Cats look to continue their explosive running game, as it has fueled their offense throughout the 2018 campaign. In total, the Bobcats have ran for 2,269 total yards, 1,092 coming from sophomore quarterback Troy Andersen and 780 from true freshman running back Isaiah Ifanse. While the Bobcats rushing game has been consistently great, their passing game has remained almost nonexistent, something they will need to change against Montana’s strong run defense.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bobcats have continued to shine. During the last two contests, they have forced six total turnovers resulting in an impressive 35 points — a trend they will be looking to continue on Saturday. The Cats’ strong defensive line will look to bully the Griz’s mediocre offensive line, something Montana’s head coach Bobby Hauck has harped on all season. The Cats will also need to contain Dalton Sneed, the Grizzlies junior transfer quarterback who has proven he can both run and pass the football.

Montana

The Grizzlies have also been on the top of their game as of late: they have won their last two games after a three-game slide, including tough losses to Portland State and North Dakota. Hauck is back at the helm of Montana football, a coach who brought them to three national championship games during his seven-year tenure as the Grizzlies head coach before leaving in 2009. While the Griz don’t appear to be a national force this year, they’re still no slouches.

Their offense is led by Sneed, a quarterback who played at UNLV before playing one season at a junior college and transferring to Missoula. During the 2018 season Sneed has thrown for a tremendous 2,369 yards, rushed for over 650 yards and has accounted for 26 touchdowns this season, either through the air or on the ground. The offense’s only downside, as mentioned earlier, is their O-line.

Defensively, the Grizzlies have allowed an average of 28.5 points per games to their opponents in 2018. Their star defender is junior linebacker Dante Olson. During the Griz’s 10 games, Olson has racked up an astounding 133 tackles, only one stop short of the nation’s leading tackler. The Grizzlies are going to have to try to contain the Bobcats’ running game, especially Troy Andersen.

MSU Head Coach Jeff Choate spoke about the matchup on Monday. Throughout the press conference he emphasized how the Grizzlies are a different team this year, and are playing some of their best football right now. When asked about the last two Brawl of the Wild victories, Choate responded, “Throw the last two games out the window. It’s a different coaching staff. It’s a different scheme, it’s different players to a large degree.” He went on to comment on their coaching, saying they are a “really well coached team,” later adding, “I think we will have our hands full.”

The Prophecy

Overall, I think the Bobcats have the edge in the matchup. With their strong defensive line and backfield they should be able to limit Montana’s offense. But home-field advantage can’t be overlooked, and like Choate said, you can pretty much throw out the record books for this one.

Final Score: Bobcats 31 Grizzlies 27