The stage is set for an unofficial Big Sky Conference championship game on Nov. 19 in Bozeman, Mont. Montana State and Montana both earned football victories on Saturday, meaning the winner of the annual Montana-Montana State game will earn the Big Sky's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
Fourth-ranked Montana State cruised to a 54-13 victory over Idaho State, coached by former Bobcat head man Mike Kramer. Running backs Cody Kirk and Tray Robinson combined for 338 rushing yards adn six touchdowns as the Bobcats won their eighth straight game. Montana State is at Weber State next week, and closes the regular season at home against Montana on Nov. 19. Idaho State's Rodrick Rumble caught 13 passes for 145 yards with one touchdown. Rumble set a Big Sky single-season record with 98 catches. The previous mark was 96 set by Ed Bell of ISU in 1969.
Montana State can clinch at least a share of the Big Sky championship with a win over Weber State next week. Montana State shared the regular-season title in 2010 with Eastern Washington.
Montana cruised to a 45-10 home win over Weber State, which entered the game with one loss. Sophomore quarterback Jordan Johnson tied the school record with six touchdown passes. Jabin Sambrano tied a school record with four touchdown receptions for the 11th-ranked Grizzlies. Montana has won five straight games and is now 6-1 in conference and 7-2 overall. The Grizzlies play a non-conference game against Western Oregon, followed by a bye week before the showdown against Montana State.
Both Montana and Montana State have likely done enough to secure postseason spots. Both have seven Division I victories. The 111th meeting between Montana and Montana State is Nov. 19 at Bobcat Stadium.
Portland State ended Eastern Washington's playoff hopes with a 43-26 win over the Eagles at Roos Field. PSU QB Connor Kavanaugh rushed for 154 yards and threw for two scores as the Vikings moved to 3-2 in league and 5-3 overall. PSU outscored the Eagles 21-6 in the second half. Kavanaugh set a Big Sky single-season rushing record by quarterbacks. Kavanaugh has 807 rushing yards this season. EWU QB Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 440 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. Nicholas Edwards caught three TD passes for the Eagles.
Northern Colorado fell just short of picking up its first win of the season, falling 27-25 to future Big Sky member North Dakota. North Dakota's Zeb Miller made a career-long 54-yard field goal with under two minutes to play. Northern Colorado's Patrick Walker set a Big Sky single-game record with 315 receiving yards. He had 10 catches, including TD catches of 80 and 88 yards.
Northern Arizona edged Sacramento State 27-26 behind a 246-yard, two-touchdown rushing performance from sophomore Zach Bauman. Sacramento State closed within one point with 4:53 to play on a 1-yard Bryan Hilliard touchdown run. Northern Arizona blocked the extra point, and the Hornets never got the ball back.
For more on Saturday's games, click on the links below:
Montana State 54, Idaho State 13 | Stats
Montana 45, Weber State 10 | Stats
Portland State 43, Eastern Washington 26 | Stats
North Dakota 27, Northern Colorado 25 | Stats
Northern Arizona 27, Sacramento State 26 | Stats
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