This Week’s Sky Highlights
The regular season is nearing an end, as just two weeks remain. Seven Big Sky teams are in action this week in a schedule that features three conference and one non-conference game...Portland State travels to Northern Colorado for the Bears’ season finale...Northern Arizona heads to Weber State, looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats...Idaho State looks to snap a six-game losing streak when it travels to Sacramento State...Eastern Washington travels to Cal Poly to play the Mustangs of the Great West Conference. Cal Poly, which is battling for an at-large playoff position, will join the Big Sky as a football-affiliate member on July 1, 2010...League-leading and No. 2 ranked Montana State has the weekend off, as does No. 8 Montana. The Bobcats and Grizzlies will battle Nov. 19 in Bozeman. The winner earns the Big Sky’s automatic bid to the playoffs.
This Week’s Sky Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 12...................................................................... Time
Series: PSU leads 6-2.
Last meeting: NC won 35-20 in 2010.
Series Streak: NC has won 1.
Internet: Big Sky TV
Series: WSU lads 25-22
Last Meeting: WSU won 27-26 in 2010.
Series Streak: WSU has won three.
Internet: Big Sky TV
Series: Tied 2-2.
Last Meeting: CP won 40-34 in 2005.
Series Streak: CP has won one.
TV: KSBY (California)
Internet: www.gopoly.com
Series: SAC leads 9-6.
Last Meeting: SAC won 45-17 in 2010.
Series Streak: SAC has won two.
Internet: Big Sky TV.
*Big Sky Conference Game
Times Local to Site/Subject to Change
Around the Big Sky
CO-CHAMPS, AT LEAST: Montana State clinched at least a share of its second straight Big Sky Conference championship with a 44-24 win over Weber State on Saturday in Ogden. Montana State outscored Weber State 24-0 in the second half, overcoming four first-half turnovers. Montana State is 7-0 in conference and 9-1 overall. Montana State has won nine straight games, the second-longest single-season streak in school history. Montana State is 7-0 in the Big Sky for the first time in school history. MSU has now posted back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in school history. The Bobcats have scored at least 30 points in nine straight games, the longest stretch in school history. The Bobcats can clinch their first outright Big Sky Championship since 1984 with a win over arch-rival Montana in the 111th meeting between the schools on Nov. 19. Montana State has claimed at least a share of back-to-back titles for the third time in school history. MSU also accomplished the feat from 1966-68 and 2002-03. Even if the Bobcats lose to Montana, the Bobcats can make playoff plans as they are projected to be in the 20-team field.
THE SHOWDOWN: Montana won a non-conference game over Western Oregon 32-7 on Saturday to move to 8-2 overall. The Grizzlies are 6-1 in conference and could clinch a share of the Big Sky Conference title and the league’s automatic bid to the playoffs with a win over rival Montana State on Nov. 19. Both Montana and Montana State have byes this week. Montana won or shared 12 straight Big Sky Conference titles from 1998-2009, before the streak ended last season. The 111th Montana-Montana State game will begin at 12:05 p.m. Mountain in Missoula, and will be televised throughout Montana on Montana’s News Stations. The game will also be available on DirecTV and Dish Network viewers who get Altitude Sports & Entertainment, or who subscribe to the regional sports packages. The game will air on DirecTV on channel 680 and 680HD, and on Dish Network on channel 446 and 9516. Montana has won the last two meetings against the Bobcats in Bozeman. Montana State beat Montana 21-16 in Missoula last season.
BAUMAN’S DAY: Northern Arizona sophomore Zach Bauman had 124 rushing yards and 126 receiving yards in the Lumberjack’s 34-14 victory over Northern Colorado on Saturday. Bauman became the first Big Sky player in four years to have 100 yards in each category. Weber State’s Trevyn Smith had 119 rushing yards and 120 receiving yards in a win over Idaho State on Nov. 3, 2007. Bauman scored rushing touchdowns of 4 and 5 yards, and also hauled in a 44-yard touchdown catch from wide receiver Kahil Paden. It was Bauman’s first career 100-yard receiving game, and his 11th career 100-yard rushing game. Bauman is believed to be the second player in NAU history to accomplish the feat, joining David Lang, who rushed for 189 yards and had 112 receiving yards against Nevada in 1989.
SIX FOR MCKNIGHT: Montana kicker Brody McKnight set a school record with six field goals in the Grizzlies’ 32-7 win over Western Oregon. McKnight became the first Big Sky kicker to make six field goals in a game since Northern Arizona’s Mickey Penaflor in 1988. McKnight hit field goals of 24, 21, 51, 30, 36 and 24 yards. McKnight ranks fourth on the Big Sky’s all-time kick scoring list with 356 points. He is seventh on the Big Sky’s overall scoring list, and needs just 10 more to move into a tie for fourth place.
KAVANAUGH CLOSES IN: Portland State senior quarterback Connor Kavanaugh rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings’ 29-20 home win over Sacramento State on Saturday. Kavanaugh now has 1,800 career rushing yards, and needs just 27 more to become the Big Sky’s all-time quarterback leader. Idaho’s Ken Hobart rushed for 1,826 yards from 1980-83. Kavanaugh has a Big Sky single-season QB record of 896 rushing yards this season.
IN THE POLLS: Montana State remained second behind North Dakota State in both major polls. The Bobcats received 16 first-place votes and 3,847 total points in the Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25. MSU earned two first-place votes and 671 total points in the Coaches’ Poll. Montana moved up two spots to eighth in the Sports Network poll, and moved up one spot to seventh in the Coaches’ Poll. Future Big Sky member North Dakota is ranked 22nd in the Coaches’ poll. Montana State ranks third among FCS teams in the Sagarin Ratings. Montana is seventh.
Extra points: ISU LB A.J. Storms needs three tackles to reach 400 for his career. Storms ranks third on the Big Sky’s all-time tackles list...MSU’s Jason Cunningham is the active FCS leader in field goals made with 64...Montana leads the nation in total attendance and is second in average attendance. Montana State is second in both categories...UM’s Peter Nguyen had a career-high 149 rushing yards in the Grizzlies’ win over Western Oregon...WSU’s Josh Booker rushed for a career-high 121 yards in a loss to Montana State...PSU has clinched a winning season for the first time since 2006...The Division I playoff selection show will be Nov. 20 at 8 a.m. Mountain, 7 a.m. Pacific on ESPNU...NC’s Patrick Walker has had at least 100 receiving yards in four straight games.
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