Cats, Griz hit the road

It’s been an interesting first four weeks of the college football season. But for the Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State Bobcats, the road to the Big Sky Conference championship officially begins on Saturday.

And for both teams, the road to the conference title, and the FCS playoffs begins on the road, against quality opponents.

The No. 7 Grizzlies (3-0) visit No. 24 Northern Arizona (2-1) Saturday night, while the No. 11 Bobcats (2-2) pay a visit to the University of North Dakota (1-2) on Saturday afternoon, with both teams playing indoors.

Both games have huge implications, as every Big Sky game does, but for the Bobcats, Saturday’s road trip to the Alerus Center in Grand Forks feels like a must-win game. MSU is coming off a shocking 52-38 loss last Saturday to S.F. Austin, and the Cats will once again be without starting quarterback DeNarius McGhee. That means sophomore Jake Bleskin will make his third straight start, and while he’s thrown for over 300 yards in each of MSU’s last two games, the offense has struggled to be balanced. MSU has really found it hard to run the ball the last two weeks.

However, a struggling UND defense might be just what the doctor ordered for MSU. UND is last in the Big Sky in rush defense, and the Green and White rank near the bottom of the conference in pass defense, scoring defense and total defense. On the other side of the ball, The Green and White have two of the top receivers in the FCS in Greg Hardin and Kenny Golloday, and a banged-up MSU defense, led by senior Brad Daly, linebacker Alex Singleton and the return of defensive end Preston Gale, will most certainly have its hands full on Saturday afternoon.

And if the Bobcats are searching for a bounce-back game, the Grizzlies are searching for redemption for the third time season.

Saturday night’s nationally-ranked showdown in Flagstaff, Ariz., marks the third game UM is going up against an opponent it lost to in 2012. The Griz were ambushed by NAU All-American running back Zach Bauman, who ran for 253 yards in last year’s win in Missoula. NAU’s stunning second-half comeback in Washington-Grizzly Stadium was the Lumberjacks’ first defeat of Montana in 13 seasons.

Bauman is back for the Jacks, but with seven new starters, including a young QB, NAU’s offense has struggled, averaging just 15 points in three games this season. And the Jacks are going up against a Montana defense which is very strong against the run.

Defense will play a key role in Saturday’s outcome too, because NAU does have a top-notch unit. Led by All-American safety Lucky Dozier, the Jacks are stingy against the pass, but equally adept at stopping the run. And that presents a new challenge for Montana’s revamped offense. Jordan Johnson is leading the FCS in pass efficiency, though he attempted just six passes in last week’s 47-14 win over NCAA DII Panhandle State. So there’s no doubt there’s a lot at stake in Flagstaff, as both the Grizzlies and Lumberjacks have Big Sky title aspirations.

Saturday’s game between Montana and Northern Arizona at the Walkup Sky Dome will kick off at 6 p.m. and can be seen on Root Sports. Montana State’s game at North Dakota will kick off at 1:35 p.m. and is televised on Max Media.