Bobcats, Grizzlies begin the season ranked in the Stats FCS Poll

For the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats, the 2019 season is officially underway. And both teams will begin the new season ranked in the Football Championship Subdivision.

The Bobcats, who began training under fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate last Friday in Bozeman, start the season ranked No. 14 in the Stats FCS Preseason Poll. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies opened training camp Sunday under the direction of second-year head coach Bobby Hauck and will begin the season ranked No. 25 in the poll.

Montana State has conducted four practices already this summer, and training camp will consist of 18 total practices, before preparations begin for the Cat’s Aug. 31 opener at FBS and Big 12 powerhouse Texas Tech.

The Cats are coming off their first playoff appearance in four years, having reached the second round of the FCS playoffs last December. MSU finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final Stats Poll.

The Grizzlies, on the other hand, missed the playoffs for the third straight year last fall. A stunning last-second loss to the hated Cats in Missoula was the culprit in spoiling Hauck’s triumphant return to Missoula. At 6-5 to end the season, Montana found itself not only off the playoff bubble, but unranked in the final Stats Poll of 2018.

Both squads, however, enter training camps with high hopes and they’ll be led by stars on both sides of the ball.

In Bozeman, Troy Andersen, who has been a starter at both running back and quarterback, has been moved to linebacker for his junior season. However, preseason honors for Andersen include being placed on the initial Walter Payton Award Watch List, and on the Big Sky All-Conference Preseason Team. On both lists, Andersen was tabbed an “athlete” after he rushed for over 1,400 yards a season ago. Choate said earlier this week that while Andersen, who is considered an NFL prospect on defense, will play predominately at linebacker, he will still have multiple roles in the Bobcat offense, as well.

The Griz also have a national award candidate. Montana, which held its first full practice Tuesday, is led by senior linebacker Dante Olson, who was the runner-up for the Buchanan Award last season — the award which goes to the top defensive player in the FCS. It’s been a busy summer for Olson, who was named Big Sky Preseason Defensive MVP back in July, as well as Stats Preseason All-American. Last week, he was, of course, announced as a Buchanan Watch List member as well and is the only FCS player to make the Butkus Award Watch List — the award given to the top linebacker in all of college football each year.

Quarterbacks are also a focus in both training camps in Montana this August.

In Bozeman, red-shirt sophomore Tucker Rovig, and red-shirt freshman Casey Bauman are in a heated QB battle now that Andersen has shifted to LB and Chris Murray failed to earn his way back onto the Bobcat roster. Rovig started several games for the Cats last season, but suffered a season-ending foot injury.

In Missoula, the Griz don’t have a QB battle. That spot firmly belongs to Dalton Sneed, who electrified the Griz faithful as a junior. Sneed is considered one of the top returning QBs in the FCS this season, but where he’s so valuable to the Griz is with his leadership. And with a revamped offensive line, as well as the deepest WR group in the Big Sky, big things will be expected from Sneed right way.

“He’s a ballplayer,” Choate said of Sneed at the Big Sky Kickoff last month. “You can tell he’s a playmaker. When things break down, he can create outside the offense. Tough. Took some shots. You can just tell he wants the ball in his hand when the game’s on the line.”

Sneed and the Grizzlies open their season at Missouri Valley Conference rival South Dakota Aug. 31 at 1 p.m. The Cats play at Texas Tech at 2 p.m. the same day. MSU’s home-opener is set for Sept. 7 against Southeast Missouri State. The Griz play in Washington-Grizzly Stadium that same night against North Alabama.

The Stats FCS Poll, released Monday, features three Big Sky teams in the Top 10, led by Eastern Washington at No. 4, UC Davis at No. 5 and Weber State at No. 8. Northern Arizona and Idaho State also received votes. As expected, North Dakota State begins the season ranked atop the FCS.

STATS FCS Preseason Top 25

1. North Dakota State (15-0), 3,971 points (142 first-place votes); Final 2018 Ranking: 1

2. James Madison (9-4), 3,635 (14); Final 2018 Ranking: 9

3. South Dakota State (10-3), 3,631 (1); Final 2018 Ranking: 3

4. Eastern Washington (12-3), 3,594 (3); Final 2018 Ranking: 2

5. UC Davis (10-3), 3,210; Final 2018 Ranking: 7

6. Jacksonville State (9-4), 3,004; Final 2018 Ranking: 10

7. Maine (10-4), 2,891; Final 2018 Ranking: 4

8. Weber State (10-3), 2,827; Final 2018 Ranking: 6

9. Wofford (10-3), 2,522; Final 2018 Ranking: 13

10. Kennesaw State (11-2), 2,361; Final 2018 Ranking: 5

11. Towson (7-5), 2,330; Final 2018 Ranking: 20

12. Nicholls (9-4), 2,156; Final 2018 Ranking: 14

13. Colgate (10-2), 1,892; Final 2018 Ranking: 8

14. Montana State (8-5), 1,866; Final 2018 Ranking: 17

15. Illinois State (6-5), 1,432; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

16. Indiana State (7-4), 1,192; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

17. Southeast Missouri (9-4), 1,166; Final 2018 Ranking: 15

18. Northern Iowa (7-6), 1,136; Final 2018 Ranking: 23

19. Furman (6-4), 1,074; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

20. North Carolina A&T (10-2), 885; Final 2018 Ranking: 12

21. Elon (6-5), 870; Final 2018 Ranking: 19

22. Delaware (7-5), 798; Final 2018 Ranking: 24

23. Sam Houston State (6-5), 564; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

24. Princeton (10-0), 432; Final 2018 Ranking: 11

25. Montana (6-5), 413; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

Others Receiving Votes: ETSU (8-4) 323, Stony Brook (7-5) 257, Duquesne (9-4) 235, San Diego (9-3) 209, Eastern Kentucky (7-4) 175, Dartmouth (9-1) 149, Central Arkansas (6-5) 125, McNeese (6-5) 110, Monmouth (8-3) 110, UIW (6-5) 108, Alcorn State (9-4) 85, Yale (5-5) 52, New Hampshire (4-7) 42, Chattanooga (6-5) 38, South Dakota (4-7) 27, Northern Arizona (4-6) 16, Lamar (7-5) 14, Villanova (5-6) 14, Richmond (4-7) 8, The Citadel (5-6) 7, Mercer (5-6) 7, Rhode Island (6-5) 7, Abilene Christian (6-5) 6, Southeastern Louisiana (4-7) 6, Idaho State (6-5) 5, Youngstown State (4-7) 4, Southern (7-4) 3, Samford (6-5) 2, North Dakota (6-5) 1, Sacred Heart (7-4) 1, Wagner (4-7) 1, Western Illinois (5-6) 1.