Grizzlies, Bobcats meet for 101st time Saturday
11/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
There's not much more that can be said about this game. It's time to throw the records out the window. It's rivalry week, which means Montana versus Montana State.
The 101st meeting on the gridiron between the two schools will kickoff shortly after noon Saturday, in front of what is expected to be the largest crowd of the year in Bozeman, and the first time since the 'Cat/Griz game in 1999 that the Bobcats have played in a sold-out stadium.
"This is the game," Montana head coach Joe Glenn said. "It's Montana, Montana State. That says it all for both teams."
Montana comes into the game 11-1 overall, a perfect 7-0 in Big Sky Conference play and ranked No. 1 in the nation. Montana all but delegated this week's game meaningless by wrapping up their fourth Big Sky crown in a row with a win over Weber State last week.
Although the outcome of the game will not affect the conference standings, don't think the Bobcats are taking this one lightly. They made that point by spanking Idaho State 52-13 last week.
Bobcat head coach Mike Kramer, who has turned his team around from a winless season a year ago, looks forward to the rivalry of the game Saturday but stresses his team will be little different in preparation this week.
"We have to prepare for this game the way we prepared for the 10 previous games," Kramer said Tuesday. "We have to take the good, improve on the bad and be ready to go on Saturday. As a coach you have to be very careful to not do something so out-of-the-ordinary that it tweaks your team the wrong way."
With a win Montana State can finish the season above .500 and own a victory over rival Montana for the first time since the post-national Championship year of 1985, but no conference title or trips to the postseason are in the mix, win or lose for the 'Cats.
Outside of the feelings of pride and revenge driving the 'Cats, it is the Grizzlies who seem to have much more riding on the game.
With the change in the Division I-AA playoff structure this past week, Montana has some work to do over their next two games against MSU and Idaho.
"We can't split or lose them both," Glenn said. "We need to win both games to guarantee home field advantage."
First on that list of priorities sits Montana State. Fifteen straight wins over the state's doormat Division I-AA school isn't enough for the coach to let down his guard.
"It's the Bobcats, you don't need to say more than that," Glenn said. "This is a chance for them to have a winning season, a chance to beat the No. 1 team in the country and most importantly this is a chance for them to beat Montana."
Although this is only his second year at the helm for the Bobcats, Kramer is still quite sure of what to expect Saturday.
"They're exceptional," Kramer said of the Griz. "They're the same as they've always been.
"They're big and mobile in the offensive front, they're very multi-dimensional on offense. Over the last few years they've developed a very strong sense of who they are defensively. They do all the little things right."
Glenn says the Grizzlies are as healthy as they have been all year and will welcome the return of Levandar Segars and Johnnie Peeples to the defensive backfield. Quarterback John Edwards returns to the starting position this weekend, while back-up Brandon Neill is still questionable for the game.
Montana State has no injuries to key players.
This is the final game of the year for the Bobcats. The Grizzlies will return home to play Idaho in a make-up game from Sept. 15 next Saturday. Seeding for the 16-team Division I-AA playoffs will be finalized by Nov. 26.
The 101st meeting on the gridiron between the two schools will kickoff shortly after noon Saturday, in front of what is expected to be the largest crowd of the year in Bozeman, and the first time since the 'Cat/Griz game in 1999 that the Bobcats have played in a sold-out stadium.
"This is the game," Montana head coach Joe Glenn said. "It's Montana, Montana State. That says it all for both teams."
Montana comes into the game 11-1 overall, a perfect 7-0 in Big Sky Conference play and ranked No. 1 in the nation. Montana all but delegated this week's game meaningless by wrapping up their fourth Big Sky crown in a row with a win over Weber State last week.
Although the outcome of the game will not affect the conference standings, don't think the Bobcats are taking this one lightly. They made that point by spanking Idaho State 52-13 last week.
Bobcat head coach Mike Kramer, who has turned his team around from a winless season a year ago, looks forward to the rivalry of the game Saturday but stresses his team will be little different in preparation this week.
"We have to prepare for this game the way we prepared for the 10 previous games," Kramer said Tuesday. "We have to take the good, improve on the bad and be ready to go on Saturday. As a coach you have to be very careful to not do something so out-of-the-ordinary that it tweaks your team the wrong way."
With a win Montana State can finish the season above .500 and own a victory over rival Montana for the first time since the post-national Championship year of 1985, but no conference title or trips to the postseason are in the mix, win or lose for the 'Cats.
Outside of the feelings of pride and revenge driving the 'Cats, it is the Grizzlies who seem to have much more riding on the game.
With the change in the Division I-AA playoff structure this past week, Montana has some work to do over their next two games against MSU and Idaho.
"We can't split or lose them both," Glenn said. "We need to win both games to guarantee home field advantage."
First on that list of priorities sits Montana State. Fifteen straight wins over the state's doormat Division I-AA school isn't enough for the coach to let down his guard.
"It's the Bobcats, you don't need to say more than that," Glenn said. "This is a chance for them to have a winning season, a chance to beat the No. 1 team in the country and most importantly this is a chance for them to beat Montana."
Although this is only his second year at the helm for the Bobcats, Kramer is still quite sure of what to expect Saturday.
"They're exceptional," Kramer said of the Griz. "They're the same as they've always been.
"They're big and mobile in the offensive front, they're very multi-dimensional on offense. Over the last few years they've developed a very strong sense of who they are defensively. They do all the little things right."
Glenn says the Grizzlies are as healthy as they have been all year and will welcome the return of Levandar Segars and Johnnie Peeples to the defensive backfield. Quarterback John Edwards returns to the starting position this weekend, while back-up Brandon Neill is still questionable for the game.
Montana State has no injuries to key players.
This is the final game of the year for the Bobcats. The Grizzlies will return home to play Idaho in a make-up game from Sept. 15 next Saturday. Seeding for the 16-team Division I-AA playoffs will be finalized by Nov. 26.
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