22014014 MontanaMontana StateState BobcatsBobcats #17/18 Montana State vs. #2/2 Eastern Washington September 20 • Bobcat Stadium • Bozeman, MT Montana State Eastern Washington THIS WEEK’S GAME BOBCATS EAGLES KICKOFF: 1:10 pm 2-1/0-0 Big Sky 2-1/0-0 Big Sky SITE: Bozeman, MT STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Jay MSU in ‘14 ............................................2-1 EWU in ‘14 ............................................ 2-1 Sanderson, Dan Davies, Riley Corcoran) Conf./Record ............................Big Sky/0-0 Conf./Record ............................Big Sky/0-0 TELEVISION: Cowles Media (Tom Home/Road .....................................2-0/0-1 Home/Road .....................................2-0/0-1 Glasgow, Jason Stiles, Jen Mueller) Grass/Turf ........................................0-0/2-1 Grass/Turf ........................................0-0/2-1 Day/Night .........................................1-0/1-1 Day/Night .........................................0-0/2-1 2014 MSU SCHEDULE HEAD COACH ............................. Rob Ash HEAD COACH .....................Beau Baldwin Aug 30 at Arkansas State L 10-37 Alma Mater ........................ Cornell (Ia.)/’73 Alma Mater .................... Central Wash./’83 Sept 6 Black Hills State W 57-10 Overall/Years ......................235-127-5/34th Overall/Years ..............................58-23/.8th Sept 13 Central Arkansas W 43-33 At MSU/Years ..............................59-28/8th At School/Years ...........................58-23/8th Sept 20 Eastern Wash. 1:10 pm vs EWU ..................................................2-5 vs MSU ..................................................4-2 Sept 27 *North Dakota (HC) 2:05 pm Oct 4 *at Sacramento St 6:05 pm PT Home/Road ....................................1-2/1-3 Home/Road .....................................2-1/2-1 Oct 11 *at UC Davis 4:10 pm PT SERIES .............................................10-27 ABOUT EWU ...........................The Eagles Oct 18 *Weber State 3:35 pm At Bozeman .........................................6-14 Spirit Colors ...............................Red, white Oct 25 Open At Cheney ............................................2-10 Location/Enrollment ................ Cheney, WA Nov 1 *at Cal Poly 6:05 pm PT Nov 8 *Portland State 2:05 pm At Neutral...............................................2-3 Stadium...... ...............................Roos Field Nov 15 *Idaho State 1:40 pm SID......................................... Bill Lamberty FB SID ...................................... Dave Cook Nov 22 *at Montana 3:10 pm Offi ce ......406/994-5133 (o), 406/580-6781 Offi ce ....................................509/359-6334 E-mail .......... [email protected] E-mail .............................. [email protected] HIGHLIGHTS • Second-ranked Eastern Washington THE STORYLINE is the highest rated foe to play in Bobcat The air feels like early fall and the calendar says September, but all other indicators are Stadium since #1 Montana in 2009 that autumn is in full effect as Montana State welcomes the Big Sky’s top-rated team to • QB Dakota Prukop leads the team in Bobcat Stadium Saturday. Second-ranked Eastern Washington brings the nation’s top- rushes (47) and yards (270), while his ranked offense in yards (593.3) and points (49.7) to Bozeman. Calling EWU one of the top fi ve rushing TDs is tied for team high offenses in all of college football regardless of division is not indefensible, and trigger man • Rob Ash’s Cats stand 31-1 when hold- Vernon Adams Jr. (382.3 passing yards per game) leads the way. Eastern’s most dazzling ing the opponent under 20 points offensive statistic may be the team’s 21 touchdowns through three games against just one fi eld goal attempt. MSU counters with sophomore Dakota Prukop, who stands just behind STREAKS Adams on the Big Sky total offense list with 301.0 total yards per game. • Both EWU and the Cats are ranked in the top 25 for the fi fth straight meeting in ON THE RECORD this series • Brian Flotkoetter’s nine catches and 132 yards Saturday were career highs • MSU logged three sacks Saturday, • Trevor Bolton’s 48.8 yards per punt leads the nation, while the Bobcats stand second in snapping a streak of fi ve straight with two the FCS in net punting (Bolton and Jake Bleskin have punted for MSU this year sacks or less STADIUM STUFF MILESTONES • Montana State’s current four-game homestand is the program’s longest since opening • MSU’s 1,165 yards in the last two with four straight in then-Reno H. Sales Stadium in 1991 games is second-most in back-to-back • The Cats average 427.8 yards and 33.3 points a game on their seven-year old turf fi eld outings in Rob Ash’s tenure at MSU, afte rthe 1,178 against Sac and PSU in 2010 BIG SKY BULLET POINTS • Rob Ash (87 games) is one contest • The Big Sky’s top two players in total offense match up Saturday, when EWU’s Vernon from passing Cliff Hysell (88) into sec- Adams Jr. (410.7 yards per game) faces MSU’s Dakota Prukop (301.0) ond place in games coached at MSU. Schubert Dyche coached 98 games. BY THE NUMBERS THE BOBCATS THIS WEEK Sun ......................................................... 3:30 pm SHINING Mon ................................................Players’ day off • Trevor Bolton has 13 punts in 2014, Bobcat players scoring their fi rst Tue ..... 10:30 am - Coaches Corner (Holiday Inn) 4 with nine travelling at least 50 yards college touchdowns against Black Hills ........................................12 noon - Media Lunch State Saturday evening ..............................3:45 pm - Practice in Stadium • Mitch Griebel leads the Bobcats Wed ................3:45 pm - Practice (no interviews) with 13 catches in 2014 ....................................................7 pm - Cat Chat • Dakota Prukop was named Big Sky 7 Number of different Bobcat quar- Thu .......................4 pm - Practice (no interviews Player of the Week, and College Sports terbacks with 100-yard rushing games after Fri .........................4:30 pm - Practice at Stadium Madness tabbed him the FCS’ top player, # Sat ............... 3:35 pm MSU vs. Central Arkansas Dakota Prukop’s 176 yards Saturday on Monday In-Season Media Policies A Quick Look Practice Policy MSU practices are generally open to the public, but MSU vs. Eastern Washington media members are asked to check in with MSU Sports Info. EVERYTHING SEEN AND HEARD The Series Date Score Site ..................Att AT PRACTICE IS OFF THE RECORD. Photog- 11/9/13 Eastern Wash. 54, MSU 29 Cheney ...........10,223 Eastern Washington owns a 27-10 record 10/13/12 Eastern Wash. 27, MSU 24 Bozeman ........20,477 raphy and videography are never permitted during against Montana State, but this is the fi rst 9/24/11 MSU 36, Eastern Wash. 21 Cheney ...........10,422 line-of-scrimmage situations (11-on-11, 7-on-7). meeting between the rivals in a non-conference 9/25/10 MSU 30, Eastern Wash. 7 Bozeman ........14,207 game since 1986. The Eagles have won two 10/24/09 Eastern Wash. 35, MSU 24 Cheney .............6,632 Player Interviews 10/18/08 Eastern Wash. 34, MSU 17 Bozeman ........13,547 MSU players are available ONLY on Tuesdays dur- straight against the Bobcats, which snaps a 10/13/07 Eastern Wash. 35, MSU 13 Cheney .............7,326 ing normal game week at the Bobcat Media Lunch two-game Bobcat win streak in the series. East- (12-1 pm, Hall of Fame Room). Players not at the ern’s 5-2 record against the Bobcats extends Media Lunch are available after practice (in-person a decades-long string of success vs. MSU. It’s All Relative Montana State’s 2014 football team is one of interviews only), while those asked to attend the Before MSU’s back-to-back wins in 2010 and strong bloodlines. Below is a closer look... pizza lunch won’t be asked to do post-practice inter- ‘11, EWU won 16 of its previous 19 meetings views. Players are NEVER available for interviews with the Bobcats. on Monday, or after Tuesday. Per Rob Ash’s policy, Brothers: Na’a and Toti Moeakiola, and Nate true freshmen are not available for interviews. Only and Mac Bignell are current Bobcat teammates. captains are available during Cat-Griz week, and Big Play VA and the Cats Jake Bleskin (brother Tanner is MSU’s all-time only at the media lunch. Vernon Adams and his mates posted one of the leading receiver), Trevor Bolton (Tyler), Trace most prolifi c and effi cient performances ever Timmer (Trevan), Jayshawn Gates (Morris), Rob Ash Interviews perpetrated on the Bobcats in the last meeting Rob Ash is available during the weekly Media Lunch Jackson Mahlum (Hunter), and Rhett Young between the two teams. Eastern Washington (Tuesdays, noon) or by arrangement through MSU (Chase) all have brothers that played for the Sports Info. Ash is generally available Wednesdays raced past the Bobcats 54-29, scoring on Bobcats. from 10 am to noon and on the Big Sky coaches every contested possession and rolling up 30 conference call Wednesday at 10 am (866-398-2885, fi rst downs and 504 yards. Vernon Adams was Multi-Generational: Tanner Roderick (father Passcode 517644). Coach Ash is available on game nearly fl awless, completing 16 of his 18 pass Steve), Trace Timmer (father Kirk played at days only following the contest. attemptsfor 300 yards, running the ball 18 MSU, mother Kelly played hoops), Trevor times for 76 yards. Bolton (father Pat), Nate and Mac Bignell (fa- Injury Updates ther Joe), and Hunter Mahlum’s (father Tom) MSU issues injury reports on Sunday night, Tuesday, each had parents that played for the Cats. and before and after each game. Per school policy, Ash and the Eagles MSU updates the player and availability. The series between Rob Ash’s Bobcats and Cousins and Nephews: Hunter Mahlum’s Eastern Washington has been interesting, and cousin (Cody Kirk) fi nished his Bobcat career Post-Game Interviews has been refl ective of larger trends in the two last season. (uncle Tom Mahlum played at Up to four requested players appear in the former programs. Montana State’s wins against East- MSU), Nate and Mac Bignell (father Joe was visiting team house in Bobcat Stadium’s NW corner ern in 2010 and ‘11 mark important moments 15 minutes or so after the game.