MMontanaontana SStatetate BBobcatsobcats 112/112/11 FFCSCS MontanaMontana StateState atat FBSFBS WyomingWyoming September 4, 2021 War Memorial Stadium Laramie, Wyoming THE STORYLINE GAME DATA It hasn’t taken Brent Vigen long to re-trace his football roots. Montana State’s 33rd KICKOFF: 2 pm head football coach becomes the eighth to square off against a school where he SITE: Laramie, WY once worked, and the second to face a man for whom he worked as an assistant, STADIUM: War Memorial (29,181) when his fi rst Bobcat team debuts against Wyoming in Laramie on September 4. THE BOBCATS MSU-WYOMING SERIES LOCATION: Bozeman, MT Wyoming leads this series, which began in 1919, 13-6. Wyoming and MSU ENROLLMENT: 16,600 both played in the Rocky Mountain Conference from 1919-36, when UW left to form STADIUM: Bobcat Stadium (17,777) the Skyline Conference in 1937 (the Cats remained in what became a small-school 2021 RECORD: 0-0 league). UW owns eight straight wins in the series, but Montana State’s two most CONF/RECORD: Big Sky/0-0 recent wins (1933 and 1930) came in Laramie. Craig Bohl is 1-1 vs. MSU, with COACH: Brent Vigen both games in Bozeman during his time at NDSU, while Brent Vigen makes his head ALMA MATER: NDSU ‘98 coaching debut against his former coach and school. The Cats opened the 2003 RECORD: 0-0, 1st/0-0, 1st (21-10 loss), 1950 (61-13 loss), and 1919 (6-0 loss in Casper) seasons against Wyo- vs. UW: 0-0 (0-0 at Laramie) ming. The 1919 game was Montana State’s fi rst after not playing in 1918. THE COWBOYS TEAM NOTES LOCATION: Laramie, WY Matthew McKay becomes MSU’s sixth diff erent starting QB in the last six seasons ENROLLMENT: 11,829 Brent Vigen is the fi rst North Dakota State graduate and the fi rst former Wyoming 2021 RECORD: 0-0 assistant to ever helm the Bobcats. CONF/RECORD: Mountain West/0-0 COACH: Craig Bohl ALMA MATER: Nebraska/’82 ON THE OFFENSE OVERALL: 142-76/19th Isaiah Ifanse’s 1,838 career rushing yards is 13th in school history. AT UW: 38-44/8th The Cats have rushed for at least one TD in 14 straight games, 34 vs. FCS foes. vs. MSU: 1-1 (1-1 at Bozeman, both Three of the six Bobcats to rush for 100+ yards in a game in 2019 return in 2021. while coaching NDSU) ON THE DEFENSE HOW TO LISTEN MSU’s string of six straight games with an interception ended at NDSU in 2019. RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network state- The Cats have logged at least one takeaway in 25 straight games. wide, msubobcats.com ON THE CALL: Zach Mackey, Michael STADIUM STUFF Rider (analyst), Dan Davies (sideline) MSU and Wyoming have played in eight diff erent stadiums over the years, includ- ing Laramie’s Corbett Field (MSU was 2-3) and War Memorial Stadium (0-3). On HOW TO WATCH September 16, 1950, MSU helped the Pokes open Laramie’s War Memorial Stadium, TV: none dropping a 61-13 game to the best team in UW history to that point. Outside of STREAM: gowyo.com, Wyoming Foot- Bozeman and Laramie, the Cats and Cowboys have met in Billings (Dayliss Stadium ball Facebook page, Mountain West and the Fairgrounds), at Sheridan High, and at Casper High. MSU has held Wyo- Conference web site ming to 38 total points in the Bobcats’ last two trips to Laramie. ON THE CALL: Chris Sylvester, Jared Petrino BIG SKY BULLET POINTS MSU led the Big Sky in most rushing yards and fewest sacks allowed in 2019. Wyoming DRAKE SAN DIEGO Portland NORTHERN CAL Weber IDAHO Eastern IDAHO Montana State COLORADO POLY State STATE Washington Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 2 pm 6 pm 1 pm 3 pm MT 1 pm 2 pm 8 pm 1 pm 2 pm MT 1 pm 12 noon TBA SWX TBA TBA TBA ROOT ESPNU SWX SWX SWX ROOT ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESNP+ watchESPN.com ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ This Week’s Rundown Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice none 8:30-9:30 am (closed) 8-10 am (closed) 7:45-9:30 am (closed) 8:45-10 am (closed) TBA Interview Availability Interview Availability Interview Availability Interview Availability Interview Availability Travel none 12 pm - Coach Vigen none none none 2 pm - Fly to Laramie (Hall of Fame) Players by request as Interview Availability schedule allows none MSU 2019 SCHED/RESULTS TV/Stream Time/Score Series Notes S4 at Wyoming none/gowyo.com 2 pm UW13-6 MSU fell to 3-10 in games played in Texas S11 DRAKE SWX/ESPN+ 6 pm MSU 2-1 Montana State’s win was its fi rst over a foe ranked as high as 12th since 2012 S18 SAN DIEGO SWX/ESPN+ 1 pm MSU 3-0 MSU has won all four all-time meetings with WIU S25 *at Portland State TBA/ESPN+ 3 pm MT MSU 21-10 The win was MSU’s 24th in the last 26 non-league home games O2 *Northern Colorado SWX/ESPN+ 1 pm MSU 22-10-1 MSU owns nine straight wins in this series O9 *CAL POLY (HC) ROOT/ESPN+ 2 pm CP 10-7 Beau Baldwin is 7-2 against the Bobcats O15 *at Weber State ESPNU/# 8 pm MSU 30-23-1 WSU’s current three-game win streak vs. MSU is its second-longest ever O23 IDAHO STATE SWX/ESPN+ 1 pm MSU 48-31-3 MSU’s 48 wins against ISU is its most against any football opponent O30 OPEN MSU is 9-6 after last 15 open weeks N6 *at Eastern Washington SWX/ESPN+ 2 pm MT EWU 32-10 Eastern owns seven straight wins against MSU N13 *IDAHO SWX/ESPN+ 1 pm UI 25-18-1 MSU’s three-game win streak in Bobcat Stadium is by nine total points N20 *at Montana ROOT/ESPN+ 12 pm UM 73-41-5 Cats have won four straight against the Griz, six of 10 in the 2010s Times listed Mountain #-game streamed on watchespn.com MSU Media Policies Player Honors Troy Andersen Practice Policy • 2021 Preseason All-America HERO Sports, Media members are welcome at the fi rst 20 minutes of Monday (8-8:20 am) practices during normal in-season Stats Perform, Phil Steele game weeks, and that period is available for photography and videography (no line-of-scrimmage action). After • 2021 Preseason All-Big Sky 20 minutes, practice is closed. Please consider what is seen and heard at practice off the record. • 2019 All-America: HERO 1st Team (Ath- Player Interviews lete), AP Third Team (All-Purpose) MSU players are available by request on Monday and Tuesday afternoon (depending on class schedules) in or • 2019 1st Team All-Big Sky linebacker near the Hall of Fame. Interview requests must be submitted to Bill Lamberty, MSU Sports Information, by 5 • 2019 Preseason Honors: 1st Team STATS pm on Sundays. Only captains and Coach Vigen are available during Cat-Griz week. (Athlete), 4th Team Phil Steele (Fullback), 1st Team All-Big Sky (Fullback) Brent Vigen Interviews • 2018 3rd Team All-America (Athlete), 1st Bobcat coach Brent Vigen is available during MSU’s weekly Media Lunch each Monday at 12 noon, and by Team All-Big Sky (QB) special arrangement through MSU Sports Information. After that, Coach Vigen is available only after games. • 2017 Freshman All-America and Big Sky MSU assistants are available by request on Mondays. Freshman of the Year Injury Updates Chase Benson Only season-ending or major injuries sidelining a player for multiple weeks will be addressed by Brent Vigen. • 2019 All-Big Sky 3rd Team • 2018 All-Big Sky 2nd Team Post-Game Interviews Up to three requested players and Coach Vigen appear in the conference room on the 2nd fl oor of the BAC 15 minutes or so after the game. Post-game road interviews depend on the host facility/staff . Lewis Kidd • 2019 2nd Team All-Big Sky Sideline Photo Policies • 2019 Preseason All-Big Sky Bobcat Stadium photographers are allowed behind the 10-foot limit line, EXCEPT in team areas or when ob- • 2019 Preseason All-Big Sky structing the view of paying customers. Photographers are allowed inside the blue pads only with a specially-as- signed armband in specifi cally designated areas. Photo passes and armbands are issued on the following priority Taylor Tuiasosopo system: 1) Still photographers and videographers affi liated with commercial media outlets; 2) Photographers of- • 2021 Preseason All-Big Sky fi cially designated by competing institutions; 3) Web-based media; and 4) Freelance and student photographers may be issued one credential to two games per season, based on available space. A photo credential DOES NOT guarantee access to the limited number of armbands. Amandre Williams • 2019 3rd Team All-Big Sky Credential and Seating Priority 1) Daily newspapers, local TV and radio news outlets, and primary coverage web sites; 2) Weekly newspapers and out-of-market TV and radio news; 3) Periodicals; 4) Blogs (as space allows); 5) Unaffi liated writers and photogarphers (as space allows). Injury Report OUT FOR WYOMING: CB Tyrel Thomas, Bobcat Stadium Container and Bag Policy WR Nate Stewart Credentialed media members may enter Bobcat Stadium through Gate 12 with equipment and camera bags, which are not allowed at any other entrance. Bags will be searched and tagged. A Quick Look MSU vs.