NEW HAMPSHIRE (8-3)
at Montana State (9-2)
Saturday, Dec. 3, 1:05 p.m. MST, Bozeman, Mont.
Bobcat Stadium (17,200 FieldTurf)
Internet: ESPN3
The Records: Montana State enters the playoffs with a 9-2 record. The Bobcats were ranked No. 1 and had a nine-game winning streak before losing their final game of the season 36-10 to Montana. The Bobcats opened up the season with a 27-10 loss at Utah. Montana State went 7-1 in Big Sky Conference play, tying Montana for the regular-season title. Montana State received an at-large bid to the playoffs. The University of New Hampshire brings an 8-3 record to Bozeman. The Wildcats received an at-large bid out of the Colonial Athletic Association. New Hampshire opened the season with a 58-22 loss to Toledo. The Wildcats lost conference games to William & Mary and conference champions Towson. New Hampshire is coming off of a 30-27 win against Maine.
Series History: This is the second meeting between these two programs. The first meeting was in the first round of the 1976 Division II playoffs. Montana State beat New Hampshire 17-16 in Bozeman, Mont. New Hampshire head coach Sean McDonnell was a member of the ’76 Wildcat team.
The Coaches: Montana State’s Rob Ash is 38-19 in his fifth season. Ash is 214-118-5 in his 32nd season as a collegiate head coach. He compiled a 125-63-2 record from 1989-2006 as head coach at Drake University. And a 51-36-3 record as head coach at Juniata from 1980-88. Ash was an assistant coach from 1975-79 at his alma mater Cornell University. Ash is 0-1 in the playoffs…UNH’s Sean McDonnell is 96-61 in his 13th season with the Wildcats. He is 6-7 in the playoffs. McDonnell was an assistant at UNH from 1991-98.
Big Sky vs. Colonial Athletic Association: The Big Sky is 5-6 against Colonial Athletic Association teams. The Big Sky went 3-1 against the old Yankee Conference. Montana State beat Rhode Island 32-20 in a 1984 semifinal game. Rhode Island, a current CAA member, was in the Yankee Conference at the time. New Hampshire is 0-1 against Big Sky teams in the playoffs. The Wildcats fell 47-17 in a 2004 quarterfinal game in Missoula. The Big Sky went 2-0 against the CAA in the 2010 playoffs, as Eastern Washington beat Villanova and Delaware. Big Sky and CAA teams have played for the national title three straight seasons.
Up Next: The winner advances to the quarterfinals and will take on the winner of the second-round game between No. 1 seed Sam Houston State and Stony Brook.
Notes: New Hampshire is in the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season...This will be the Wildcats’ 10th straight road playoff game...Montana State is 5-1 at home this season. New Hampshire is 3-3 on the road...New Hampshire has won a road playoff game each of the past three seasons...MSU RB Cody Kirk rushed for 1,233 yards and 14 touchdowns during the regular season...UNH QB Kevin Decker has completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 3,072 yards with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Decker also has 417 rushing yards and nine touchdowns…MSU is 3-1 in home playoff games, with the loss coming last season to North Dakota State...MSU is outscoring opponents 161-72 in the second quarter this season...UNH LB Matt Evans leads the nation with 154 tackles...MSU QB DeNarius McGhee is completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,360 yards with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions...MSU WR Elvis Akpla has 11 receiving touchdowns He needs 60 receiving yards to reach, 1,000 for the season...Montana State’s Brad Daly has 10 sacks. DT Zach Minter has seven...New Hampshire allowed 40.5 points per game in its road games.
Team Breakdown
National Rank in Parentheses
MSU Category UNH
222.73 (13) Rushing Offense 162.64 (51)
132.45 (31) Rushing Defense 176.18 (89)
217.64 (51) Passing Offense 281.45 (15)
189.55 (28) Passing Defense 251.91 (110)
440.36 (10) Total Offense 444.09 (8)
322.00 (25) Total Defense 430.09 (106)
34.18 (16) Scoring Offense 33.55 (20)
22.18 (32) Scoring Defense 32.09 (97)
.09 (50) Turnover Margin -.45 (T-83)
33.70 (64) Net Punting 35.29 (44)
6.12 (93) Punt Returns 10.25 (T37)
23.15 (17) Kick Returns 21.11 (48)
3.45 (7) Sacks 2.09 (54)
6.09 (62) Tackles for Loss 4.82 (102)
1.27 (24) Sacks Allowed 2.45 (77)