Football Notes - Second Round Edition
Jon Kasper
PDF of Notes
Big Sky Playoff Facts
Eastern Washington and Montana State begin their quests for a Division I football national championship this Saturday with second-round games. Montana State is the fourth seed. The Bobcats play host to North Dakota State on Saturday. Top-ranked and fifth-seeded Eastern Washington is at home at "The Inferno" against Southeast Missouri State. If the two Sky teams win, they will meet on Dec. 11 in a quarterfinal game in Bozeman.
This Week’s Sky Playoff Schedule
Saturday, Dec. 4.............................................. Time
Location: Bozeman, Mont, Bobcat Stadium (13,500)
Last Meeting: MSU won 20-17 in 2005 in Bozeman.
Series: MSU leads 19-12.
TV: ESPN Gameplan, Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
Video Stream: ESPN 3.
Location: Cheney, Wash., Roos Field (11,500)
Series History: First Meeting
Video Stream: www.ncaa.com
Times Local to Site/Subject to Change
Around the Big Sky
EAGLES No. 1: Eastern Washington soared to No. 1 in the final regular-season rankings in the two major FCS polls. It’s the first time in school history the Eagles have been ranked No. 1. EWU earned 13 first-place votes and 660 points in the FCS coaches’ poll. In the Sports Network/Fathead.com top 25, Beau Baldwin’s team earned 64 first-place votes and 3,096 total points. Delaware was ranked first in both polls last week. The Blue Hens lost to Villanova in the regular-season finale. Previous No. 2 Appalachian State lost to Florida. Appalachian State, which earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, remained second in the Sports Network poll. Jacksonville State is No. 2 in the Coaches poll. EWU is the second Big Sky team to be ranked No. 1 this season. Montana assumed the No. 1 spot after the opening weekend of the season, but followed with two straight losses. Eastern Washington joins Villanova, Montana, William & Mary, Appalachian State and Delaware as teams who have been ranked No. 1 this season. Montana State jumped to sixth in the Sports Network Poll. The Bobcats earned seven first-place votes and 2,569 total points. MSU is seventh in the coaches’ poll. Montana dropped to 15th in the Sports Network Poll and to 17th in the Coaches’ Poll. The top nine teams in this week’s Sports Network Poll are all 9-2, including EWU’s second-round playoff opponent Southeast Missouri State, which is ranked ninth. Montana State will face NDSU in the second round. Robert Morris is unranked. NDSU is 25th in the Sports Network Poll.
THANKSGIVING AT HOME: For the first time since 1992, the Montana Grizzlies didn’t be playing a postseason game on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. The Grizzlies did not receive one of the 10 at-large bids, ending their record streak of postseason appearances at 17 seasons. Montana had hosted at least one playoff game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium every year since 1999. During the 17-year streak, Montana appeared in seven national championship games, winning in 1995 and 2001, and finishing second in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2009. Montana’s season came to an end with a 21-16 loss to Montana State on Saturday in Missoula. Montana State ended Montana’s 23-game home winning streak, which dating back to a 2007 first-round loss to Wofford. Montana had won 20 straight conference home games, dating back to a 2005 loss to Eastern Washington. Montana’s string of 12 straight Big Sky Conference titles also came to an end. Montana managed a 7-4 season, the program’s 25th straight winning season.
WELCOME BACK: Idaho State didn’t take long to find a new football coach, and it is a coach very familiar to the Big Sky Conference. Mike Kramer was named as the new Bengals’ coach last Monday, replacing John Zamberlin. Kramer coached Eastern Washington from 1994-1999 and Montana State from 2000-2006. He ranks fourth in league history with 77 career coaching victories, trailing only Nevada’s Chris Ault (111), Montana’s Bobby Hauck (80), Montana’s Don Read (85). Kramer has been named Big Sky Coach of the Year three times. He guided Eastern Washington to the 1997 Big Sky Championship, and a trip to the semifinals. Three times he led Montana State to Co-Big Sky Championship. The Bobcats advanced to the playoffs three times under Kramer, beating Furman in a 2006 first-round game. Kramer spent this season working in football operations at Washington State.
DOWNING LET GO: Northern Colorado announced hat Scott Downing would not return as the Bears’ head coach. Downing spent five years at Northern Colorado, starting in 2006 when the Bears joined the Big Sky. Downing compiled a 9-47 record. Downing closed out his Northern Colorado career with a 35-30 win over Portland State.
STOLL EARNS ACADEMIC HONOR: Montana senior safety Erik Stoll was selected as an ESPN Academic All-American. Stoll, from Sandpoint, Idaho, maintains a 3.92 GPA in biology. He was the only Sky player named to the squad.
HIGGINS’ CAREER END: The record-breaking career of Weber State QB Cameron Higgins came to an end on Nov. 20 when the Wildcats lost to Texas Tech 64-21. In his final game, Higgins completed 13-of-23 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown. Higgins finished his career as the Big Sky’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns with 98. Higgins finished second in passing yards with 12,274. He surpassed Weber State’s Jamie Martin to become the school’s all-time leader. Higgins finished third in total offense with 12,258, just 29 yards behind Martin. Higgins rushed for seven touchdowns in career, accounting for 105 total touchdowns. Higgins, who took over as Weber State’s starter during the 2007 season, was named the Newcomer of the Year that campaign. In 2008, he was selected as the Offensive MVP. He guided Weber State to a share of the 2008 regular-season title, and playoff appearances in 2008 and 2009.
Big Sky All-Time Touchdown Passes
Player, School Years Games TD Passes
1. Cameron Higgins, Weber State 2007-10 48 98
T2. Matt Nicholls, Eastern Washington 2006-09 47 96
T2. Dave Dickenson, Montana 1992-95 35 96
4. Jason Murrietta, Northern Arizona 2003-06 46 94
5. Doug Nussmeier, Idaho 1990-93 39 91
Big Sky Total Offense Career Leaders
Player, School Years Games Yards
1. Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington 2006-09 47 13,308
2. Jamie Martin, Weber State 1989-92 41 12,287
3. Cameron Higgins, Weber State 2007-10 48 12,258
4. Travis Lulay, Montana State 2002-05 47 12,205
4. Doug Nussmeier, Idaho 1990-93 39 12,027
Big Sky Passing Yardage Career Leaders
Player, School Years Games Yards
1. Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington 2006-09 47 12,616
2. Cameron Higgins, Weber State 2007-10 48 12,274
2. Jamie Martin, Weber State 1989-92 41 12,207
4. Travis Brown, Northern Arizona 1996-99 41 11,400
5. Dave Dickenson, Montana 1992-95 35 11,080
THE CHASE ENDS: Montana senior Chase Reynolds scored one touchdown in Montana’s 26-21 loss to Montana State on Nov. 20, ending his career with 59 total touchdowns. Reynolds finished his career ranked third in Big Sky history in total touchdowns, behind Idaho’s Sherridan May (61) and Nevada’s Charvez Foger (60). Reynolds finished with 52 rushing touchdown, which tied for third in league history with Foger and Weber State’s Trevyn Smith. Sacramento State’s Charles Roberts finished with 57, while Portland State’s Chip Dunn had 54. Reynolds finished with 4,067 career rushing yards, which ranks seventh in league history. Reynolds also threw one career touchdown pass.
MONTANA SECOND IN ATTENDANCE: Montana finished the regular season second in the nation in total attendance and average attendance. Montana drew 152,589 fans to its six home games for an average of 25,448. Appalachian State was first at 176,691 for an average of 29,449. Montana State finished 12th in the nation in total attendance at 85,812, and was 18th in average at 14,302.
EXTRA POINTS: Home teams won two of the final three conference games. For the season, home teams went 22-14 in conference play...Montana drew a record crowd of 26,019 to its game against Montana State...Idaho State will enter 2011 on a 10-game losing streak. It’s the third longest active streak in the nation...Six Big Sky teams finished with records better than .500...NAU’s Zach Bauman was named the Freshman of the Week by the Sports Network after rushing for 152 yards and two touchdowns in a win over PSU. He also caught a TD pass.