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This Week’s Sky Highlights
All nine Big Sky teams are in action this weekend with three conference and three non-conference games on the schedule...No. 4 Montana State guns for its sixth straight victory when it takes on Northern Colorado in a game that will be televised on Altitude...No. 12 Montana seeks its 14th straight victory over Northern Arizona when it travels to Flagstaff to face the Lumberjacks...Sacramento State begins a string of four home games in its last five games as the Hornets play host to defending national champion Eastern Washington, winners of three straight...Weber State takes on Beehive State rival Southern Utah, which joins the Big Sky as a full member in 2012. The teams haven’t met since 2005...Portland State plays Willamette for the first time in school history...Idaho State travels down I-15 to face Brigham Young in Provo. That game will be televised on BYU-TV...The other five games can be viewed for free on Big Sky TV.
Saturday, Oct. 22....................................................................... Time
Series: BYU leads 3-0.
Last Meeting: BYU won 27-7 in 1951.
Series Streak: BYU has won three.
TV: BYU TV. Internet: Big Sky TV
Series: MSU leads 16-10-1
Last Meeting: MSU won 37-35 in 2010.
Series Streak: MSU has won three.
TV: Altitude. Internet: Big Sky TV.
Series: UM leads 33-11.
Last Meeting: UM won 24-21 in 2010.
Series Streak: UM has won 13.
TV: Montana’s News Stations. Internet: Big Sky TV.
Series: WSU leads 13-3.
Last Meeting: WSU won 27-10 in 2005
Series Streak: WSU has won 1.
Internet: Big Sky TV.
Series: First Meeting
Internet: Big Sky TV.
Series: EWU leads 15-4.
Last Meeting: EWU won 28-24 in 2010.
Series Streak: EWU has won two.
Internet: Big Sky TV.
*Big Sky Conference Game
Times Local to Site/Subject to Change
Around the Big Sky
MAKE IT SIX: Montana State won its sixth straight game, downing Northern Arizona 41-24 on Saturday in Bozeman. The Bobcats had lost two in a row and three of four to the Lumberjacks. Montana State’s 6-1 record matches the 1966 and 1976 teams for the second-best seven-game start in school history. MSU was 7-0 in 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1978. This is the first time the Bobcats have won six in a row under fifth-year coach Rob Ash. The Bobcats have secured their 10th straight winning season. Montana’s six-game winning streak remains tied for the second-longest active streak in FCS. Sam Houston State has won eight straight dating back to last season. Georgia Southern and North Dakota State have also won six straight. Montana State rolled up a season-high 543 yards and 30 first downs in the win over NAU. Cody Kirk (142) and Tray Robinson (107) each surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark.
HOT QBS: Eastern Washington’s Bo Levi Mitchell and Montana State’s DeNarius McGhee are both Walter Payton Award candidates, and both have been playing like legitimate contenders for the honor. In his last two games, McGhee has completed 33-of-44 passes (75 percent) for 502 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception. He has also run for a touchdown. His efficiency rating the last two games is 218.8. Mitchell has completed 55-of-79 (70 percent) for 756 yards with six touchdowns and no interception. His efficiency rating the last two weeks is 175.1.
MOVING UP: Montana’s Brody McKnight and Montana State’s Jason Cunningham have each moved into the top five on the Big Sky Conference’s all-time points by kickers list. McKnight, who scored 10 points in Montana’s win over Portland State last Saturday, has 323 career points, which puts him fourth all-time. Cunningham, who made five extra points in Montana State’s 41-24 win over Northern Arizona, has 307 career points, which ties him for sixth all-time. Former Montana great and current Miami Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter is first with 413 points, followed by UM’s Chris Snyder (392) and Nevada’s Marty Zendejas (385). Cunningham is on the verge of surpassing Weber State’s Scott Shields, who sits in fifth place with 310 career point. McKnight ranks 10th all-time in overall scoring. He is just two points away from overtaking Shields (325) and three from EWU’s Eric Kimble (326). Cunningham is tied for 13th.
HOKE MAKES THE MOST: Weber State QB Mike Hoke completed just seven passes in the Wildcats’ 39-12 win over Idaho State, but four of his passes went for touchdowns. Hoke averaged 28.5 yards per completion, throwing for 200 yards on only 12 attempts. Hoke connected with Shaydon Kehano three times for 157 yards. Kehano caught TD passes of 83 and 56 yards. Hoke and Barrinton Collins hooked up for an 18-yard score. Hoke did, however, throw his first interception of the season. Hoke had attempted 197 straight passes dating back to 2009 without an interception. Hoke has thrown 16 touchdowns with one interception this season.
MCCAFFREY HURT: Portland State’s Cory McCaffrey, who leads the nation in scoring and is second in rushing, sustained a lower-leg injury midway through the fourth quarter of Portland State’s 30-24 win against Montana. McCaffrey rushed for 103 yards with a touchdown before the injury. He has carried 122 times for 731 yards with 13 touchdowns in just five games. With McCaffrey injured, it is expected that freshman Shaquille Richrd, sophomore Justin Lilley and senior Willie Griffin will have to pick up the slack.
SILVER ANNIVERSARY: Montana celebrated the 25th anniversary of Washington-Grizzly Stadium last Saturday with its 30-24 win over Portland State. Montana’s first game in WGS was a 38-31 win over Idaho State in 1986. Montana has an overall record of 167-21 at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, and 87-10 in Big Sky Conference games. Since 1993, Montana is 65-4 in conference home games. Eastern Washington (1997, 2005), Montana State (2002, 2010) are the only Big Sky teams to beat UM at home during that span.
IN THE POLLS: Despite a 41-24 win over Northern Arizona, Montana State dropped from third to fourth in this week’s Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25. Undefeated North Dakota State leapfrogged the Bobcats. Georgia Southern remained first, followed by Northern Iowa. Montana moved up to 12th from 14th. In the coaches’ poll, Montana State remained third. Montana jumped from 11th to ninth. North Dakota, which joins the Big Sky in 2012, is ranked 18th in the coaches’ poll and 20th in the Sports Network/Fathead.com Poll.
Extra points: UM freshman Jordan Canada was named the Co-National Freshman of the Week by The Sports Network. Canada rushed 14 times for 159 yards with one touchdown in UM’s win over Portland State…ISU’s David Harrington continues to lead the nation in punting. He averaged 54 yards per punt with a career-long 70 yarder last week against Weber State…Portland State leads the FCS with seven blocked kicks…Northern Colorado’s Patrick Walker had a career-high 265 all-purpose yards in the loss to EWU...NC QB Seth Lobato threw for a career-high 408 yards in the loss - the most by a NC QB since the Bears joined the league.