NCAA FCS Championship - Semifinals @ Montana State

[ringthebells]

We reserved our room when we got off of the plane from Ft. Collins. Took the days off of work that Monday. Fingers crossed I get to use them.

[Counter Assault]

Bobcat fan here. Everyone is super hyped to be hosting a semi-final home game in our world. The game is beyond sold out (~20K+), SDSU fans should be excited to see an atmosphere that is equivalent to a Cat/Griz game. I think everyone here is also pumped to host a really good SDSU team. A solid 10" of snow just fell in town with 1-2" expected tonight/tomorrow. Be very careful driving through MT if you are headed this way, the roads will most certainly be bad all through southern MT. It looks like cloudy with high temps of 30 for the game. The low Friday night is -3 - it will probably be 15-20's before kickoff. Lots of campfires in the tailgates.

As far as the game goes, I think this is going to be a barn burner. I think it could go either way. 50/50. Lots of variables. On paper, it feels like SDSU has the better resume. You beat NDSU and that's enough proof for anyone. While I hope SDSU is tired from travelling and playing 20+ games, I think that is wishful thinking. The stadium is going to be wicked loud, for sure. In past playoff games, that hasn't mattered if the opposing team gets up by two scores. I think SDSU is going to make some scores on our D. I am thinking the biggest variable will be if SDSU can stop our passing game. If they load the box and there are WR's open, our QB can hit the throws. If SDSU does not stay close inside, we will break some big runs.

Best coaching and scheme dynamics (particularly on D) will win. Gonna be a great time!

[MontanaRabbit]

If we can run the football we win this game. With a healthy Davis I think we will run the ball effectively. CSU, NDSU, and Nova all had vaunted run defenses and we averaged 230 yards on the ground against those three.

[Cowbell]

Can someone help me as I'm trying to understand something. I see Montana State's quarterback has gained the moniker "Touchdown Tommy." Just curious how he got the nickname. Thanks.

[ringthebells]

Bobcat fan here. Everyone is super hyped to be hosting a semi-final home game in our world. The game is beyond sold out (~20K+), SDSU fans should be excited to see an atmosphere that is equivalent to a Cat/Griz game. I think everyone here is also pumped to host a really SDSU good team. A solid 10" of snow just fell in town with 1-2" expected tonight/tomorrow. Be very careful driving through MT if you are headed this way, the roads will most certainly be bad all through southern MT. It looks like cloudy with high temps of 30 for the game. The low Friday night is -3 - it will probably be 15-20's before kickoff. Lots of campfires in the tailgates.

As far as the game goes, I think this is going to be a barn burner. I think it could go either way. 50/50. Lots of variables. On paper, it feels like SDSU has the better resume. You beat NDSU and that's enough proof for anyone. While I hope SDSU is tired from travelling and playing 20+ games, I think that is wishful thinking. The stadium is going to be wicked loud, for sure. In past playoff games, that hasn't mattered if the opposing team gets up by two scores. I think SDSU is going to make some scores on our D. I am thinking the biggest variable will be if SDSU can stop our passing game. If they load the box and there are WR's open, our QB can hit the throws. If SDSU does not stay close inside, we will break some big runs.

Best coaching and scheme dynamics (particularly on D) will win. Gonna be a great time!

My son just texted and he and two roommates got tickets and are headed your way as I type this. Thanks for the weather update. Good luck to the Bobcats. Go Jacks!

[mnjackrbt]

Can someone help me as I'm trying to understand something. I see Montana State's quarterback has gained the moniker "Touchdown Tommy." Just curious how he got the nickname. Thanks.

He had 2 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs, and one receiving TD vs. Sam Houston (I believe that was his 1st career start?).

[TransAmBison]

He had 2 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs, and one receiving TD vs. Sam Houston (I believe that was his 1st career start?).

I'm pretty sure they were calling him that at the beginning of the game before they even scored.

[MontanaRabbit]

I'm pretty sure they were calling him that at the beginning of the game before they even scored.

TAB, what is your unbiased opinion of this game?

[Counter Assault]

Touchdown Tommy Mellot was the MT Gatorade Player of the Year. He played sparsely prior to our first playoff game, but has 576 yrds rushing and 10 TD's. He has only thrown for 228 yards, but 165 of those came against Sam Houston last week. He has only started two games and the first one was >25mph winds in Bobcat Stadium.

From Gatorade website:

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior quarterback passed for 2,940 yards and 30 touchdowns this past season, leading the Bulldogs (11-1) to the Class AA state championship game. Mellott completed 191 of 300 passes with just four interceptions, while rushing for 1,217 yards and 16 touchdowns on 162 carries. A three-time All-State selection, he finished his career with 7,542 passing yards and accounted for 102 total touchdowns.

“I don’t think we’ve seen anyone as dominant in Montana as Tommy Mellott for a very long time. He’s just at another level, and he can do it all. If you’re even close to being successful at taking away one part of his game, he’ll crush you with another part.”
Grady Bennett
Head Coach Head coach at Glacier High

[BrerRabbit]

I feel like at this point there's no favorite to win the FCS championship. All four of these teams are incredibly good, well coached, experienced and solid. The winner of each of the three remaining games is probably just going to come down to the breaks. Who catches the breaks at the right times...who gets a call for or against them...turnovers...stuff like that. Anyone left can win any of these games.

[LetsGoRabbits]

If all of these teams play their very best games for the one or two games they have remaining, the rabbits would be the big favorite to win it all. YES brer you are correct, breaks could play a huge role. turnovers are ALWAYS a very impactful game deciding event. if somebody has a more than one turnover advantage in any game that is a huge boost to their winning chances. and without question there is a factor of luck with turnovers. BUT the jacks have done and very hopefully will continue to do a very good job of controling what they can in this area!! they take EXCELLENT care of the ball and they create a lot of turnovers. SO that being such a heavily weighted factor in the outcome of games, it is a significant advantage for the jacks being so consistently good

yes the calls ( officiating ) could play a role. but WOW lets hope that the officials do a good job for these three games and they do not have too much influence upon any outcome because of either the calls they do or do not make

if you take the uncontrollable factors out of the game- injuries, officials, and the bounce of the ball, and the jacks play their best football, nobody else can beat them. any of the remaining teams playing their very best cannot beat the rabbits if they play their best.

the issue is HOW CLOSE to their best can the rabbits play. we all know they have moments where they fall a little short of that mark. and then you have to accept that sometimes the things you cannot control really hurt. rabbit fans know the price of injuries all too well

that all said i think the jacks are gathering momentum and confidence and i expect they will play very well for two more games

[TransAmBison]

TAB, what is your unbiased opinion of this game?

I've gone back and forth on this game all week. The crowd could be a factor in this game...and three straight road trips with your last bye week a very long time ago. But, I am thinking Sam Houston reverted back to Soft Houston. Montana St does not have a dynamic offense...they are a lot like the 2011 Bison (compounds it with Vigen as HC). Your pass coverage is not great...but your rush defense is. All this gives Mont St a chance. If this was just a regular game, I'd say you guys for sure...but all this evens it out a bit. But, with Davis back you guys have found a new gear. Your qb, receivers, and tight ends are playing at the top of the FCS. So in the end, I have to go with SDSU. I really thought Sam Houston was for real this year (because of how they did this spring), but they looked like the Sam Houston of old last weekend...so I'm not convinced that Mont St is a world-beater...yet.

[MontanaRabbit]

I've gone back and forth on this game all week. The crowd could be a factor in this game...and three straight road trips with your last bye week a very long time ago. But, I am thinking Sam Houston reverted back to Soft Houston. Montana St does not have a dynamic offense...they are a lot like the 2011 Bison (compounds it with Vigen as HC). Your pass coverage is not great...but your rush defense is. All this gives Mont St a chance. If this was just a regular game, I'd say you guys for sure...but all this evens it out a bit. But, with Davis back you guys have found a new gear. Your qb, receivers, and tight ends are playing at the top of the FCS. So in the end, I have to go with SDSU. I really thought Sam Houston was for real this year (because of how they did this spring), but they looked like the Sam Houston of old last weekend...so I'm not convinced that Mont St is a world-beater...yet.

I'm almost exactly where your at. MSU is very good but I don't think they are as good as the piss pounding of Soft Houston makes it look.

On a yards/game basis NDSU's defense is better than MSU's and we were able to move the ball for the most part against you guys. I think we ran for 160ish yards which is double what you've allowed per game without Davis. I think we'll be able to run the ball. That plays this time of year.

[Cats2506]

I'm pretty sure they were calling him that at the beginning of the game before they even scored.

I think Bobcat fans and press really started using "Touchdown Tommy" after the Idaho game, MSU had some injuries and was struggling a bit in that game. UI has some "dudes" they are just not well coached. Tommy had scored both touchdowns for MSU, going into the 4th quarter it was 13-13. Defenses were ruling the day and Tommy QB'd a long dive and scored his 3rd touchdown of the day with 2:16 left on the clock. The defense held and got the ball back to finish the game in victory formation. Tommy threw 2 passes that day (1 for 2 for 2 yards), he was a wildcat running QB at that point in the season

[Cats2506]

I've gone back and forth on this game all week. The crowd could be a factor in this game...and three straight road trips with your last bye week a very long time ago. But, I am thinking Sam Houston reverted back to Soft Houston. Montana St does not have a dynamic offense...they are a lot like the 2011 Bison (compounds it with Vigen as HC). Your pass coverage is not great...but your rush defense is. All this gives Mont St a chance. If this was just a regular game, I'd say you guys for sure...but all this evens it out a bit. But, with Davis back you guys have found a new gear. Your qb, receivers, and tight ends are playing at the top of the FCS. So in the end, I have to go with SDSU. I really thought Sam Houston was for real this year (because of how they did this spring), but they looked like the Sam Houston of old last weekend...so I'm not convinced that Mont St is a world-beater...yet.

I love it, before the game everyone was saying that MSU was going to get smoked, afterwards they are "soft" Houston.

The truth is that Sam is "what we thought they were" and they got out coached in a huge way on both sides of the ball. The result of that game is less about Tommy and more about our coaching staff.