GDT: Montana State (09/09/23)

[jakejc795]

The fumble recovery gift played right into MSU's hands.. Our D forced a three and out, our offense was on the move. Suddenly MSU is confident and on the move. With the new clock rules, and MSU's style of play, the time peeled off the clock. MSU dominated TOP in the first half. While our D was getting gouged, give it credit. It could have been a lot worse. Credit an assist to the crowd, students in particular. MSU clearly felt the home field advantage.

Bobcat fan in the can line at halftime when I remarked that his team came to play: "Too bad they didn't show up in the semi's." This is a team that believed last season and believes tonight on the flight home that they are better than SDSU. He did hope (at that point) that our teams would meet in Frisco. I agreed that anyone besides NDSU would be great.

I don't know what Rogers said at halftime but we are overlooking a unsung hero - the bobcat who smoked Johnson on the last play of the half. I don't think there was anything illegal about the hit ( although a few inches higher and it's a shot to the head) but it looked cheap and dirty and his conduct afterward invited chippy responses and no doubt have our guys a shot of attitude. Our guys certainly woke up at half and toughened up. How awesome was Isaiah Davis' stiff arm of the Bobcat into and through the advertising board on the first drive of the second half?

For as successful as the cats were running their QBs, they only found the endzone once. Bend but don't break. And not much else seemed to work. I guess you use the weapons you have but who's third string QB? Their QBs were taking shots. Mellott was actually hurt on a fake handoff from Chalmers. He was absolutely buried. He stayed in for a few plays - maybe the end of the series - but you could see his discomfort on the sideline. #10 took his licks, too. MSU had luxury at QB assuming Mellott comes back soon. Those guys are gamers.

There seemed like plenty of Bozeangelans in the concourse before the game. They didn't make much noise during.

I hear we hired a full time special teams coordinator. Three big ST errors.

It's a shame that we couldn't open the season with a last something like FCS talent. I think W.O. did little to prepare this team for tonight at MSU. That's a tough game to try to find footing
. But at least it's a win. Through NDSU's long streak there were a couple of games every season where it seemed the Bison were going to stub their toes but always found a way to pull out the win in the end. The ugly ones didn't diminish the shine on any of the NC trophies and I doubt there were any tougher ugly wins for NDSU than this MSU squad.

The blocked punt looked like a completely missed block, so I can only hope that Coach Cashmore cleans that up relatively easliy. The missed PAT looked like a low snap and potential Ray Finkle situation. Glad neither cost them the game.

I wached replay because I thought it looked like there was a block in the back on their long kick return (approx. 2:15:12 mark), and I'll let folks judge for themselves whether a Jack (I think it was Adam Kusler) was pushed to hlep spring Johnson.

[jakejc795]

Just thinking back to their games with the XDSUs, Nat'l Championship, Mellot hurt. Last years semi-final-Chambers hurt, tonight-Mellot hurt. 31 runs is a going to take its toll.

Yes, which is another reason it's baffling their staff didn't seem to adequately plan for what seems to be an almost annual QB injury contingency.

[jakejc795]

Kept looking for this yesterday, but postgame presser is now available.

Folks who are on the fence about attending games, I'll echo what the players and Coach Rogers said, we can definitely play a part in drawing penalties like the false starts we did last night.

[bigticket1]

Yep, live and die by having qbs run all the time.

As often as Chambers got stuffed on the goal line, I was surprised they don't put that big body under center and run some QB sneaks.

[Theee Catrabbit]

Things I find funny:
1) somehow both coaches of both teams are terrible according to their fanboards. Solid.
2) this is the same as NDSU game last year. Go in after getting dominated. come back out and really dominate and get the job done.
3) Rogers knows WTF he is doimg. This is the same people.. we've had the same issues as last year. We had dumb penalties at dumb times last time. Unsportsmanlike? We all forgot Kraft threw a ball in a dudes face?(though that guy deserved worse).
4) game 2 for both teams, with no real test for either week prior. This is how that usually looks.
5) special teams will be fine. Again. We missed crucial extra point last year that we were bailed out of.
6) lucky? This is the dumbest term ever used in the game of football. Really dumb.

[JackJD]

I think MSU's offensive line was, for most of the game, much better than their 2022 offensive line and our defensive linemen couldn't push the 'Cat O-line around like we did much of the time in the 2022 game. Did we have any QB sacks? I don't recall we did...we had some hurry-ups, particularly late in the second half.

Seems likely both SDSU and MSU will be in the playoffs and I won't be surprised if we have to play MSU again. It'll be another battle.

[jakejc795]

Things I find funny:
1) somehow both coaches of both teams are terrible according to their fanboards. Solid.
2) this is the same as NDSU game last year. Go in after getting dominated. come back out and really dominate and get the job done.
3) Rogers knows WTF he is doimg. This is the same people.. we've had the same issues as last year. We had dumb penalties at dumb times last time. Unsportsmanlike? We all forgot Kraft threw a ball in a dudes face?(though that guy deserved worse).
4) game 2 for both teams, with no real test for either week prior. This is how that usually looks.
5) special teams will be fine. Again. We missed crucial extra point last year that we were bailed out of.
6) lucky? This is the dumbest term ever used in the game of football. Really dumb.

Item #3: The tossed shoe was stupid, but Stalbird's "personal foul" was aided by Moore's Oscars-worthy "fall"
Item #4: I shudder at the apocalytic posts some will sling for how the Jacks will be after Rogers' first bye week as head coach.

Hopefully Jacks continue their string of >16k attendance totals through Thanksgiving

[jakejc795]

I think MSU's offensive line was, for most of the game, much better than their 2022 offensive line and our defensive linemen couldn't push the 'Cat O-line around like we did much of the time in the 2022 game. Did we have any QB sacks? I don't recall we did...we had some hurry-ups, particularly late in the second half.

Seems likely both SDSU and MSU will be in the playoffs and I won't be surprised if we have to play MSU again. It'll be another battle.

The Jacks haven't had any sacks in either game. It's concerning but somewhat understandable given 'Cats' offensive scheme. It'd be great if chain gang can get on track Sat. and wreak more havoc in conference after the bye

[Southeast]

My 7 and 9 yr old daughters had a blast in our seats adjacent to the raucous student section. They screamed their lungs out on those big defensive plays and were engaged for 3 hours. Good entertainment. I bet a lot of “new” people left feeling like they did.

It’s been said several times above, but I have to pile on about MSU’s QB-as-RB strategy. It takes a miracle for that to work out over what needs to be a 15 game season. I’m glad we ditched that approach after the spring season.

What a comeback and fun night in the stadium.

[mnjackrbt]

My 7 and 9 yr old daughters had a blast in our seats adjacent to the raucous student section. They screamed their lungs out on those big defensive plays and were engaged for 3 hours. Good entertainment. I bet a lot of “new” people left feeling like they did.

I was also there with young ones. The atmosphere made it so much more enjoyable for us and them. It's tough to get them to sit still in a seat for 3ish hours... But being able to tell them to stand on their seat, jump up and down, scream and yell as loud as you want, made it a lot more enjoyable for all of us. I think my kids also got into the game and understood football a little better because of it as well.

I was 2 sections from the student section, and it was quite annoying how many of them were trying to get into any unoccupied reserved seat. The couple times we left our seats during the game, each time we came back we had to kick students out. And so did everybody else whenever they temporarily left.

Game wise... amazing how many fans of both teams are negative on their teams or coaches after this game. This was #1 vs #3... pretty much flip a coin on who will win. Each team is good enough to make the other struggle in some situations. I tried explaining this game to my non FCS friends that in the FBS this is like an Alabama vs. Ohio State matchup to start the season.

[OldHare]

In reference to the fans negative about coaches/players, there were many years that Stig was not the guy to take the Jackrabbits to the top. It seems the trip to the top has many stumbles which frustrate many. The head job will always bring those jabs. The football program has been hovering around the top while many programs struggle to make the playoffs. Take a look at the MVFC to see many of those teams who miss the playoffs. The MSU game was a blast to attend.. That is a result of much effort by the admin and coaches and the players over the years in FCS play.

[jbjack]

I was also there with young ones. The atmosphere made it so much more enjoyable for us and them. It's tough to get them to sit still in a seat for 3ish hours... But being able to tell them to stand on their seat, jump up and down, scream and yell as loud as you want, made it a lot more enjoyable for all of us. I think my kids also got into the game and understood football a little better because of it as well.

I was 2 sections from the student section, and it was quite annoying how many of them were trying to get into any unoccupied reserved seat. The couple times we left our seats during the game, each time we came back we had to kick students out. And so did everybody else whenever they temporarily left.

Game wise... amazing how many fans of both teams are negative on their teams or coaches after this game. This was #1 vs #3... pretty much flip a coin on who will win. Each team is good enough to make the other struggle in some situations. I tried explaining this game to my non FCS friends that in the FBS this is like an Alabama vs. Ohio State matchup to start the season.

I had my 14 year old daughter (future Jackrabbit) and a friend along. Neither of them watch any football or know anything about it but both had a great time, notwithstanding some slight embarrassment at my shenanigans.

As far as the lecherous students - I wouldn't expect any less. Some years after I'd graduated my wife and I attended a game at old Coughlan Alumni - I think it was the awful Oshkosh game. We purchased G.A. tickets but there being very few in attendance, we "upgraded" to reserved and ended up sitting by an administration official I knew. I admitted we hadn't paid for the reserved seat. He said that it was ok - my student fees had paid for a lot of events I never attended.

[JACKGUYII]

I'm just amazed the level of engagement and pure numbers in the stands from students and fans. For the first time I did not see students pouring out of the stadium at halftime. Was it because of the close nature and magnitude of the game or has winning a National Championship changed the culture. I guess the future will tell, but something feels different this year.

[jbjack]

In reference to the fans negative about coaches/players, there were many years that Stig was not the guy to take the Jackrabbits to the top. It seems the trip to the top has many stumbles which frustrate many. The head job will always bring those jabs. The football program has been hovering around the top while many programs struggle to make the playoffs. Take a look at the MVFC to see many of those teams who miss the playoffs. The MSU game was a blast to attend.. That is a result of much effort by the admin and coaches and the players over the years in FCS play.

Being the best doesn't guarantee blow out wins. MSU is an outstanding team - there isn't much at all that separates the us and them right now. I don't know that Utah Tech was much more of a warmup opponent for them than W.O. was for us, but at least it was a DI opponent. MSU had a chip on its shoulder and came ready to play and Mellott and Chambers are two very good quarterbacks and real gamers.

A bright spot - picking up where this team left off last year is the fact that we owned the 3rd quarter. MSU had one possession and 33 years in the 3rd. We took the opening kick and drove for a touchdown and while the second TD didn't come until just after the start of the 4th quarter, all but two of the plays on that drive were in the 3rd.

[da_coach]

First off, props to Montana State. Great team who played with real fire and they are very good.

Second, I've seen both fanbases say "we did this to ourselves" especially regarding the penalties.
That's true. And not a surprise in a battle of highly ranked teams in week 2.
Jacks fans can look at some of our penalties (late hit, unsportsmanlike, etc...) Mont State can look at their numerous false starts...both can say without those we win.
That's football.

While Montana State's "dual quarterback" offense is hard to stop... if they keep running it like this... either Chambers or Mellott is going to get hurt.
(I saw some lady post on a facebook thing that "you hurt our quarterback on a late hit on a pass"... which isn't true. The play he got injured, Chambers faked the ball to him on a read option...Chambers kept it and got tackled...but Mellott got lit up as a possible ball carrier. If you're going to use him like a running back, he's going to get hit like one.)

They have a great stable of running backs... honestly, I don't think they need to do that dual QB thing at all...but if they want to, keep it for the red zone.

Aa a Jackrabbit fan, feel very fortunate to get the win. But also really proud of the guys for battling back in this one. In the past, the Jackrabbits lose this game. (maybe not last year...but in our long history)

Good Luck to the Bobcats for the rest of the season. You have a great ball club. It takes something special to shut our guys out for a half.