Not only because the Montana Grizzlies are ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA for the first time since Nov. 11, 2002, but because the forecast is 93 steamy degrees for Montana's game at Sam Houston State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Mountain time in Bowers Stadium.
As of 9 p.m. Tuesday the Web site Weather.com predicted the western edge of Hurricane Ivan will hit the Gulf Coast where Louisiana meets Mississippi, early Thursday. That's some 350 miles west of Huntsville, which sits 70 miles up I-45 from Houston.
"That's just something we'll have to deal with no matter what it is, or where we go," linebacker Shane MacIntyre said. "Weather is something we can't control."
"I know it's going to be different," defensive end Lance Spencer said. "Different than some of us have ever played in before in our lives. But I'm not too worried about it. There's only so much you can do about it. I'm making sure I'm hydrated."
The Grizzlies can't do much about being No. 1, either, except try and hold onto the ranking. They kept it for 18 weeks last time, while they built a I-AA record-tying 24-game winning streak.
"It's a position the team's been in before," said receiver/return man Jefferson Heidelberger, who was a sophomore the last time the Griz were top-ranked. "We kind of expect it, but it's also a burden in that if you let it sit in, and you think about it and worry about it, it's not going to do you any good."
"This early in the season, being No. 1 doesn't mean a whole lot," McIntyre added. "It's nice to be able to say we're No. 1, but we've still got to come out and prove it every week. It just sort of puts a bigger bull's-eye on your back, I guess."
After starting and playing about half of the Grizzlies first two games, and experiencing no problems with his rebuilt left knee, Spencer is nothing but encouraged.
In last week's win over Hofstra, "I think we counted out 29 (plays) or something like that," Spencer said. "It felt good. Not swollen, no pain, didn't even have to ice it. It felt great."
Head coach Bobby Hauck said the plan is to give Spencer about the same amount of plays against Sam Houston.
One player who didn't suit up last week was running back JR Waller, for what Hauck called, "team discipline." Waller will be back this week, against a team he ran for 126 yards on last year, in a 38-14 Grizzly win. It was the third 100-yard game of his collegiate career; the junior had two 150-yard games as a freshman. He is listed behind Justin Green and Lex Hilliard on the depth chart at running back.
"He's excited to go this week," said Hauck. "He's played well, practiced well."
Sam Houston State is 0-6 in games against No. 1-ranked teams, including one home loss, 24-3 to North Texas in 1988. The Bearkats are also coming off a heart-breaking 33-31 loss at Southwest Missouri State in which they scored two go-ahead touchdowns in the final two minutes and 37 seconds - and gave the touchdowns right back, at the 1:33 mark and with 2 seconds left in the game, to lose. "That was pretty wild," said Hauck, who watched a tape of the game. "Real interesting to watch."
Quarterback Craig Ochs, the reigning Big Sky offensive player of the week, took no reps during passing drills Tuesday, giving his injured right thumb a rest Š Ochs is ranked first in the Big Sky and 18th in I-AA in passing efficiency rating at 144.7. He's first in the Big Sky and 10th nationally in total offense (307.5 yards per game) Š Heidelberger, the Big Sky's special teams player of the week, leads the conference in receiving and receiving yards per game (9.5 for 131 yards), and ranks eighth nationally in both categories Š There are no changes in this week's starting lineup. That includes sophomore cornerback Tuff Harris, who sat out Tuesday's drills with an immobilizing boot on his left foot. He was hurt in the second half of the Hofstra game Š Hauck said backup defensive end Dan Carr, who was on crutches Tuesday, was "questionable" after a leg injury suffered against the Pride Š After the first two games of the season, All-America candidate Justin Green has 95 rushing yards. After the first two games last year, he had a total of 61. He finished with 1,146 Š The University of Montana was ranked as the 25th best place to experience college football, in Sports Illustrated's "On Campus" issue that comes out this week.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)