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OFFENSE:

QB — With Griz killer Travis Lulay finally out of the picture, the Griz regain the edge at QB, regardless of whether Cory Carpenter or Jack Rolovich starts for the Cats. UM's Josh Swogger and his 200-yards-a-game average get the nod.

OL — The Cats have given up the fewest sacks in the league at 20; the Griz the most at 37. On the other hand, the Griz have the best rushing totals in the league while the Cats are eighth.

RB — Thomas Brooks-Fletcher gave the Griz a shot in the arm last week in the absence of Brady Green, becoming the fourth player to lead the team in rushing this season. The Cats, behind Evin Groves and Aaron Mason, average just 103 yards a game on the ground.

WR/TE — MSU wide out Michael Jefferson is second in the league in receiving yards at 82.2 a game and a school-record 239 yards against Northern Arizona. Bookend Donnell Wheaton is fourth in the league at 63.7 yards a game.

DEFENSE:

DL — The Griz rank first in the Big Sky in total defense; the Cats are third. Junior Kroy Biermann is an emerging star for the Griz at one end while senior Mike Murphy is regaining the form the saw him register 12 sacks as a sophomore.

LB — But it's only a slight edge due to sophomore standout Bobby Daly's 98 total stops, tied for third in the league. The rest of the crews - Epikopo King and Bryant Matthews for the Cats, Tyler Joyce Kyle Ryan and Loren Utterback for the Griz - are pretty similar.

CB/Safety — The Griz are first in the league at defending the pass; the Cats are fifth. Griz free safety Torrey Thomas and cornerback Jimmy Wilson are tied for sixth in the league in interceptions with three apiece.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

K/P/Returns — The Cats, clinging to the roll-out punts made popular by Travis Lulay, rank dead last in net punting and will likely do whatever is needed to keep the ball from Griz returner Tuff Harris, who has returned two for TDs. Although a little shaky of late, Griz Dan Carpenter still leads the league in field goals and field goal accuracy.

INTANGIBLES:

The Griz have the home field and 23,000 fans behind them and a higher national ranking, but the Cats have “The Big Human,” Coach Mike Kramer. Kramer is 2-1 in head-to-head meetings with UM coach Bobby Hauck and has had two weeks to game plan for the Griz.

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