There are, as usual, many subplots to the annual Griz-Cat game, which kicks off at 12:05 p.m. inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday. That includes the battle in the trenches between former Great Falls Russell teammates Jeff Hansen (guard, Montana State) and Austin Mullins (defensive tackle, Montana).
The in-state rivalry will feature sophomore quarterback Mark Desin of MSU trying to find throwing lanes against a UM secondary that could be even more inexperienced, after Griz corners Trumaine Johnson and Andrew Swink were banged up last week against Idaho State.
“Number 1, right?” Montana coach Bobby Hauck asked. “Yeah. He's good. He's had a lot of yards the last few weeks.
“(He) is a really, really fine football player. No one's really shut him down.”
The 185-pound Crawford has four straight 100-yard games, all victories, for the Cats. The visitors' big offensive line has done its best to mirror that of UM's, and the Cats hold the Big Sky Conference lead in rushing offense.
Montana's running game ranks second and sophomore Chase Reynolds has four straight 100-yard games of his own.
Such a battle doesn't exactly bring back memories of Dave Dickenson and Kelly Bradley; a real throw-back game would feature 75 passes. The over-under for throws Saturday will be lower, partly because Desin will be making just his second collegiate start.
Desin, minus big-play targets in receiver DeSean Thomas and tight end Brandon Bostick, threw the ball just 15 times in MSU's 49-32 win over Portland State last week. But he is mobile in ways perhaps injured predecessors Mark Iddins and Cody Kempt are not.
“Mark Desin played tremendous last week,” said Crawford, who ran for a career-high 187 yards against PSU. “He took a lot off my shoulders; he's a playmaker. You didn't know what he was going to do.”
Montana's Cole Bergquist, meanwhile, is coming off a career-low 77-yard throwing performance in a 29-10 win over Idaho State. Reynolds' emergence and the opponents' bracketing of receivers Marc Mariani and Mike Ferriter have meant fewer big pass plays.
“Tiger Woods doesn't shoot his best round every time out, either,” noted Hauck.
“Watching that (ISU) film, there were plenty of things,” said Bergquist, who has 23 touchdown passes and just five interceptions this season, and is sixth in the FCS in passing efficiency. “I just got away from what I'd been doing in previous games that had helped me be successful.”
Mariani hasn't caught a TD pass in two weeks, but still has 13, and he's impacted the game in other ways. His Big Sky record-tying 94-yard punt return sparked the Grizzlies last week.
Crawford, meanwhile, has taken a kick return 100 yards for a score this season. The Bobcats also seem to have found a top-flight kicker in Jason Cunningham.
Each team has blocked six kicks; all of UM's blocks have been on punts.
“It's a huge part of the game,” MSU coach Rob Ash said of the special teams. “I'm very impressed with what they've done with their units and we've worked a lot on ours as well. It's won some games for us and won some games for them.”
But when Ash is asked to pick a jersey to watch out for from the Griz, he comes back to No. 19.
“Colt Anderson,” he said. “He's a terrific player, and a Montana guy. He made the key play in my mind in last year's game.”
Anderson's interception to begin the second half keyed UM's 41-20 win in Bozeman. The Bobcats had led 14-6 after two Crawford TDs.
“That sort of changed the game around,” said Ash. “And he's made plays for them all season. He's a guy we have to be aware of where he is at all times.”
Montana State continues to run a four-man front with plenty of zone pressure. Senior middle linebacker Bobby Daly, a Helena Capital product, leads the team in tackles. The defense, which along the way has lost stalwart defensive end Dane Fletcher, has 17 interceptions.
The Bobcats are no different from most teams: When they create turnovers, they win; when they don't, they lose. The Grizzlies have been opportunistic as well. They'll have to be again to win a third straight game in the series.
High emotions and a record crowd are a given.
“Everyone in the state of Montana, for the most part, picks a side on Saturday,” said Hauck, who is 3-2 in the series. “There's not a whole lot of fence riding. We have 15 starters from the state of Montana on our side, and it's important to them.
“Everybody will be excited this weekend. It'll be fun.”
Montana State at No. 5 Montana
Kickoff: 12:05 p.m. MST
Venue: Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,200, Sprinturf)
Forecast: 35 degrees, rain or snow possible at kickoff.
Tickets: Sold out.
TV: Live on KPAX-TV and its MTN affiliates (Phil Buck, Grady Bennett and Mike Callaghan).
Radio: KXGZ 101.5 FM (Mick Holien, Scott Gurnsey).
On the net: www.bigskytv.org and www.montanagrizzlies.com.
Records: Montana is 10-1, 6-1 in the Big Sky Conference. Montana State is 7-4 and 5-2.
Series history: Montana leads 67-35-5.
Coaches: Bobby Hauck is 62-15 in his sixth season at Montana. Rob Ash is 13-9 in his second season at MSU.
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