Maybe Big Sky teams are better than we thought

Eastcoastgriz · Post by **Eastcoastgriz** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:59 am

After two playoff blowouts, maybe Big Sky teams are better than we thought

Maybe we can't see the forest for all these towering trees surrounding us.

Maybe we Big Sky Conference football observers (and fans) don't give our league enough credit.

How else can you explain the surprise — or maybe even amazement — that many of us felt Saturday after Montana and Montana State had such little trouble beating highly respected opponents in the opening round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs?

Admit it — you wouldn't have given either Furman or McNeese a 14-point spread for even a 5-dollar bet.

No, you wouldn't, and neither would I.

No, I wasn't shocked that UM beat McNeese State in Missoula in cold, sunny conditions. I'm never surprised when the Grizzlies beat a Southern team in November or December, because they've never lost a home playoff game against a Deep South opponent. But I was mildly amazed that the Grizzlies beat the Cowboys 31-6, and I was fairly astonished that McNeese didn't give UM a better tussle than teams like Northern Arizona, Weber State or even Idaho State.

Nor was I stunned that Montana State beat Furman in Bozeman in cold, cloudy conditions. It's tough to beat the Bobcats in November in the playoffs in Bozeman. In fact, it's never been done. But I was more than a little astounded with the thoroughness of the Cats' 31-13 triumph over the seventh-ranked team in the nation, a program that rarely is blown out even by Division I-A schools.

So are the Griz and Cats really this good? It's a loaded question, for sure, because the Griz have been ranked No. 2 in the nation for the past few months, have an 11-1 record and have lost only to Big Ten power Iowa.

Of course, the Griz are this good.

The Cats, who darn near beat the Griz two weeks ago in the toughest I-AA environment in America ... well, you would have to say they're currently among the elite teams in the country. You don't win seven of your last eight games — with your backs to the playoff wall — without being a strong-willed, talented football team.

Fact is, those narrow victories by UM and MSU over Northern Arizona earlier this season don't seem quite so flimsy now. The Lumberjacks finished with a 6-5 record and most likely have the best quarterback in the nation in Jason Murrietta.

Those not-so-smooth victories over Portland State look a little more impressive a month later, don't they? The 7-4 Vikings probably would have beaten McNeese State or Furman last weekend, too.

The skeptics among us had the feeling most of September and October that the Big Sky Conference wasn't quite as strong this year as usual. Now that November is winding down, and two Big Sky schools are still in the championship hunt, that feeling is dissipating.

In fact, that sense of vulnerability has pretty much vanished. Let's hope the snow dissolves just as quickly.

* * *
Montana has played Illinois teams in previous playoff games, with mixed results.

The Griz beat Eastern Illinois 25-19 way back in 1989, but lost twice to Western Illinois, 52-9 in Macomb back in 1998, and 43-40 in two overtimes in Misosula just three years ago.

But Montana has never tangled with Southern Illinois, which visits Missoula Saturday afternoon for a quarterfinal clash at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

The Salukis from Carbondale will be bringing quite likely the best running back in I-AA football, Arkee Whitlock, who rushed for 207 yards and four touchdowns in SIU's 36-30 victory over Tennesseee-Martin last Saturday.

Whitlock, a 195-pounder who ran for 1,454 yards last season, has rushed for 1,748 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. In his last four games — all victories — Whitlock has piled up 775 yards and 14 TDs.

Coach Bill Kill's team doesn't throw the ball much — fewer than 200 aerials in 12 games — but southpaw quarterback Nick Hill has completed 63 percent of his throws for 15 touchdowns. Hill tossed a 45-yard scoring pass with 57 seconds left last week to beat Tennessee-Martin.

Southern Illinois had a Bobcat-like stretch this season — losing three of four games — but rebounded to win its last three. The Salukis trailed by 20 points last Saturday before pulling it out.

SIU was ranked No. 1 in the nation two years ago, but was shocked at home by Eastern Washington in the first round.

Geise is tribune Sports Editor and has covered the Big Sky Conference for nearly 30 years. He can be reached by e-mail at ggeise@greatfal.gannett.com, or by phone at (406) 791-1470

griz8791 · Post by **griz8791** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:07 am

I was going to post this but ECG beat me to it. Best quote in the whole article:

"It's tough to beat the Bobcats in November in the playoffs in Bozeman. In fact, it's never been done."

remember the SCOOP! · Post by **remember the SCOOP!** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:11 am

Great article. Wouldn't you say that the Tribune has the best sports coverage in the state?

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:32 am

remember the SCOOP! wrote:Great article. Wouldn't you say that the Tribune has the best sports coverage in the state?

I myself like Mansch; don't much care for Grizzly George nor do I care one way or the other about Double A sports. Not sure, but I suspect there's a lot more subscribers to the Tribune in all the small whistle stop towns throughout Montana than there are within the greater metropolitan Great Falls area

I think many of us remember when the small schools received every bit as much coverage as the "big" Montana high schools. Just my opinion.

083190 · Post by **083190** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:17 am

lost only to Big Ten power Iowa

POWER???

Grizzfan · Post by **Grizzfan** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:11 am

lost only to Big Ten power Iowa

POWER???

Well they were ranked at the beginning of the season #13 & #16 and I'd guess they could have beaten Colorado too!!

Tom

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:16 am

083190 wrote:lost only to Big Ten power Iowa

POWER???

Well, ya, in the Big 10. And, traditionally, Iowa always is in the top tier of the Big 10. Rarely, do they miss playing a bowl game.

083190 · Post by **083190** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:26 am

They are currently 6-6 and in 8th place in the Big 2 Little 8. Actually has 12 teams...go figure! Tradition is a bit irrelevant. If it was, then Colorado is still a top ten team. Over half of the teams in 1-A play in bowl games. Iowa at 6-6 has been invited to The Alamo Bowl. Somthing like 116 teams and 58 bowl games. (?)

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:39 am

So, we're talking semantics, then? You're saying that a I-A Power, is a team that is ranked in the top 20 or 25?

I'm cool w/that. I just think that a team that gets a bowl game is pretty dang good.

083190 · Post by **083190** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:44 am

It's a glass half full....! Miami going to a bowl-Coker fired. Bama going. Shula-fired.

If a team doesn't get a bowl, they are pretty bad!
Armed Forces Bowl
Fort Worth, TX
Amon G. Carter Stadium
December 23, 2006, ESPN
Mountain West vs. Conference USA
Bowl Projection: Utah vs. Rice

New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans, LA
Louisiana Superdome
December 22, 2006, ESPN
Sun Belt vs. Conference USA
Bowl Projection: Troy vs. East Carolina

Emerald Bowl
San Francisco, CA
AT&T Park
December 27, 2006, ESPN
ACC No. 7 vs. Pac 10 No. 5
Bowl Projection: Northern Illinois vs. Arizona State (Koetter fired)

Platinumcat · Post by **Platinumcat** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:21 pm

I feel the same exact way:

http://www.bobcatnation.com/bobcatboard ... php?t=8306