Game Notes: @UNCBearsFB closes 2018 season at Montana State

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Northern Colorado football heads to the Gem State to close out its 2018 football season at Montana State on Saturday, November 10 at 1 pm. The Bears and Bobcats will battle on AT&T Sports Net/Root Sports, meaning no internet stream of the game.

Setting the Stage
- Northern Colorado closed out its 2018 home schedule last weekend falling to a tough Eastern Washington team falling 48-13.

- Montana State jumped out to a 28-14 lead at the half and 42-14 lead early in the third quarter, holding on to late to win 49-42. Both teams went over 350 yards rushing, with MSU going for 430 and Cal Poly at 369.

- Northern Colorado is making its first trip to Bozeman since 2012. In that game, MSU defeated the Bears 41-17.

- The last time the Bears were on the road they picked up their first road win in almost two years. They now aim for their first back-to-back road wins since the 2012 season when they won at Portland State and Weber State.

Scouting Montana State
Montana State is looking to make a late playoff push with just two weeks remaining. The Bobcats, come into Saturday at 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the Big Sky with just the Bears and rival Montana on the schedule. MSU's offense has struggled at time to move the ball this season, primarily relying on the run. Starting QB Troy Andersen has more rush yards than pass, leading the team with 988 on the ground and 715 through the air. Andersen has scored 14 times this year, 13 of them coming on the ground.

Defensively, MSU has struggled to stop the run at times allowing 201.2 yards per game. Teams have been able to work a balanced attack on Montana State passing for 208.7 yards a game as well. Brayden Konkol leads the Bobcats on defense with a team-leading 65 tackles, to go with his 2.0 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sack, one interception and two fumble recoveries. Teammate Bryce Sterk is tied for 23rd nationally with 1.4 tackles for a loss per game.

History Against the Bobcats
The history between Northern Colorado and Montana State dates all the way back to the roaring 20s. The first game between the two schools came in November of 1923 with MSU winning in Greeley 49-12. The Bobcats hold the overall advantage at 20-10-1. Northern Colorado and Montana State had a break from 2013 until last season without playing each other due to the unbalanced schedule in the Big Sky. The Bobcats have won the past seven games in the series including last years on a field goal as time expired. The tie in the series came in a barn burner during the 1938 season, ending 0-0.

Last 5 Meetings
October 21, 2017, Montana State, 27-24 in Greeley
November 2, 2013, Montana State, 35-38 in Greeley
September 22, 2012, Montana State, 41-17 in Bozeman
October 22, 2011, Montana State, 31-21 in Greeley
October 23, 2010, Montana State, 37-35 in Bozeman

On This Date
Northern Colorado looks to become a game below .500 when playing on November 10th on Saturday. UNC is 4-6 on the date, winning the last time they played on it in 2012 at Weber State, 42-34. The team is 2-2 on the road on the date.

Ahead of the Class
Northern Colorado leads all of FCS football with student-athletes on their football roster who have already earned a bachelors degree and are now working on a masters. The 12 Bears are two better than Western Illinois 10 for second place in the nation and seven better than the nearest Big Sky school in Southern Utah with five. The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame helped compile the list of over 1,200 student-athletes who already have one degree and are pursuing a second in 2018.

Challenging Slate
While the 2018 schedule does not feature an FBS opponent the Bears has a challenging slate. Out of the team's 11 games, 10 of its opponents started the season either ranked or receiving votes in the FCS Stats Poll. Through nine weeks, six of the 11 teams are still ranked or receiving votes, including the 3-4-5 teams in the FCS Stats Poll in Weber State, Eastern Washington and UC Davis, respectively.

Bear in the NFL
Former UNC Bear Kyle Sloter continues to strive for the Minnesota Vikings earning a roster spot with them for the second straight season. In the preseason he passed for 366 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions. Teammate Frank Stephens joined Sloter on an NFL roster before week two of the NFL season, signing onto the San Francisco 49ers practice squad.

Around the Big Sky
The Big Sky title is up for grabs on Saturday when UC Davis travels to Eastern Washington. The Aggies are a game ahead of EWU, Weber State and Idaho State with two weeks to go. A UC Davis win on Saturday will clinch them at least a share of the conference title.

Home Away from Home
Stuft, Burger Bar is UNC football's home away from home. Unable to make the trip with the Bears, join other UNC fans and cheer on the team on the official watch party of all road games.

To stay up to date on all things UNC football, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter @UNCBearsFB.

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