The Basics
Time, date, place: 8 p.m. MT, Saturday, Greater Zion Stadium
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Bobcat Radio Network
Weather: 95 degrees, cloudy
Head coaches
Brent Vigen
Record: 33-9 Year: 4th
Vigen was previously the offensive coordinator at Wyoming for seven seasons before coming to MSU in 2021. Earlier in his career he served as an assistant coach at North Dakota State.
Lance Anderson
Record: 0-0 Year: 1st
Anderson was most recently a senior offensive analyst at Boise State in 2023. He previously served in various roles on the defensive side at Stanford from 2007-22.
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Impact players: Montana State
RB Adam Jones
The Missoula Sentinel product showed promise after a 49-yard touchdown on his first rush as a Bobcat in 2023. Jones — who was touted by Montana State coaches and teammates all offseason — raised expectations even further with 167 yards and a TD on 17 carries against New Mexico in Week 0, earning Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week honors.
WR Ty McCullouch
McCullouch — a former Mountain West player at Colorado State — called his shot heading into fall camp, proclaiming he’d never lost to UNM and didn’t plan on starting in 2024. He helped secure the win for the Bobcats with seven catches for 66 yards and a TD, including a key 12-yard catch during the final drive on a third down.
LB McCade O’Reilly
Facing an early 17-0 deficit, the MSU defense had to adjust to UNM’s dual threat quarterback Devon Dampier and help out a struggling MSU offense. So the Bobcats, led by O’Reilly, shut out the Lobos’ offense in the second half. The Bozeman native led the team with 10 tackles and 1 1/2 tackles for loss, earning Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Impact Players: Utah Tech
QB Deacon Hill
After former Utah Tech starter Kobe Tracy transferred to Idaho State, the Trailblazers brought in Iowa transfer Hill and Syracuse transfer Luke MacPhail. The two quarterbacks are separated by an “OR” on the depth chart. Hill started the final nine games for Iowa in 2023, finishing with 1,152 passing yards and seven total touchdowns.
RB Chris Street
The Trailblazers lost leading rusher Ronnie Walker Jr., but returned Street, who ranked No. 2 on the team with 403 yards and two touchdowns on 64 carries. Street, a Cal transfer, posted a season-high 78 yards against Colorado State and scored both TDs against Stephen F. Austin.
LB Jared Fotu
Utah Tech returns a key defensive piece from last season in Fotu, who ranked No. 2 on the team in total tackles with 83, along with three tackles for loss. The linebacker logged 10-plus tackles three times in 2023, including a career-high 13 against Eastern Kentucky. Fotu also had eight tackles against Montana State.
Key facts
— Montana State started the 2024 season 1-0 after a comeback win at FBS New Mexico last week. The Bobcats trailed by 17 points at the start of the fourth quarter and scored three touchdowns during the period to win.
— Utah Tech finished the 2023 season with a record of 2-9. The Trailblazers were picked to finish eighth in the 2024 United Athletic Conference preseason poll.
— MSU won the most recent matchup 63-20 in the annual Gold Rush game to open the 2023 season in Bozeman. The Bobcats scored seven rushing touchdowns, led by then-freshman Scottre Humphrey with 114 yards and three TDs.
— Utah Tech is 1-8 in its last nine matchups against Big Sky Conference schools. The Trailblazers grabbed a 50-36 win at Northern Arizona in 2023.
— MSU has won its last six matchups against teams from the state of Utah dating back to 2019, including wins over Weber State (4-0), Utah Tech (1-0) and Southern Utah (1-0).
— As a team, Utah Tech’s defense allowed 483.7 yards per game, including 260.2 passing yards and 223.5 rushing yards per game. Against MSU last year, Utah Tech allowed 635 yards (404 rushing, 231 passing).
— MSU kicker/punter Brendan Hall was named the Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after posting six touchbacks on kickoffs and launching two punts inside the 20-yard line against New Mexico.
Bottom Line
The season opener at FBS New Mexico was, at times, a shoddy effort by Montana State. The Bobcats trailed 17-0 in the first half and 31-14 entering the fourth quarter, gave up two strip sacks for touchdowns, went 0 for 3 on fourth downs and committed avoidable defensive holding/interference penalties. Yet it didn’t matter down the stretch when MSU scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win 35-31. It marked the program’s first win over an FBS program since 2006.
Much like UNM, Utah Tech suffered immense roster turnover this offseason. The Trailblazers lost their starting quarterback, leading rusher, top four receivers, three of four top tacklers and starting kicker. Utah Tech also hired Lance Anderson as head coach, who spent most of his career as a defensive assistant coach at Stanford. This also marks the first year as a full-fledged FCS program with Utah Tech completing its four-year NCAA transition phase from Division II.
Saturday’s game will be a clean slate for Utah Tech and the second consecutive road trip for MSU to start the 2024 season. The Bobcats entered as the favorites and had to grind out a win over UNM last week, but this game should be significantly easier despite the unknowns. MSU won handily 63-20 against Utah Tech last year, and it should be a similar result this time around. Expect the Bobcats to roll to their second win of the season.
The Pick:Montana State 56, Utah Tech 17
Braden Shaw can be reached atbshaw@dailychronicle.com or406-582-2690. Follow him on Twitter @ByBradenShaw
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