3 days Ago
BOZEMAN — Every day over the past year, Brody Grebe has walked by an empty spot in the Bobcat Athletic Complex. The vacant podium — where the Great Divide trophy would reside — is a visual reminder of where Montana State fell short against rival Montana in 2023. Grebe, now a senior defensive end, has been waiting all year for another shot.
The No. 2-ranked Bobcats will host the No. 9-ranked Grizzlies in the 2024 Brawl of the Wild Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.
MSU — which clinched at least a share of the Big Sky Conference title last week in a 30-28 win at then-No. 4 UC Davis — can capture the outright conference title, a top-two seed in the FCS playoffs and the program’s first undefeated regular season with a win. “Going into this game, there's big stakes, and we take that seriously,” Grebe said Monday.
Montana State defensive end Brody Grebe talks to reporters about the upcoming Brawl of the Wild, the Bobcats' Big Sky Conference title-clinching win at UC Davis and more on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at the Bobcat Athletic Complex in Bozeman. The stakes for last year’s game were arguably even greater.
It was a de facto Big Sky championship game with both teams playing for a potential top-two seed in the playoffs. Grebe said the Bobcats “didn’t come ready to play” and were victims of a slow start. One of the biggest differences between that game and this week is MSU’s adopted 1-0 mentality.
“Nobody needs to have some out of world experience or anything like that,” Grebe said. “Just go out there and trust each other and trust the coaches that they're going to put you in a good spot to make plays, and when one comes to you, make it.” The first 11 games this season have also helped prepare MSU for this weekend.
The success of UM’s defense in Cat-Griz last year has affected MSU’s opponents in 2024, quarterback Tommy Mellott said. He pointed to Eastern Washington and Davis' defenses obscuring fronts and relying on the “very unorthodox” scheme of the Grizzlies. Mellott added that, because the Bobcats have been “at the top of the food chain,” they’ve gotten every opponent’s best shot.
“So every game this entire year has been really big, and they just continue to keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” Mellott said. Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott scores a touchdown against Idaho on Oct. 12 at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.
That spans from the season opener at New Mexico to last week’s game at Davis. The latter was the toughest test in conference play, featuring the Aggies’ fourth-quarter comeback attempt. MSU safety Rylan Ortt felt like the Bobcats controlled most of the game, or at least the first 55 minutes or so.
Grebe added that MSU’s pass rush — finishing with six sacks — found success by pressuring Davis QB Miles Hastings early. The Bobcats also looked to exploit Hastings for not being a dual threat. When the pressure rose in the second half, MSU had to calm down and execute.
“Ultimately, it wasn't pretty,” Grebe said, “but we got it done when it came down to the wire.” Refocusing for another key game — especially a rivalry game — won’t be difficult, Ortt said, with the Bobcats quickly shifting to the Grizzlies this past weekend. “Everyone was pretty excited in the locker room (after the Davis win),” Ortt added.
“I think we were more excited to get to this week and be able to play for a trophy that means a little bit more to us. “That's the Great Divide trophy. We need to get that thing back to Bozeman.
” Montana State safety Rylan Ortt talks to reporters about the upcoming Brawl of the Wild, the Bobcats' Big Sky Conference title-clinching win at UC Davis and more on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at the Bobcat Athletic Complex in Bozeman. MSU wide receiver Taco Dowler was named the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Davis, the conference announced Monday.
Dowler returned three punts for 99 total yards, including a 79-yard return for a touchdown. That marked Dowler’s first punt return TD this season and third of his career. MSU head coach Brent Vigen said Dowler’s return was a “significant jolt” in the Bobcats’ favor Saturday.
“I think the number of punts that we've had a chance to return certainly credit goes to our defense,” Vigen added. “But there's a lot of credit to his ability to field the ball and give it a shot.” Ortt, who is also on the punt block/return team, said MSU was actually at a slight disadvantage on the play because the Bobcats had only 10 players on the field.
But Ortt and his teammates knew, with a few key blocks, Dowler could still make enough people miss. Taco Dowler returns a punt for a touchdown against UC Davis on Saturday at UC Davis Health Stadium in Davis, Calif. “We talked about it all week that special teams was going to make a big impact in that game,” Ortt added.
“Were we going to let that be an advantage for us or be against us? And so Taco goes out and does what he does and makes a huge play for the Bobcats.” The Bobcats also utilized other aspects of special teams to gain that advantage. Eleven of Davis’ 12 drives started inside the Aggies’ 25-yard line, including seven inside the 20.
The outlier for Davis came on a recovered onside kick late in the fourth quarter. The Aggies tried it again after a failed two-point conversion, with Ortt there on the hands team to recover. “Obviously you're a little nervous after we just gave up an onside (recovery),” Ortt said.
“So it's like, everyone's just got to calm down, focus on their job at that moment and make the play for whoever it came to. And it ended up coming to me.” MSU came out of the Davis game “as clean as we possibly could,” Vigen said.
Running back Scottre Humphrey was banged up against Davis, but he will be available against UM, Vigen added. Backup defensive backs Taki Uluilakepa and Tyson Pottenger missed last week’s game due to injury but are also back this week. Center Justus Perkins is taking another step to be “a functional guy,” Vigen said, and the hope is he keeps progressing this week.
Montana State head football coach Brent Vigen talks to reporters about the upcoming Brawl of the Wild, the Bobcats' Big Sky Conference title-clinching win at UC Davis and more on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at the Bobcat Athletic Complex in Bozeman. When Vigen first arrived in Bozeman, he had a sense of how important the Brawl of the Wild was to Bobcat fans.
Now having been around it for nearly four years, Vigen has an even greater appreciation. He pointed to the added stakes at the end of regular season. He noted how it drives the athletic departments of both schools.
There is also the added value of a continued rivalry amid college sport realignment. “All the challenges and getting your team right for that Saturday, and all the other Saturdays in front of it, is something I feel like this team has done really well,” Vigen said. “We've got to find a way to do it again this coming Saturday.
” Montana State head coach Brent Vigen paces the sidelines at the end of the Brawl of the Wild at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. That means preparing for this version of UM, which sits at 8-3 on the season.
The Grizzlies have utilized a two-QB system between Logan Fife (1,676 yards, 14 TDs, two interceptions) and Keali’i Ah Yat (872 yards, five TDs, four interceptions). Vigen said every game has looked like a “feeling out process” with the usage rates of each QB. Based on last week's game against Portland State — with Ah Yat going out with an injury — Vigen said Fife will likely get the nod this weekend.
Fife threw for 197 yards and three TDs and added a rushing TD against PSU. The Bobcats are preparing for both QBs in case Ah Yat is healthy, Vigen added. The Grizzlies also feature the one-two punch of RBs Eli Gillman and Nick Ostmo, who both scored rushing TDs against the Bobcats in 2023.
Gillman, the 2023 Jerry Rice Award winner, leads the team with 921 yards and 12 TDs on 127 carries, along with 15 catches for 176 yards and two TDs. Ostmo is second with 734 yards and three TDs on 120 carries, along with 18 catches for 133 yards and a TD. Vigen commended both Ostmo and Gillman for their elusiveness and decision making.
The Bobcats struggled to contain Davis RB Lan Larison at times last Saturday, Vigen added, and MSU will have to remedy that this weekend. Larison finished with 112 yards and a TD rushing, along with eight catches for 109 yards. “That starts with guys just doing their job up front, not getting knocked off the ball,” Vigen said.
“Because if either one can get a head of steam going, they're trouble.” Montana running back Nick Ostmo runs as Montana State defensive back Andrew Powdrell tries to tackle him at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
The Grizzlies also feature receivers Keelan White (45 catches, 494 yards, three TDs), Junior Bergen (39 catches, 486 yards, three TDs), Aaron Fontes (39 catches, 382 yards, one TD) and Sawyer Racanelli (25 catches, 308 yards, one TD). Defensively it’s been a work in progress for UM. The Grizzlies lost key players from last season, including defensive tackle Alex Gubner, defensive end Kale Edwards, safety Nash Fouch and linebackers Braxton Hill and Levi Janacaro.
The 2023 group held MSU to 1 of 10 on third downs and 0 for 4 on fourth downs. The roster turnover led to some growing pains in 2024, but the Grizzlies have become “more dialed in” as this season has progressed, Vigen said. The Grizzlies are led by LB Ryan Tirrell (89 tackles, 4 1/2 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups), safety Jaxon Lee (68 tackles, two TFLs, three QB hurries) and LB Riley Wilson (67 tackles, eight TFLs, three sacks, six QB hurries).
Safety Jace Klucewich has a team-high four interceptions, and defensive end Hayden Harris has a team-high 7 1/2 sacks and 15 TFLs. To combat that, Vigen said it will be crucial for the Bobcats to be in sync and play as fast as possible. He added that MSU will need to have a balanced attack.
Last season against UM, the Bobcats finished with just 280 total yards (213 rushing, 67 passing). “You've got to be real smart about what you do,” Vigen said. “Your guys can't let all the different things they think they're seeing cause them to play slow.
And try to be on attack as much as possible.” Braden Shaw can be reached at [email protected] or 406-582-2690.
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