SF - (#4) Montana St. @ (#1) SoDak State

[Mvemjsunpx]

(Sat., 2:00 PM MST, ESPN2)


Spread - Jackrabbits by 6.5
Sagarin - Jackrabbits by 6
Massey - Jackrabbits by 4

[SuperHornet]

4 MT State d. 1 SD State 31-17

[SDHornet]

This is going to be a close one. I'll go with the BSC team to win it late.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Nobody's been able to stop the Bobcat running game this year, but I'm going with SDSU here. The Jackrabbits are at home (MSU hasn't played a good FCS team on the road this year), and they seem to be on a mission this season. There's also the revenge factor for last year's semifinal. I'll take South Dakota State 31-27.

I'm hoping I'm wrong for both my picks, though, because I think we all want to see the lunacy of an MSU/UIW championship ping-pong game.

[UNI88]

Nobody's been able to stop the Bobcat running game this year, but I'm going with SDSU here. The Jackrabbits are at home (MSU hasn't played a good FCS team on the road this year), and they seem to be on a mission this season. There's also the revenge factor for last year's semifinal. I'll take South Dakota State 31-27.

I'm hoping I'm wrong for both my picks, though, because I think we all want to see the lunacy of an MSU/UIW championship ping-pong game.

I want an SDSU/UIW natty so that we'll be sure of having a 1st-time winner so we'll probably get MSU/NDZU.

[Gil Dobie]

Nobody's been able to stop the Bobcat running game this year, but I'm going with SDSU here. The Jackrabbits are at home (MSU hasn't played a good FCS team on the road this year), and they seem to be on a mission this season. There's also the revenge factor for last year's semifinal. I'll take South Dakota State 31-27.

I'm hoping I'm wrong for both my picks, though, because I think we all want to see the lunacy of an MSU/UIW championship ping-pong game.

I want an SDSU/UIW natty so that we'll be sure of having a 1st-time winner so we'll probably get MSU/NDZU.

The Word is going to be tough to beat on turf. Battle of the frozen tundra in Brookings could be close.

[SuperHornet]

Game has started. Both offenses are clicking.

1 SD State leads 4 MT State 7-6 6:55 1Q

[SuperHornet]

First Quarter

SD State: Kraft 36 pass from Gronowski (Dustman kick) 12:17 SD State leads MT State 7-0
MT State: Chambers 1 run (run failed) 6:55 SD State leads MT State 7-6
SD State: Gronowski 1 run (Dustman kick) 0:44 SD State leads MT State 14-6

Second Quarter

SD State: Davis 41 run (Dustman kick) 8:47 SD State leads MT State 21-6
SD State: Johnson 38 run (Dustman kick) 1:03 SD State leads MT State 28-6
MT State: Glessner 37 FG 0:00 SD State leads MT State 28-9

Third Quarter

SD State: Johnson 5 pass from Gronowski (Jadon Jahnke pass from Gronowski) 8:39 SD State leads MT State 36-9
MT State: Glessner 36 FG 5:29 SD State leads MT State 36-12

Fourth Quarter

SD State: Dustman 21 FG 11:41 SD State leads 39-12

[SuperHornet]

Gronowski keeper extends SD State lead.

[SuperHornet]

This is turning into a rout. SMH....

[Gil Dobie]

Big Sky defense needs to buckle up and stop the Jacks.

[SuperHornet]

Davis almost blew it there. He dropped the ball as he crossed the goal line. It was ruled that he broke the plane before he dropped it, though, and without a pylon cam, there was no angle that provided conclusive evidence, so it was allowed to stand. Had he gone halfway into the end zone and THEN dropped it, it wouldn't even have gone to review....

[Gil Dobie]

Another big run by the Jacks

[SuperHornet]

This game just got blown wide open with another long TD run just before the half. What happened to the vaunted MT State defense? It's non-existent today....

[SuperHornet]

MT State gets a FG to end the first half.

[Mvemjsunpx]

This game just got blown wide open with another long TD run just before the half. What happened to the vaunted MT State defense? It's non-existent today....

Their running game was "vaunted" this year, not their defense.

Bobcats currently losing rushing yards 216-17.

[JohnStOnge]

Big Sky defense needs to buckle up and stop the Jacks.

I cringed when I watched the play live. I think he did drop control of it before it hit the plane. Really got luck that they didn't have camera placement sufficient to overturn it. I've seen players do that from time to time. I just don't get it.

[JohnStOnge]

I've found myself kind of wishing the brackets had been different so that we could see Incarnate Word playing South Dakota State in these conditions. Be interesting to see how they'd do in these conditions against a top MVFC defense that isn't depleted by injuries as much as North Dakota State's was.

[SuperHornet]

This game is over in the third quarter...unless SD State suddenly pulls a Saturday....

[Mvemjsunpx]

Gronowski to Johnson for an easy TD. SDSU goes for 2 (for some reason) and gets it.

36-9 Jackrabbits, 8:39 3Q

[SuperHornet]

Too early to go point chasing, particularly for the team in the lead, right? I'm not sure how a 25 point lead is better than a 24-point league, other than the fact that it would force MT State to get four TDs rather than three TDs and a FG. Not worth the risk in my book, though they DID get it....

[SuperHornet]

Gronowski to Johnson for an easy TD. SDSU goes for 2 (for some reason) and gets it.

36-9 Jackrabbits, 8:39 3Q

I have the same question, Venus. Why would they do that? Is there a kicker injury that we don't know about?

[SuperHornet]

MT State gets another FG. Is that all they're going to do today? That's not going to be anywhere near enough....

[Mvemjsunpx]

Bobcats get a FG after a good kick return.

36-12 SDSU, 5:29 3Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

Jackrabbits get a chip shot after MSU fails on a fake punt.

39-12 SDSU, 11:41 4Q