No. 2 Montana State will seek a 12-0 record and its first outright Big Sky title since 2011, as the Bobcats host No. 9 Montana for the 123rd meeting between the two Treasure State programs. Below are news and notes for Week 13 of the football season.
WEEK 13 SCHEDULE
Saturday, November 23, 2024
#9 Montana at #2 Montana State* // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+/Scripps)
Cal Poly at Weber State* // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Eastern Washington at #21 Northern Arizona* // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Colorado at Portland State* // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
#5 UC Davis at Sacramento State* // 3:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
#7 Idaho at Idaho State* // 4:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
NEWS & NOTES
Another Rivalry Weekend in the Big Sky
The Big Sky features many notable rivalries, with multiple series dating back more than 100 years. Below is a look at those notable rivalries around the league.
Name of Rivalry (Teams) – Year (Record)
Brawl of the Wild (Montana-Montana State) – 1897 (UM leads 74-42-5)
Little Brown Stein (Idaho-Montana) – 1903 (Idaho leads 56-31-2)
Battle of the Domes (Idaho-Idaho State) – 1916 (Idaho leads 32-13)
Battle for the Golden Horseshoe (Cal Poly-UC Davis) – 1939 (UCD leads 27-20-2)
Battle for the Che-Scow Cup (EWU-Idaho) – 1942 (Idaho leads 20-8)
Causeway Classic (Sac State-UC Davis) – 1954 (UCD leads 47-23)
Red Rock Rivalry (NAU-Weber State) – 1964 (NAU leads 29-28)
Train Bell Trophy (Idaho State-Weber State) – 1964 (WSU leads 48-16)
The Dam Cup (EWU-Portland State) – 1968 (Tied 22-22-1)
Montana State-Montana Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
Montana State clinched at least a share of the Big Sky title last Saturday with its win over UC Davis, but the Bobcats will be going for the outright title this Saturday as they host Montana in the Brawl of the Wild. The Top 5 showdown will be featured on “This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Friday on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube.
This Saturday’s meeting will be the 123rd all-time, with Montana leading the series 74-42-5 since the rivalry started in 1897. The home field advantage has been vital most recently in the series, with the last road win for a team coming in 2018. Montana has not won in Bozeman since 2015.
With Montana State ranking second overall and Montana slotted at ninth ahead of Saturday’s game, Saturday’s showdown will mark back-to-back years that both teams rank in the Top 10.
UC Davis is not out of the championship race, with the Aggies needing a win over Sacramento State and a loss by Montana State on Saturday to clinch a share of the title.
Northern Arizona Seeks First 8-Win Season Since 2013
No. 21 Northern Arizona hosts Eastern Washington on Saturday, as the Lumberjacks seek to improve their record to 8-4 overall and secure its first FCS Playoff berth since 2017. If the Lumberjacks should win on Saturday, it will also be the most wins in a season for NAU since its 9-3 record in 2013.
Idaho Earns Perfect Record in the Kibbe Dome
Idaho defeated Weber State 31-24 at home this past Saturday, as the Vandals finished the regular season with a 5-0 mark in the Kibbie Dome.
The perfect home record marks the first time since 1996 the Vandals have been undefeated at home during the regular season. In addition to Idaho, Montana State and Northern Arizona are undefeated at home this season.
Perfect Home Records in 2024 Regular-Season
Montana State: 5-0 – first time since 2023
Idaho: 5-0 – first time since 1996
Northern Arizona: 5-0 – first time since 2015
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Nov. 11, 2024)
Co-Offensive Player of the Week:
Kekoa Visperas, Eastern Washington (QB, R-Jr., Eatonville, Wash.)
Kekoa Visperas led the Eastern Washington offense to a 77-point output in their win over Idaho State this past Saturday. The Eagle quarterback was a perfect 14-of-14 passing, with over 250 yards of offense and four total touchdowns. Overall, the 77 points scored broke a program record against a Div-I opponent and the 704 yards of offense was the team’s most since the 2021 season.
Co-Offensive Player of the Week:
Mark Hamper, Idaho (WR, R-Fr., West Linn, Ore)
Mark Hamper caught eight passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns in Idaho’s 31-24 win over Weber State, with all three categories being career highs for the redshirt freshman. Hamper caught touchdown passes of 36, 16 and 74 yards, with the latter two coming in the fourth quarter to seal the victory over the Wildcats. The win for Idaho secured the first undefeated home slate for the Vandals since 1996.
Defensive Player of the Week:
Jace Klucewich, Montana (DB, R-Jr., Frenchtown, Mont.)
Jace Klucewich picked off two passes in Montana’s 28-17 win over Portland State, with both drive-killers coming in the redzone. Klucewich also had five tackles, with all five being solos. The redshirt junior now leads the Big Sky with four interceptions on the year.
Special Teams Player of the Week:
Taco Dowler, Montana State (PR/WR, So., Billings, Mont.)
Taco Dowler made a game-changing play in Montana State’s win at UC Davis on Saturday, returning a punt 79 yards for a touchdown that helped the Bobcat clinch at least a share of the 2024 Big Sky Championship and the league’s automatic berth to the FCS Playoffs. The touchdown return came at a crucial moment late in the second quarter, with the score just 14-8 in favor of the Bobcats. The punt return for a score was the first of the season for Dowler and the third of his career.
