The cats rushing attack is top tier. Having QB Tommy Mellott out didn't slow them down as you mentioned their back up, Chambers, was gashing EWU in the run game. As far as I can tell it's unknown if Mellott will be back this week, but either way we have to be prepared for their QBs running all over the place.

Maybe I'm still agitated after the loss to Weber, but I don't think the Aggies pull this one off on the road. Both Montana schools are tough places to play.

Mellott is out

beaten them before

I think the Aggies have played about the toughest first 4 games in all the FCS and are certainly the best 1-3 FCS team in the nation. We have certainly been competitive against tough competition. However, you don't get respect with moral victories and, consequently, the Ags are not ranked in the top 25 in the polls I've seen. Gotta win to get respect...close simply doesn't impress folks...

I remember the 45-0 beatdown we put on them in Bozeman, but our record against them has been bleak since that game. MSU is a very good team and thus far this season, we've not been able to close out games against good teams. We were right there with SDSU and WSU and I hope they can prove me wrong this weekend. I'm just not convinced we have that kill factor.

From an Enterprise article by Bob Dunning:

Although his Aggies are not ranked in the top 25 in either of the Football Championship Subdivision polls this week, UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins contends that his team is among the top 15 in the country.

“If you look at who we’ve played and how well we’ve played, we should certainly be among the top 15, but polls are not something we pay much attention to. We just need to take care of business and clean up a few things, both as coaches and players.”

https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/football-aggies-margin-of-error-is-small/

Hawk is great, but we have to learn how to win. We could easily be 2-2, and we can be 1-4. Let's compete for a Big Sky championship!

bottom line is that you have to put up “W”s. Unless you are totally dominant, good and great seasons are determined by getting a few breaks and winning the close ones. Close loses will only count towards securing a playoff berth if you have enough wins to gain consideration.

I wish Hawkins hadn’t gone down the road of touting his team so much. No objective observer rank a 1-3 team in the top 15 without that team having a quality win. Davis doesn’t have an impressive win, and has a poor win/loss record.

However, computer rankings where strength of schedule matter look better.
Sagarin would have us at #7.
https://www.college-sports-journal.com/college-sports-journal-sagarin-fcs-top-25-sept-24/

Two of the greatest beatdowns I ever saw in Davis were by Cal Poly in 2007 and Montana State in 2014.

Bobcats dropped 77 on Davis in 2014, and were throwing deep well into the 4th quarter, Davis provided no defensive resistance.

I had to look up the 2014 game, 2 passes in the 4th quarter, both by our backup QB

This game might boil down to their running game against our passing game. Their secondary looks like the weak link. Whose D can is going to step up? They like to mix in a QB option play that can be hard to stop.

I think it goes without saying that this is a must win for any chance at the post season. In fact, I think we have to win out at this point. Looking at the remainder of the schedule I think we will struggle with Montana State and Sac State, both likely losses in my honest opinion. I think we should be able to perform well against Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Cal Poly, and Idaho State (just ignore our game against them last season). Idaho is much improved now that they don't have a moron at the helm of their program and we're on the road. That's a game that scares me.

All-in-all, tough road to the playoffs but we have to try to make a stand here. No more shooting ourselves in the foot. Frustrating that we COULD be sitting at 3-1 with 2 wins over highly ranked teams, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

This is going to be a dogfight to the end.
UCD is much better than your record, I never was a DH fan, but he has built a solid team that is a perennial power in the BSC. Your QB has a quick release and is accurate, Gilliam is an absolute stud. both lines are more physical than in the past, (something I think you were lacking before).

MSU is young and somewhat battered with injuries. We go in with 1 maybe 2 RB's, a QB getting his first start as a Cat. Fortunately we get our safety back rather than starting the true Fr that started at EWU. This young team is making strides each week but still has a ways to go, especially on defense. Our run game is based on power runs with lots of motion and deception and a 240 lb QB that runs like a full back largely following our real fullback who is a nasty blocker. Elliot (RB) is good but not in the same class as Ifanse (Inj) or Gilliam. Our young OL is good at run, but struggling in pass protection, currently our pass game can be an adventure, I am hoping we can get our TE's more involved again this week. Special teams will likely be the deciding factor in this game, we have had a few mistakes but I like our chances in this area.

With the late start the fans will be primed and doing as much as possible to help the Cats.
I think it will be a close hard fought game decided in the final seconds.

How's the weather Cats?

Your local correspondent reporting from DIA en route to Bozeman. Already have been invited to a tailgate and offered tickets for no charge. Our Vividseats overpriced tickets can in last night so have to take those instead of the free ones. (I cannot recommend vividseats). Ran into a couple in Raleigh on same flight that are going to the game. Their grandson is an architecture major at MSU. Looking forward to the GameDay experience.

I miss living in a place where football game day, and connecting the community on game day is a much bigger thing.

yah. Sure to be a different vibe. If it is 1/2 of our experience in Fargo it will be awesome.

I’d also highly recommend South Bend.

Ironically I haven’t been to a game at the “new” Aggie Stadium.

55° and cloudy today, forcast for game time is mid 40's and rain, perfect football weather, bring yer slicker

I'll be in Portland watching my niece play soccer, and my nephew play fall ball. Ha ha, but we'll be following

Glad to hear the tickets came through, definitely go through the tailgates, yo will be offered lots of food and drink and good football talk. You will be welcome anywhere.

I believe that the keys to this game will be scoring points and preventing the other team from scoring them. Whichever team scores more will probably win.

forecast keeps getting worse. Looks like rain at game time.

ha ha, it really is that simple

Big Sky Breakdown – Ragle, Eck, Weber DC Duff, Okada, Hauck & more

Colter Nuanez is joined by a variety of guests, including first-year head coaches Charlie Ragle of Idaho State, Jason Eck of Idaho, along with Weber State defensive coordinator Grant Duff, Idaho State Journal beat writer Greg Woods, UC Davis play-by-play broadcaster Scott Marsh, Montana State senior safety Ty Okada and Montana senior safety Robby Hauck.

BIG SKY BREAKDOWN TIMES

1 – Charlie Ragle, Idaho State head coach, 3:25
2 – Jason Eck, Idaho head coach, 20:16
3 – Grant Duff, Weber State defensive coordinator, 34:10
4 – Greg Woods, Idaho State Journal with Andrew Houghton, 46:29
5 – Scott Marsh, UC Davis play by play, 1:10:02
6 – Ty Okada, Montana State senior DB, 1:22:12
7- Robby Hauck, Montana senior safety, 1:30:08

https://skylinesportsmt.com/big-sky-breakdown-ragle-eck-weber-dc-duff-okada-hauck-more/

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5M2AG2WAnnPNroc8lzK45t?si=ff81ffdf068b436d

From an Enterprise article by Bob Dunning:

“This is a tough stretch, but our guys are certainly up for it,” said Aggie head coach Dan Hawkins.

“In the Big Sky you have a lot of teams that want to win national championships. Montana State is one of those. They’re well-coached, have great crowds, have launched an NIL program and they expect to win. They have one of the great programs in the country, they recruit nationally and they’re a good measuring stick for UC Davis.”

Second-year Bobcat head coach Brent Vigen took Montana State to the national championship game in his first season, but the Bobcats were overwhelmed by perennial FCS champion North Dakota State. Vigen states accurately that UCD’s 1-3 record is deceptive.

“This is the same team that was a preseason top 25,” he said.

“They’ve been in all those games. They’re good, they’re dangerous and their backs are against the wall. Dan Hawkins has brought stability and success to that program. I truly respect his success as a head coach.”

https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/bob-dunning-playoff-talk-is-alive-and-well/

In a bit of “magic” serendipity I meet Trent Tompkins parents in Target. They were wearing UC Davis t-shirts. Had a nice quick conversation with them. They weren’t sure if he would be able to play - but he is sure wanting to.

The local folks are so accommodating. They added a Cal Aggie logo brand near our table at the steakhouse. Awesome steak.