blackfordpu
November 15th, 2006, 09:54 PM
I-AA West: Rivalries Highlight Conference Races in Final Week
Well, the end is now for I-AA but the scheduling given from both the Big Sky and Great West Conferences had their ducks in a row when the schedules were announced before the season. Both conference titles are still up in the air but the two races will be decided by head-to-head match-ups this week with two rivalry games to decide the two conference champions.
The other I-AA West conference, the Southland Conference, has also just two teams possible of getting that league’s crown but will have to do it with two separate games.
The final week of the I-AA history will certainly have some final fireworks, especially in the I-AA West.
What are the games this weekend that both are rivalry games and games that will help decide conference championships?
In the Big Sky Conference, all eyes will be on the “Brawl of the Wild” game in Missoula between Montana and Montana State. The winner of this game will be the automatic qualifier to the Division I playoffs. Montana State likely needs the win to get in, as a loss would result in the Bobcats gaining just seven wins with four losses. Montana on the other hand is likely already in the postseason but a loss would likely drop the Grizzlies from one of the top four seeds for the football tournament.
The two Montana schools will be meeting for the 106th time this Saturday in Missoula with Montana winning 65 times and Montana State winning 35 times with five ties. In the last few years, however, the Bobcats have had the better of the Grizzlies in winning three of the last four meetings including a 16-6 win for MSU last year in Bozeman.
The Grizzlies, however, did win the last meeting in Missoula two years ago when Montana made it all the way to the national title game. Montana won 38-22.
Montana enters the game undefeated against I-AA competition and the Grizzlies only loss was at I-A Iowa to begin the season. Montana State has a I-A victory on its resume in a defeat of Colorado but the Bobcats also have an embarrassing loss on their second game at home to Chadron State of Nebraska, Division II school, who by the way is undefeated going into the DII playoffs.
http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=82218
Well, the end is now for I-AA but the scheduling given from both the Big Sky and Great West Conferences had their ducks in a row when the schedules were announced before the season. Both conference titles are still up in the air but the two races will be decided by head-to-head match-ups this week with two rivalry games to decide the two conference champions.
The other I-AA West conference, the Southland Conference, has also just two teams possible of getting that league’s crown but will have to do it with two separate games.
The final week of the I-AA history will certainly have some final fireworks, especially in the I-AA West.
What are the games this weekend that both are rivalry games and games that will help decide conference championships?
In the Big Sky Conference, all eyes will be on the “Brawl of the Wild” game in Missoula between Montana and Montana State. The winner of this game will be the automatic qualifier to the Division I playoffs. Montana State likely needs the win to get in, as a loss would result in the Bobcats gaining just seven wins with four losses. Montana on the other hand is likely already in the postseason but a loss would likely drop the Grizzlies from one of the top four seeds for the football tournament.
The two Montana schools will be meeting for the 106th time this Saturday in Missoula with Montana winning 65 times and Montana State winning 35 times with five ties. In the last few years, however, the Bobcats have had the better of the Grizzlies in winning three of the last four meetings including a 16-6 win for MSU last year in Bozeman.
The Grizzlies, however, did win the last meeting in Missoula two years ago when Montana made it all the way to the national title game. Montana won 38-22.
Montana enters the game undefeated against I-AA competition and the Grizzlies only loss was at I-A Iowa to begin the season. Montana State has a I-A victory on its resume in a defeat of Colorado but the Bobcats also have an embarrassing loss on their second game at home to Chadron State of Nebraska, Division II school, who by the way is undefeated going into the DII playoffs.
http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=82218