Montana State Completes 2010 Schedule

[GOKATS]

From MSU-

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Montana State plays its official Homecoming game on October 9 against Portland State next fall, but Rob Ash will face a different Homecoming game of sorts much earlier in the season when Drake, the school he led on the gridiron for 18 years, visits Bozeman.

Drake of the Pioneer Football League highlights MSU’s non-conference slate, which also features regional rivals Washington State of the Pac 10 and Fort Lewis of the Rocky Mountain Conference. MSU’s Big Sky home games include Eastern Washington, Northern Colorado and Weber State in addition to Portland State, and the Bobcats face the Grizzlies in Missoula to close the regular season on November 20.

But MSU’s game against Drake in Bobcat Stadium, part of a home-and-home series which concludes with a trip to Des Moines in 2012, stands as a highlight for Ash, the all-time wins leader in Bulldogs history. “That will be a special game,” Ash said. “I have relationships with many people in and close to that program. But it’s one of 11 games we’ll play next year, and each pose their own challenges. We’re excited about the direction of our program and the promise of the 2010 season.”

Montana State lost its only previous meeting with Drake, a 54-0 decision in Des Moines in 1940. The Bobcats are 0-7 all-time against Washington State, with the most recent meeting a 45-28 decision in 2002. MSU is 2-0 against Fort Lewis.

“Our non-conference schedule is very competitive and will prepare us for the Big Sky season,” Ash said. “As its been every year that I’ve been at Montana State, the Big Sky shapes up as competitive from top to bottom and should be one of the best FCS leagues in the country again.”

2010 Montana State Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time Site

Sep 4 Fort Lewis 1:05 pm Bozeman, MT

Sep 11 at Washington State TBA Pullman, WA

Sep 18 Drake 1:05 pm Bozeman, MT

Sep 25 Eastern Washington 1:05 pm Bozeman, MT

Oct 2 at Sacramento State 6:05 pm PT Sacramento, CA

Oct 9 Portland State (HC) 1:35 pm Bozeman, MT

Oct 16 at Northern Arizona TBA Flagstaff, AZ

Oct 23 Northern Colorado 1:05 pm Bozeman, MT

Oct 30 at Idaho State TBA Pocatello, ID

Nov 6 Weber State 12:05 pm Bozeman, MT

Nov 13 Open

Nov 20 at Montana 12:05 pm Missoula, MT

*-Big Sky Conference game

All games Mountain Time unless otherwise noted

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Hey that's pretty cool GO. Be nice to see Drake come out and get some Montana State hospitality on the field. Was Ash for tis move because sometimes coaches aren't real fond of playing against teams they formerly coached.

I didn't read that part close enough apparently...looks like he's excited to do it.

[GOKATS]

Hey that's pretty cool GO. Be nice to see Drake come out and get some Montana State hospitality on the field. Was Ash for tis move because sometimes coaches aren't real fond of playing against teams they formerly coached.

I didn't read that part close enough apparently...looks like he's excited to do it.

I think he's looking forward to it, especially the return trip in 2012. Coach Ash is a class act and he has a lot of friends and connections in Des Moines from his many years of caoching there.

[uofmman1122]

Nov 13 Open

Nov 20 at Montana 12:05 pm Missoula, MTdNo excuses this year. xlolx xsmiley_wix

[GOKATS]

No excuses this year. xlolx xsmiley_wix

None needed.xnodxxsmiley_wix

[slycat]

Dang it. I was hoping for an all Bobcat game.

[MplsBison]

****!

Now I see who stole our Sept 18th game with Drake! :D


Seriously though, we were very close to getting that game. MSU must've offered more money.

[slycat]

****!

Now I see who stole our Sept 18th game with Drake! :D


Seriously though, we were very close to getting that game. MSU must've offered more money.

Call up Texas State. They need that date filled.

[GOKATS]

****!

Now I see who stole our Sept 18th game with Drake! :D


Seriously though, we were very close to getting that game. MSU must've offered more money.

It's a home/home deal so I doubt it was the money figure. The Cats go to Drake in 2012.

[GOKATS]

Dang it. I was hoping for an all Bobcat game.

I'd love to see a home/home with you guys. Problem is with nine in our conference the OOC options are really limited in the typical eleven game season. I don't know how they're going to handle the return trip to Drake in 2012 because unless they forego the FBS money game we'll only get five home games which won't sit well with the fans/boosters.

[slostang]

Call up Texas State. They need that date filled.

I would love to see Cal Poly and TXST hook up again. I don't think Cal Poly has a game on that date, maybe they will hook up in 2010.

[MplsBison]

It's a home/home deal so I doubt it was the money figure. The Cats go to Drake in 2012.

I have a hard time believing that.

Drake is a non-scholarship team in the Pioneer League. Those are guarantee game type of opponents.

[technocat]

I'd love to see a home/home with you guys. Problem is with nine in our conference the OOC options are really limited in the typical eleven game season. I don't know how they're going to handle the return trip to Drake in 2012 because unless they forego the FBS money game we'll only get five home games which won't sit well with the fans/boosters.

Isn't 2012 a 12 game season?

[GOKATS]

Isn't 2012 a 12 game season?

Nope, 2013 & 2014 are though.

[PantherRob82]

I don't understand why you guys would go to Drake. It's not a short trip, you don't have an alumni base, and I can't imagine Des Moines is one of your recruiting areas. Regardless of coaching ties this boggles my mind.

[Syntax Error]

I don't understand why you guys would go to Drake. It's not a short trip, you don't have an alumni base, and I can't imagine Des Moines is one of your recruiting areas. Regardless of coaching ties this boggles my mind.

Because home and home arrangements are civil within FCS?

[MplsBison]

Because home and home arrangements are civil within FCS?

Between full scholarship teams, yes.

Pioneer teams are the ones you pay off to come take a beating and then go away.

[slostang]

Between full scholarship teams, yes.

Pioneer teams are the ones you pay off to come take a beating and then go away.

Can we pay you off to go away? I'll throw in the first buck. xsmiley_wix

[PantherRob82]

Because home and home arrangements are civil within FCS?

But not the norm. Especially in conferences that aren't the NEC/Patriot/PFL...

You of all people know that.xnodx

[bpcats]

Their goal was to schedule a game in Texas since that is where they are recruiting now but after scheduling Washington State they couldn't get the dates figured out.

I think they were hoping for an agreement with Stephen F Austin which would have been an interesting matchup.

[MplsBison]

I still can not believe that one of the top full-scholarship programs in FCS agreed to a home/home with a non-scholarship, Pioneer League program.

IMO, that would be like a Big Ten program agreeing to a home/home with a MVFC program. You'd never see that happen.

[Canyoncat]

I bet the Drake return game will either be bought out. Especially if an agreement can be made to play one of the Texas schools which I assume might be being worked out now. Just a guess though.

[DetroitFlyer]

I still can not believe that one of the top full-scholarship programs in FCS agreed to a home/home with a non-scholarship, Pioneer League program.

IMO, that would be like a Big Ten program agreeing to a home/home with a MVFC program. You'd never see that happen.


Yeah, I cannot wait until Drake sweeps the series!

[MplsBison]

Yeah, I cannot wait until Drake sweeps the series!

Don't pretend to be offended.

Pioneer League athletic departments put no financial investment in their football teams, so they deserve no respect from the FCS community. xnottalkingx

[Canyoncat]

Yeah, I cannot wait until Drake sweeps the series!

Not gonna happen xcoffeex




Then again, stranger things have happendxlolx

[uofmman1122]

I bet the Drake return game will either be bought out.Careful, you don't want the NDSU fans to swoop in, read this and attach the "Montana Stigma" to your school. xrolleyesx xlolx

[Syntax Error]

Don't pretend to be offended.
Pioneer League athletic departments put no financial investment in their football teams, so they deserve no respect from the FCS community. xnottalkingx

xnonono2x That's nonsense. They are part of the FCS community and soon will have an AQ. They deserve to be respected as much as any other FCS member, not for others to look down upon. Take that stuff to smack please. xasswhipx

BTW it's the PIONEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE.