Weber State Wildcats: Game at No. 2 Montana on Saturday is biggest of year

October 28, 12:57 PMUtah Sports ExaminerBrian Shaw

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Weber State Athletics

For all the talk about Weber State being the top team in the Big Sky Conference and despite a maddening loss to Montana State earlier this season, a win Saturday in Missoula against unbeaten No. 2 Montana would keep the Wildcats in the conference title picture.

A loss would not necessarily knock the ‘Cats out of the playoff picture--as Weber still has games remaining with two other ranked teams, at Northern Arizona and vs. FCS power Cal Poly--but it would make matters more difficult for head coach Ron McBride and his troops.

Also, the Wildcats are currently ranked No. 14 and only 16 teams are invited to the FCS playoffs, so a loss at Missoula would not only potentially knock them out of the picture, but also give other teams in the conference, like NAU and MSU some life.

What’s more is Weber is a team that hasn’t won in Missoula under McBride. “They are solid in every phase of the game,” said McBride in a press release. “Number one, they just don’t make mistakes and they really take advantage of your mistakes.”

Obviously for the Wildcats to have any chance at Montana, it will take some fortunate bounces of the ball in what is expected to be a hostile environment at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

“They have what all teams strive for - belief in self and team, confident in any situation, and they obviously have great fan support,” said McBride. “We will need to keep ourselves focused on what is happening on the field and not in the stands.”

A sold-out crowd is expected in Missoula, along with regional TV coverage (1 p.m. KJZZ-TV).

With an upset victory at Montana the Wildcats would be tied for first place in the Big Sky, with only one conference game at Northern Arizona remaining on their schedule.

A loss, however, would be detrimental to Weber State’s chances of winning the Big Sky, but wouldn't kill it, because Montana has a lot of football left. The Grizzlies still have to play Idaho State and Northern Colorado before traveling to rival Montana State for the season finale.

The last time the Wildcats played in Missoula, they lost 24-13 in the FCS quarterfinals, and 18-10 in 2007. All told, both losses were respectable, but from the looks of the Grizzlies it will take something special this Saturday in front of over 20,000 fans.

With both Weber State and Montana at or near the top of the conference in scoring offense and scoring defense, something must give and it will likely be whichever defense bends first. Very little in terms of points per game separates the two powerhouses in the Big Sky, but one telling factor could be Weber’s ability to keep the ball and limit Montana’s ability to score on the ground.

On the flip side, Weber's defense must find a way to get through Montana’s mammoth offensive line, and limit Montana’s not-so-spectacular but all-too-effective attack led by running back Chase Reynolds. The other thing Weber must contain is the Grizzlies’ red zone offense, which is nearly automatic this season at 87.9 percent.

The Wildcats are more of a passing threat than the Grizzlies as well, and Montana’s pass defense is not stellar, ranking eighth, so the logical move would be for Weber to air it out.

However, the Wildcats have more than enough threats on the ground with Trevyn Smith and Bo Bolen to balance out their attack, a McBride staple in all the years he’s coached.

If McBride knows one thing, it’s going on the road and playing tough, as evidenced by the many times he took his undermanned Utah Utes down to Provo and knocked off the BYU Cougars in incomprehensible fashion.

That’s the task that awaits McBride this Saturday. Don’t be surprised if Weber State, a team just as athletic and talented as Montana in most positions, pull off another shocker, but it will take something Wildcat fans haven’t seen in what has been a disappointing year.