GOT MILK?....   (9/21/2005) Off My Office Floor.... Top dog... Even though the Bison athletic department is searching for a conference home for all sports, I'm hoping that the Bison can continue to help build the Great West Football Conference into the top DI-AA football league in the nation. The top four teams from the GWFC (NDSU, SDSU, Cal Poly, & UC Davis) have shown they can not only compete, but also win against established DI-AA programs. Plus an additional chocolate cupcake for the conference, was baked last weekend as UC Davis laid the smack on PAC-10 opponent Stanford... What a great time to be associated with the Great West!! It would be a shame to throw the alliance away to join a football conference with less impact (ala Northern Colorado). Just a little dig Bears fans... but this weekend could go along way in deciding western DI-AA conference bragging rights. The Big Sky-Great West grudge match continues this Saturday with North Dakota State traveling to Montana State, Northern Colorado taking on Big Sky opponent Portland State, and Cal Poly doing battle with Sacramento State. So tighten up the jock straps, as this weekend could be the start of something big for the Great West Football Conference... and something a little less desirable for the Big Sky. Rivalry?... Montana State? I remember the days of the early MSU/NDSU games, but I can't get back the same feeling... The "hatred" for the Bobcat progam just isn't there anymore. These days my "hatred" is aimed more towards MSU's conference, the Big Sky. The respect is there, but I have no love for any Big Sky program. You might as well throw in the Bears of Northern Colorado also... not really part of the Great West Conference anymore anyway. So do the Bison really have a rival? SDSU? Na... too much of a love fest. Cal Poly? Southern Utah? The other Great West Teams? Nope. To be blunt, the Bison do not have a rival right now. And I'm afraid until the Bison start playing somebody like Northern Iowa every year... that true feeling of "hate" won't return soon for me... Never did like those corn eating hicks anyway. The Spotlight.... If there is one player on the Bison roster that scares the death out of opposing coaches it has to be the electrifying Shamen Washington. In recent memory, no other Bison player keeps the crowd on their edge of their seat waiting for the big play than this 5' 6, 150 pound soaking wet, sophomore out of St. Petersburg, Florida. Beginning this week, opposing coaches have made it a point to suggest they might keep the ball out of his hands at any cost, including angling punts out of bounds and "pooching" kickoffs. Which seems like an appropriate response, considering Washington has return 1 out of every 4 punts this year for a touchdown.... And it's just a matter of time until he makes that first guy miss and finds that seam on a kickoff return. If there is a more exciting player than Washington in DI-AA football, please take one step forward. Shamen is just too good... No time needed...Two beginnings to two stellar Bison football careers is taking place right in front of our noses. Especially after watching their play against Weber State, true freshman cornerbacks Nate Agbetola and Richard Bowman are a bright glimpse into the future of NDSU football. These two young men don't play football like they are fresh out of high school... Not much dropoff in performance between Agbetola and Bowman; and the starting corners Walters and Babich. The Bison coaching staff did a nice job in recruiting these two. Kudos... On a side note... Montana State learned Tuesday that LB Mac Mollohan - a two-time first team all-Big Sky Conference linebacker - will not play in Saturday's game against North Dakota State. The senior from Kalispell has a hip injury that could lead him to miss further games beyond this week. "It could be extensive depending on the healing process," MSU head coach Mike Kramer said. "(The injury) is on the inside of the hip and (the muscle) is almost torn in half." It hurt to even think about it. It's sad that Bison fans won't get to see this premier player from the Big Sky Conference. My contacts from the Big Sky tell me this guy is going to play in the NFL someday. Now I just hope he can get back out on the gridiron someday... One more time... It's Bison Insider giveaway time again. Just email us at info@bisoninsider.com with the subject line "giveaway". Once we get your e-mail, you'll be entered into a drawing for the chance to win one of two Bison Insider t-shirts. Please include your name and full address. Contest ends Friday, October 7th... Ain't free stuff cool... The Montana State Offense.... Base Offense: West Coast 3-Wide... Leading the MSU offensive attack is senior All-Big Sky candidate QB Travis Lulay. The 6-2, 205 pound Aumsville, Oregon product has completed 44 of 82 passes for 591 yards and 5 touchdowns, while tossing 3 interceptions this season. Leading the Wildcat ground attack is RB Michael Bass (5-6 190lb Sr Corona, California). This season, Bass has rushed the ball 46 times for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns, while catching 3 passes for 43 yards and 1 TD. Seniors Tramaine Murray and Ricky Gatewood head the wide Bobcat receiving crew. Murray, a 5-10, 180 pound senior from Fullerton, California, has 16 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns. Gatewood, returning from a 3 game suspension this week, because of eligibility certification errors in 2004, is a 6-0 180 pound senior from Richmond, California. Last season, Gatewood hauled in 64 receptions for 995 yards and 8 touchdowns. Through three games, the Bobcats have racked up an average of 336 yards of total offense, including 122 yards by land and 214 yards through the air... The Montana State Defense.... Base Defense: 3-4-4... On the defensive side of the ball, the Bobcats are led by FS Toph Grenfell (6-0 191lb Sr Lake Arrowhead, California). Grenfell, an All-Big sky candidate, has 26 tackles including 3 for loss and an interception this season. The Montana State defense also features SS Ryan Force (6-2, 207lb Lake Oswego, Oregon). This season, the junior run-stopper has 15 tackles, including a team leading 2 sacks; and LB Clive Lowe (6-3 232lb So Coral Springs, Florida)... has pulled down 19 opposition ball carriers, 6 for loss. This season, the Montana State defense has given up 327 total yards per game, including 196 rushing yards and 131 yards through the air... History.... This is the 33rd meeting between the schools with Montana State holding a 19-13 advantage in the series that dates back to 1914 ... The Bobcats hold a 13-4 advantage in Bozeman, including the last meeting, 21-19... Show Me the Keys.... * This will be the first time in quite some time that the Bison defensive line will phase what I would call a "finesse" offensive line... Build more on speed and technique than pure power. It will be important for the Bison defenders to control the gaps this week and not over pursue. A pure power player such as NT Rodney Thompson may have a big day against the Bobcats... Keep your eyes on Mr. Thompson... * Bison QB Steve Walker must continue to play error-free football... Even though he may not be considered the best quarterback in Bison history, Walker may have already established himself as the best pure passer ever to wear a Bison uniform. His 26 yard touchdown pass to Kole Heckendorf last weekend was beyond beautiful... Needs to keep his head. * Even though the Bobcats coaching staff will attempt to limit the impact of Shamen Washington as a returner, they can't keep him from running the ball out of the backfield.... Expect the combination of Steffes and Washington to run up big yardage totals this weekend against a young MSU defensive line which includes two redshirt freshmen... * Sacks, interceptions, fumbles... Goal for takeaways this week for the Bison defense? Two... Two turnovers from the Bison defense equals a quality win this Saturday... Five sacks means a Bison blowout. The Bison defense again has the ability to control this game... * Control... This will an important weekend for the Bison offensive line to control the line of scrimmage. The Bison must win the battle of possession time... which will keep the football out of the hands of MSU's most dangerous player, QB Travis Lulay... An effective ground game is needed against a porous Bobcat run defense... Could be another big day for RB Kyle Steffes... * Score early! Always a premium stat for winning a road game... Quiet the crowd (except for Bison fans of course) and keep the Bobcats confidence coming off last weekends 38-10 dismantling by Cal Poly... * The Bison coaching staff must make MSU QB Travis Lulay uncomfortable in the pocket. If given time like any good quarterback, Lulay will pick the Bison secondary apart throw by throw. Hopefully, new blitz packages have been installed in the Bison defensive plan for this week.... * One word -- 'Consistency'.... from play to play; from game to game.... Bison consistency on both offensive and defensive will make the Bison awfully tough to contain. The maturation of young players such as LB Nick Compton, LB Mike Maresh, FB Tyler Jangula, WR Kole Heckendorf, FS Nick Schommer and any possible true freshman (Humber, Mitchell, and Ogbetola) will play a major factor in the success of the Bison program this year. And keep the Bison on the fast track to the top of the Division I-AA mountain.... Jottings.... - The weight in the trenches: Offensive line: NDSU 307, Montana State 285 Defensive line: NDSU 275, Montana State 289 - Injuries this week: FB Travis Roehl - out; WR Travis White - out; WR Nick Jackson out for weeks (separated shoulder)... - Montana State/NDSU Tickets can still be ordered by calling (406) 994-CATS... Hurry, seating is very limited. - In Mike Kramer’s five-plus seasons as Montana State’s head football coach, he has beaten every Division I-AA team he’s played more than once, except one. That nemesis, Cal Poly... - The Bobcats have now allowed at least 38 points in four of their last six games dating back to last season... - With seven interceptions and four fumble recoveries, North Dakota State’s defense has forced the issue ... The result has been a plus-3.00 turnover margin, which is tops in I-AA football ... The Bison defense is No. 13 in total defense... - Audio of Montana State University football games is available on the internet free of charge. Click Here to listen... - North Dakota State quarterback Steve Walker is No. 6 in I-AA pass efficiency with a 176.28 rating ... Walker has completed 31 of 54 passes for 513 yards, seven TDs and one interception this season ... He started his career with 87 straight passes without an interception with the first pick coming against Northwestern State (9-10-05) ... - Montana State holds an 18-3 record in Mike Kramer’s five-plus seasons when holding the opposing offense to 20 points or fewer. The Bobcats have won their last six games when holding the opponent to 20 points or less... - The Bobcats have completed fewer than half their passes in two straight games... - Opening Big... Montana State’s 42-6 home-opening win over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday was the program’s most points and largest margin of victory against a Division I opponent since joining Division I-AA in 1979... - Poll Watch: The Bison are currently ranked #8 by the Sports Network; #7 by AnyGivenSaturday.com; and #8 in the Bison Insider Top 20.... Montana State is currently ranked #18 by the Sports Network; #20 by AnyGivenSaturday.com; and #20 in the Bison Insider Top 20....