BOZEMAN, Mont. — Montana State University is less than 24 hours to kickoff as the Bobcats open the 2024 season at New Mexico on Saturday.
“For us to get back out on that game field, I know its always a lot of anticipation that goes into these opportunities, whether it’s Week 0 or Week 1,” MSU head football coach Brent Vigen said.
MSU is hoping to make a statement victory to open the season in front of a national audience. The game between the Bobcats and Lobos will be one of four games competing in Week 0, and will be airing on FS1.
“I think the nation’s going to see how confident are team is, how prepared we are, and how hard we’ve worked this offseason to make it a special season coming forward,” MSU senior defensive end Brody Grebe said.
Although Montana State is currently favored to win the game, the Bobcats are in search of their first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team since defeating Colorado in 2006.
MSU is prepared for the challenge, but will be facing quite a few unknowns in this New Mexico. A coaching change during the offense means new systems from the Lobos that are produced on the field by some new players, meaning the Bobcats will have to make fast adjustments during the game.
“We got a new defensive coordinator from them, so we don’t know by certain what they’re going to be doing right off the bat, but we have some ideas,” MSU senior quarterback Tommy Mellott said. “We’re going to be, certainly, just kind of running our stuff on offense just like how we always do.”
Off the field, Montana State will have to monitor the climate. Bozeman gets hot, but the Bobcats will have to worry about the desert heat in late summer in Albuquerque. However, Vigen believes his team can handle it with the depth.
“I think in a game like this, the more people you can play, the less you need to lean on a very thin roster. I think that defeats the heat,” Vigen said.
While most of the MSU athletes have no experience against New Mexico. The game is a little more personal for senior wide receiver Ty McCullouch. McCullouch played at Colorado State for four seasons, facing the Lobos in Mountain West Conference play in all but the 2020 COVID season, and would like to stay undefeated against them.
“We would play them towards the end of the year, so I never played them at the front end of the year,” McCullouch said about facing New Mexico before fall camp. “I hear it’s pretty hot out there, but I never lost to New Mexico, and I honestly don’t plan on it this upcoming fall.”
Montana State will look to start the 2024 campaign on a high note as kickoff is at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
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Publish date : 2024-08-23 06:00:00
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