September 21, 2004

Grizzlies fall to No. 7 (Missoulian).
Southern Illinois reclaims number one ranking (TSN).
I-AA weekly honors go to Long, Thompson and Gordon (TSN).
Ochs discovers Montana passes for power program (Denver Post).
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Special teams help Bengals rally past Bears (Missoulian).
Bears travel to Montana to take on the nationally-ranked Grizzlies (UNC Press Release).
Big Sky players of the week announced (Independent Record).
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Upset doesn't propel Bearkats into Top 25; maybe 41-10 would have done it (Huntsville Item).
I-AA West: California Rivalry (Schmidt, I-AA.org).

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Grizzlies fall to No. 7

By the Missoulian

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004 ... orts03.txt

If there's a dominant team in Division I-AA football, it has yet to emerge. For three straight weeks, the top-ranked team has gone down to defeat.

Montana (2-1), coming off a decisive 41-29 loss at unranked Sam Houston State, fell from first to seventh in the I-AA poll released on Monday by the Sports Network.

Southern Illinois (2-1), the team Montana replaced, regained the top spot after a 59-9 drubbing of William Penn, an NAIA school from Iowa. Rounding out the top five were Furman (3-0), Georgia Southern (2-1), defending national champ Delaware (2-1) and Stephen F. Austin (3-0).

Montana was thoroughly whipped in its first road game, falling behind surprising Sam Houston 41-10 early in the fourth quarter before scoring two touchdowns to make the final margin more respectable.

The Griz, who host unranked Northern Colorado on Saturday, were among eight members of the Top 25 who lost last weekend. They included No. 3 Wofford, No. 5 Villanova, No. 7 Northern Iowa, No. 9 Massachusetts and No. 10 New Hampshire.

Montana State remained ranked, dropping from 14th to 21st after losing to Cal Poly. The only other ranked Big Sky team is No. 23 Northern Arizona, which was idle.

Looking at the week's notable developments:

n Is Georgia Southern poised to return to the top? The Eagles played well in a season-opening loss to Georgia, and they piled up 508 yards of offense in last weekend's 58-14 Southern Conference victory over Wofford, a I-AA semifinalist last season. Quarterback Chaz Williams completed 6 of 8 passes to complement a ground game that rolled for 313 yards. Fullback Brandon Andrews, replacing injured starter Jermaine Austin, had 113 yards on just 10 carries as Georgia Southern avenged two straight losses to the Terriers.

n The week's most shocking score came from Starkville, Miss., where the Maine Black Bears notched a 9-7 victory over Division I-A Mississippi State of the kingpin Southeastern Conference. Maine gave up an early TD, then forced three turnovers deep in its own territory to blank MSU the rest of the way. Ron Whitcomb's 17-yard pass to Kevin McMahan provided the winning score with 2:55 remaining for Maine, which lost at Montana 27-20 in its season opener, then blanked Northern Colorado 38-0.

n New Hampshire opened with back-to-back road upsets over No. 1 Delaware and I-A Rutgers, then crashed in its home opener, losing to William & Mary 9-7. Freshman QB Ricky Santos, the hero of the Rutgers victory, was just 12 of 21 passing for 103 yards.

***


Southern Illinois reclaims number one ranking

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.as ... 509247.htm

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - After falling from the top spot last week, the Southern Illinois Salukis moved back to No. 1 with a 59-9 victory over William Penn. No. 1 Montana fell, 41-29, to Sam Houston State and dropped to seventh in the rankings. Southern Illinois (2-1) grabbed 59 first-place votes and 2,520 points to ascend to No. 1. The Salukis put the top spot on the line at Delaware State Saturday.

Furman is right behind the Salukis with 30 first-place votes and 2,476 points. The Paladins (3-0) went up two notches after defeating Gardner-Webb, 38-6, Saturday. Georgia Southern jumped five places to No. 3 with a convincing 58-14 win over then No. 3 Wofford Saturday. The Eagles garnered 10 first-place votes and 2,313 points. Defending champion Delaware moves up two pegs to No. 4 on the strength of a 24-6 triumph over West Chester. Stephen F. Austin had the biggest jump of the week, ascending eight spots to No. 5. The Lumberjacks (3-0) won at No. 7 Northern Iowa, 24-21, and have defeated a pair of ranked teams thus far.

Western Kentucky is up five pegs to No. 6 with a 21-8 win over in-state rival Eastern Kentucky. Montana dropped from the top spot to No. 7. After posting I- AA's second win over a BCS level I-A team in a 9-7 triumph at Mississippi State, the Maine Black Bears skyrocketed seven places to No. 8. Wofford fell six spots to No. 9, and Colgate rounds out the top 10.

The teams at 11-15 all have big changes to last week's ranking. Villanova dropped six spots to No.11, while McNeese State went up five to No. 12. Northern Iowa's loss dropped the Panthers to No. 13. New Hampshire's loss to William & Mary dropped the Wildcats four notches to No. 14. Cal Poly won at No. 14 Montana State and vaulted seven notches to No. 15.

Massachusetts comes in at No. 16, with Appalachian State at No. 17, Northeastern at No. 18 and Northwestern State at No. 19. Hampton enters the poll at No. 20 after a 40-20 win over No. 16 Western Illinois.

Montana State, Penn, Northern Arizona, James Madison and Lehigh round out the top 25. James Madison moved into the rankings with a 17-0 win at Villanova.

21 of the poll's 25 teams will be in action this weekend. No. 4 Delaware takes on No. 16 Massachusetts in a pivotal Atlantic 10 matchup for both teams. No. 11 Villanova and No. 22 Penn battle for Philadelphia bragging rights, and No. 17 Appalachian State takes on No. 19 Northwestern State.


Sports Network's I-AA College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes) 2004 Record Points Previous Rank 1. Southern Illinois Salukis (59) 2-1 2,520 2 2. Furman Paladins (30) 3-0 2,476 4 3. Georgia Southern Eagles (10) 2-1 2,313 8 4. Delaware Blue Hens 2-1 2,027 6 5. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (1) 3-0 2,022 13 6. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1) 2-1 1,928 11 7. Montana Grizzlies 2-1 1,919 1 8. Maine Black Bears (2) 2-1 1,892 15 9. Wofford Terriers 1-1 1,543 3 10. Colgate Raiders 1-1 1,380 12 11. Villanova Wildcats 2-1 1,256 5 12. McNeese State Cowboys 2-1 1,236 17 13. Northern Iowa Panthers 1-2 1,157 7 14. New Hampshire Wildcats 2-1 1,058 10 15. Cal Poly Mustangs 3-0 1,038 22 16. Massachusetts Minutemen 2-1 1,017 9 17. Appalachian State Mountaineers 2-1 902 20 18. Northeastern Huskies 1-1 775 18 19. Northwestern State Demons 2-1 749 21 20. Hampton Pirates (1) 3-0 671 NR 21. Montana State Bobcats 1-1 463 14 22. Penn Quakers 1-0 461 23 23. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 0-2 457 19 24. James Madison Dukes 2-0 395 NR 25. Lehigh Mountain Hawks 2-1 317 24 Others receiving votes:
26. Sam Houston State 312
27. Western Illinois 248
28. Jacksonville State 202
29. William & Mary 178
30. Richmond 144
31. Texas State 81
32. Tennessee State 69
33. Southern 64
34. Southwest Missouri State 62
35. Illinois State 53
36. UC Davis 48
37. South Carolina State 47
38. Southeastern Louisiana 47
39. Alabama State 37
40. Rhode Island 37
41. Idaho State 29
42. Tennessee Tech 23
43. Western Carolina 21
44. Eastern Washington 19
45. Yale 15
46. Harvard 12
47. Portland State 10
48. Bethune-Cookman 8
49. Sacramento State 8
50. Gardner-Webb 6
51. Alcorn State 6
52. Dartmouth 6

***


I-AA weekly honors go to Long, Thompson and Gordon

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.as ... 509340.htm

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Sam Houston State quarterback Dustin Long, Western Kentucky linebacker Charles Thompson and Jackson State defensive back/kick returner Cletis Gordon have been named I-AA Players of the Week by The Sports Network, the division's most widely recognized information service.

Long passed for 329 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions as unranked Sam Houston State knocked off No. 1 Montana, 41-29. Thompson tallied a career- high 18 tackles in Western Kentucky's 21-8 win over Eastern Kentucky. Gordon returned a punt and a kick for touchdowns in Jackson State's 21-20 loss at Tennessee State.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Dustin Long, Sam Houston State - Senior, Quarterback, 6-3, 210, Groves, TX Led Sam Houston State to 41-29 win against No. 1 Montana...First win in school history over the No. 1 ranked team...Finished 26-33 for 329 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions...Led the Bearkats to 512 yards of total offense...Threw touchdown passes of 27 and 17 yards...Fourth in the country in total offense per game (299 yards)...Earned second Southland Player of the Week honor

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Charles Thompson, Western Kentucky - Senior, Linebacker, 6-1, 240, Louisville, KY Recorded a career-high 18 tackles -- more than doubling his two-game total entering the contest -- in the Hilltoppers' 21-8 victory at Eastern Kentucky...Two and a half stops came behind the line of scrimmage...Posted first sack of the season...Added a pair of passes defensed as Western allowed just 260 total yards while forcing seven turnovers...Moved into eighth place all-time for the Hilltoppers with 347 stops in his career.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK Cletis Gordon, Jackson State - Junior, Defensive Back/Kick Returner, 6-2, 195 Amite, LA Scored two touchdowns on returns against Tennessee State while splitting time on special teams, defense and offense...73-yard punt return in the third quarter put Jackson State ahead, 7-0... 89-yard kickoff return in fourth quarter answered a Tennessee State touchdown and put Jackson State up, 13-7... Accounted for two of the three touchdowns in the 21-20 loss...Averaged 15.4 yards on five punt returns and 58.0 yards on two kickoff returns

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Ochs discovers Montana passes for power program

By Joseph Sanchez, Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,141 ... 87,00.html

On Saturday afternoons in the fall, the state all but shuts down when the football stadium in Missoula becomes Montana's sixth-largest city.

That's where Northern Colorado can find its next opponent Saturday. That's also where the Bears can find senior Craig Ochs, the former University of Colorado quarterback who has resurrected his career.

There are those who will tell you Montana becomes a Division I-AA version of Nebraska during college football season.

"That's a fair comparison," Ochs said. "Sports Illustrated rated us one of the top college football environments in the country a couple of weeks ago. We've had 25,000 fans in the stands for years and tons of tailgaters listening to the game in the parking lot. We're the biggest thing there is here.

"Of course, that means there's a lot of expectations. But when you're a competitor, you want to play football where the fans want to win."

Until a shocking 41-29 loss at Sam Houston State last week, the Grizzlies (2-1) were ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA. After a 9-4 season a year ago, they are expected to contend for another national championship and are on a record streak of 11 consecutive NCAA playoff appearances.

So nothing's really changed, Ochs said.

"It was a tough loss, but we still have high expectations," he said. "We've got tradition, and we've got a great home- field advantage. We've got some young guys on the team, but we've got a lot of guys that have been around for three or four years, and we know what it takes in the playoffs."

Last week was bad all around for I-AA teams in the top 10, with six losing.

"The thing about Division I-AA is that there are a lot of players like me who transferred or didn't get recruited by the right school that could play at the Division I level," Ochs said. "There's a lot of talent and a lot of parity. ... As the year goes on, the top teams will break away and end up in the playoffs. We're not hitting the panic button."

Neither is the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Ochs, who got off to a sensational start this season - back-to-back Big Sky Conference player of the week honors - until Saturday's setback. Things started to go bad when Ochs threw an interception in the end zone on the Grizzlies' first drive. In the second half he was kicked in the calf and left the game, though Ochs said he'll be fine when the Grizzlies, now ranked seventh nationally, play UNC (1-2).

"Craig's having a big year," said Montana coach Bobby Hauck, a former CU assistant who succeeded Wyoming coach Joe Glenn in Missoula last year. "He's a terrific player. He's doing what we expected him to do, and that's being our leader."

A Parade magazine and USA Today prep All-American at Boulder's Fairview High School, Ochs set a CU freshman record with 1,884 yards of total offense in 2000, when he started seven games. He struggled with concussion problems as a sophomore and left the team midway through the season after a falling out with the Buffs' coaching staff. At Montana, where Glenn won a national title in 2001, he stepped into the starting role five games into the 2003 season.

This year he is 70-of-107 for 779 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.

As for his former school, Ochs said, "I don't keep in touch with any of the (CU) guys anymore, but I know they're 3-0 so that's good for them."


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Special teams help Bengals rally past Bears

By RIAL CUMMINGS of the Missoulian

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004 ... orts02.txt

The Idaho State Bengals woke up just in time last Saturday at Greeley, Colo. Trailing 34-14 late in the third quarter, the Bengals scored three touchdowns in less than five minutes to take the lead, then went on to defeat Northern Colorado 49-42 in double overtime.

ISU (1-3) overcame four interceptions to win its first game of the season and snap UNC's 16-game home winning streak. Unranked Northern Colorado (1-2), which lost at Maine 38-0 two weeks ago, comes to Missoula on Saturday to play the No. 7 Montana Grizzlies (2-1).

"What this shows me is the guts and belief of our kids," ISU coach Larry Lewis told the Idaho State Journal. "This gives us confidence. It's something to build on."

The Bengals' scored on a fumble recovery in the end zone by Xavier Simms with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. Then Chad Harder blocked a punt that Ernie James picked off the turf and ran 20 yards into the end zone. The Bengals moved in front 35-34 on a 39-yard punt return by Kenyon Blue, who wisely picked up a punt that had rolled dead. ISU tackled the UNC punter just as he got off the kick. The liner landed and rolled to a stop and players from both teams stopped with it. Everybody froze until Blue swooped in, grabbed the ball and scored untouched.

"There's no excuse for that," said UNC coach Kay Dalton. "Our kids know they have to go and down a punt. It was a punt, not a great punt, but you have to go down the ball."

Besides the punting mistakes, UNC had a 29-yard field goal nullified by an illegal formation penalty, then missed the second try.

ISU quarterback Mark Hetherington continued his mistake-prone play, throwing three interceptions. But he also passed for 363 yards and four TDs. His 13-yard strike to Akilah Lacey with 25 seconds left in regulation tied the score at 42-42, capping a 14-play, 95-yard drive. After neither team scored in the first overtime, Hetherington connected on a 9-yarder to Lacey, putting ISU ahead 49-42. UNC's last chance slipped from the hands of receiver Jamar Forbes, who was hit by ISU's Marcell Lagrone and fumbled into the end zone where James recovered.

ISU gave up 446 total yards to a UNC team that hadn't scored a touchdown in its first two games. All-America receiver Vincent Jackson had eight catches for 127 yards and a TD to lead the Bears, and also had an 85-yard TD punt return called back when officials ruled he stepped out of bounds at the UNC 43-yard line. UNC running back Andre Wilson rushed for 188 yards and a TD on 32 carries.

Idaho State opens the Big Sky Conference schedule Saturday at Eastern Washington (1-2), which scored TDs on its first five possessions in a 39-8 thumping of Division II Central Washington.

The Eagles committed 18 penalties for 203 yards, 3 yards shy of the Big Sky record.

"Last week we had two penalties, the week before that six," EWU coach Paul Wulff said in a press release. "I'm very disappointed, but I don't want to take away from our win or anything away from everything else."

The other Big Sky opener will match Weber State (0-3) at No. 23 Northern Arizona (0-2).

While the Lumberjacks had a bye last weekend, Weber State dropped a 31-29 decision to visiting UC Davis. Weber rallied from a 28-10 halftime deficit, but failed to make the key fourth-quarter plays that would've secured its first victory.

Weber State gave up TDs of 84, 85 and 65 yards to the visitors from California, and botched a punt that set up the short field goal that put the Aggies ahead for good, 31-29, with five minutes remaining.

"They're teasing me," Weber coach Jerry Graybeal told the Ogden Standard-Examiner. "We left too many points out there in the second half. I mean, give me a break. Make some plays."

Montana State is still ranked in the Top 25, but the No. 21 Bobcats' offensive woes continued to mount in a 27-14 home loss to No. 15 Cal Poly. MSU (1-1), which defeated Division II Adams State 19-0 in a sluggish opener, stalled repeatedly against a firm Cal Poly defense.

MSU missed a pair of short field-goal attempts, and quarterback Travis Lulay was just 17 of 38 passing for 162 yards with two key interceptions. The Bobcats' inexperienced receivers had several drops, but Lulay also had his share of poor throws.

The Bobcats weren't too swift on the ground either, netting 86 rushing yards on 39 carries.

"My concern is about the passing game," MSU coach Mike Kramer told the Great Falls Tribune, "because if we can't pass, we have to start manufacturing (the running game) out of some other different personnel groups."

MSU hasn't been able to find replacements for playmakers such as Scott Turnquist and Junior Adams, who made Lulay's job a lot easier the past two years. That could make for an ugly game Saturday, when the Cats travel to Division I-A Colorado State.

"That next generation of receivers has not yet put their firm stamp of approval on this game," Kramer said. "There's no go-to guy, no guy making an outstanding play on a consistent basis."

MSU's normally salty defense had a tough day too, particularly after linebacker Nick Marudas went down with a season-ending broken leg. Cal Poly finished with 367 yards, and chewed up MSU's interior on a decisive 75-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

"We were a little tired on that last drive, but it's no excuse," said linebacker Roger Cooper, who led MSU with nine tackles. "Nick (Marudas) going down, he was a big part of stopping that (fullback) dive, so that really didn't help us. It was a little discouraging."

Sacramento State snapped an eight-game losing streak, riding the pass-catch combo of Ryan Leadingham and Fred Amey to a 23-17 victory over visiting Southern Utah.

Leadingham bounced back from a 78-yard passing effort in a 59-7 season-opening loss to Nevada. The senior, who missed much of last season with a broken arm, threw for 220 yards. Amey had eight catches for 158 yards and two TDs, including a 50-yard catch-and-sprint for the winning score with 5:46 left.

"This is better than I've felt in a long time," Leadingham told the Sacramento Bee. "I feel like hell, but winning makes everything good again."

Regular running back Tyronne Gross couldn't play because of a tender hamstring, but freshman Ryan Mole rushed for 114 yards on 19 carries. Another freshman, defensive back Brent Webber, recovered a fumble to seal the win with just over two minutes remaining.

Surprise, surprise. No. 19-ranked Fresno State, considered a possible BCS Bowl contender, built a 24-7 halftime lead over Portland State, but wound up winning just 27-17. PSU held Fresno to fewer points than the Bulldogs scored in wins over Washington and Kansas State.

The Vikings forced three turnovers - scoring touchdowns after two of them - and finished with 276 yards of offense.

"We played hard just like we did here last year," PSU coach Tim Walsh told the Portland Oregonian. "We made a few mistakes that cost us early in the game, but we had a good second half all around."

Quick kicks: Sacramento State's Fred Amey has a reception in each of the 33 games he's played as a Hornet. He eclipsed 3,000 career yards against Southern Utah. ... Mitch Lively's 32-yard field goal was the first for a Sac State kicker since September of 2003. ... Cal Poly has defeated Montana State six straight times. Cal Poly won despite 13 penalties for 152 yards. ... Weber sophomore Mike Mathis earned a start against UC Davis and responded with five catches for 134 yards. Weber senior Jeff Fowler, tabbed as the new starter, passed for 300 yards, two TDs and three interceptions. ... Idaho State was 11-of-19 on third-down conversions in the win over Northern Colorado. The Bengals had two fourth-down conversions; they had only one all of last season.

***


Bears travel to Montana to take on the nationally-ranked Grizzlies

UNC Press Release

http://uncbears.collegesports.com/sport ... 04aab.html

GAME INFORMATION

The University of Northern Colorado Bears will travel to Missoula, Mont., on Saturday for a matchup with nationally-ranked Montana. The Grizzlies were ranked No.1 prior to Saturday's loss at Sam Houston State. Montana enters the contest with a record of 2-1 with wins over Maine and Hofstra to start the season. UNC defeated North Dakota State to open the season before falling to Maine and Idaho State.

University of Northern Colorado Bears (1-2, 1-0 GWFC) vs. #7/#8 University of Montana Grizzlies (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky) Game #4 l Saturday, Sept. 25, 2004 l 1:05 pm (Mountain) Missoula, Mont. l Washington-Grizzly Stadium (23,009)

The Series: 6th meeting; Montana leads 4-1 which includes a 3-0 record in Missoula. Montana defeated UNC, 31-14, when the teams last met in 2002.

The Coaches: O. Kay Dalton (age 72) is 33-17 in his fifth season with Northern Colorado and 66-29 in his 10th year overall. Bobby Hauck is 11-5 in his second season at Montana.

Television: Eagle Sports Network (KECI TV Channel 13 in Missoula)

Internet: Log onto UNCBears.com for the latest information on the Bears program including free game audio, rosters, bios, statistics, releases, feature stories, box scores and much, much more.

THE BEAR FACTS

Bears Return to Missoula

During the Bears' final season at the Division II level in 2002, UNC traveled to Missoula and lost a 31-14 matchup with the Grizzlies. Montana was then coached by former UNC head coach Joe Glenn. UNC and Montana were tied 14-14 in the fourth quarter before the Grizzlies wore down the Bears and claimed the 17-point victory.

GREAT WEST CONFERENCE

The Bears will be competing in the Great West Conference this season after helping form the league in the offseason. UNC started the conference season with a 15-13 victory over North Dakota State. The Bears next conference game will be on Oct. 2 when they take on the UC Davis Aggies. For more information on the league log on to www.GreatWestFootball.com

New look for unc On The Field

The Bears will have a new look in the field in 2004. The players fund-raised all the money needed to purchase new uniforms.

Bears on tv in 2004

The University of Northern Colorado football program will be on national/regional TV four times in 2004. The Bears Sept. 4 game against North Dakota State was broadcast live by Fox Sports Rocky Mountain, while the Sept. 18 game against Idaho State was broadcast on Altitude Sports. (Dish Network - Channel 410). UNC will also play Florida Atlantic on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain on Oct. 16. The Bears and Southern Utah will play on Altitude Sports on Nov. 6 with the start time still to be determined.

Strong Ratings on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain

The UNC-NDSU game drew a 1.1 rating on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain for their game on Sept. 4 at Nottingham Field.

NOTTINGHAM FIELD CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR

The UNC Bears will be playing their 10th season in Nottingham Field this year. The Bears have tallied a 51-6 overall record at Nottingham. UNC won 16 straight home games from Oct. 6, 2001 to Sept. 4, 2004 before having the home streak snapped by Idaho State last Saturday in double-overtime, 49-42. The 16-game winning streak tied for the longest such streak in school history.

Boyhood Pals Reunite

Montana's Levander Segars and UNC's Vincent Jackson grew up together as friends and teammates in Colorado Springs. Saturday's game marks the second collegiate game that both of them will be competing against each other. "I'm definitely looking forward to meeting up with Levander again. We used to line up on the same side of the ball in junior high and that was pretty scary for some of the teams we were playing against," Jackson said of the upcoming meeting.

Plenty of Picks & Strips

Under the direction of defensive coordinator Jed Stugart, the UNC defense has tallied nine interceptions through three games in 2004. The Bears' defense notched only 10 interceptions in the 2003 season. Senior Wade Sumpter and junior Reed Doughty are each tied for the team lead with two interceptions. The Bears have also recovered two fumbles on the defensive side of the ball.

Bears Tie Interception Scoring Record

The UNC defense tied a school record on Saturday by returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the 49-42 double-overtime loss to Idaho State. Senior LB Wade Sumpter scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 71-yard interception return with 11:08 to go in the second quarter. Redshirt freshman Aaron Henderson then scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 13-yard interception return with 10:03 left in the second quarter.

It's Been Awhile, But He's Been There Before

The touchdown scored by linebacker Wade Sumpter may have seemed like a rarity for the defensive player, but as a high school player he crossed the goal line plenty of times. Sumpter scored 110 touchdowns as high school running back at Fowler High School in Fowler, Colo. Sumpter still ranks second on the prep scoring list in Colorado High School history with 676 points.

Wallen's Return Questionable

Senior defensive lineman Jared Wallen was taken from the field on a stretcher in the game Saturday against Idaho State, but he had feeling in all his extremeties and was talking with medical personnel. Wallen's status for Saturday's game at Montana will be determined later in the week.

For Andre, It's a Rush

Sophomore RB Andre Wilson put together a career-day on Saturday as he rushed for 188 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries. For Wilson it is the second time in his career that he has reached the 100+ yard mark. In his first collegiate game last season against New Mexico Highlands (Aug. 30, 2003), he tallied 135 yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns. Wilson set the Bears' single-season average yards/rush record with a 7.2 average. Wilson has rushed for 335 yards on 72 carries so far this season.

In Good Hands With Wilson

Andre Wilson has not only been a solid back running the football, but he has been a pleasant surprise out of the backfield as a receiver. Wilson is currently third on the team in receptions with 10 catches for 92 yards. Wilson is averaging 9.2 yards per catch.

A Record Despite the Loss

The Bears' 42 points was the most points scored in a losing effort in school history. The previous high point mark in a loss was 40 points when the Bears lost 52-40 at North Dakota on Oct. 15, 1988.

Workin' Overtime

Saturday's double-overtime game against Idaho State was the first overtime game in the 10-year history of Nottingham Field. UNC now had a record of 3-2 in overtime games. The Bears' first overtime game came on Sept. 28, 1996 at South Dakota and the Coyotes scored a 27-24 victory over UNC. The Bears then won three straight overtime games, which included a four-overtime thriller at Minnesota State, Mankato (Oct. 17, 1998), and UNC won that contest, 49-47. UNC won a pair of overtime games in 2002 on back-to-back weekends on their way to the NCAA Div. II semifinals. UNC defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 30-23 in double-overtime (Oct. 5, 2002) and then went on to edge St. Cloud State (Oct. 12, 2002), 27-24 in St. Cloud, Minn.

Doughty Looking to Join Rare Company

Junior defensive back Reed Doughty has led the Bears in tackles in each of his first two seasons. In 2002, Doughty tallied 104 total tackles. Doughty then notched 87 tackles to lead the squad in 2003. Doughty is currently second on the team with 36 total tackles, one behind team leader Ryan Palmer. Only two players have ever led the Bears in tackles three straight seasons. Bob Knapton led the team in stops from 1979 to 1981. Scott Zimmerman led the Bears in tackles from 1997 to 1999. No UNC player has led the team in tackles all four years of their career.

30 or Less = Zaitz Automatic

Junior placekicker Justin Zaitz is automatic from 30 yards or less on field goals in his career at UNC. Zaitz is a perfect 10-for-10 from 30 yards or less. However, when he kicks from 31 yards out and further, he is only 5-of-14.

Zaitz, Doughty Earn Player of the Week Honors

Juniors Reed Doughty (Johnstown, Colo.) and Justin Zaitz (Boulder, Colo.) earned Great West Player of the Week honors for their stellar play against North Dakota State. Doughty tallied Defensive Player of the Week honors, while Zaitz earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Doughty tallied a game-high 17 tackles (11 solos) and grabbed a career-high two interceptions. He also forced a fumble that led to one of the Bears' five field goals. Doughty added another interception on NDSU's two-point attempt to tie the gamewith just over a minute to go in the game. Zaitz tied a UNC single-game record by making five field goals (31, 38, 26, 24 and 21 yards) on six attempts. Zaitz accounted for all of UNC's scoring. Zaitz also earned National Special Teams Player of the Week honors from The Sports Network.

Zaitz Ties A Pair of School Records

Junior placekicker Justin Zaitz tied a pair of UNC school records on Saturday. Zaitz made five field goals to tie him with Kevin Jelden (vs. South Dakota State, 1981), Ryan Anderson (vs. Western State, 1995) and Mike Swim (vs. North Dakota State, 2002). Zaitz also tied the UNC single-game record for field goals attempted with six. Swim also attempted six field goals in the 2002 contest at NDSU.

Recent Tradition of Excellence

The Northern Colorado football program was certainly one of the elite programs at the NCAA Division II level from 1995-2002. Since 1995, the Bears have tallied a record of 89-29 and made six Div. II playoff appearances. UNC won NCAA Division II national titles in 1996 and 1997.

Bears on the Move to Division I-AA

The University of Northern Colorado athletic department is in the midst of a four-year transition to NCAA Division I and the 2004 season will be year two of four. The UNC football squad competes at the I-AA level and all other UNC sports compete at the Division I level. The football squad is a member of the Great West Conference, while all other UNC squads compete as independents.


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Big Sky players of the week announced

The Helena Independent Record

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/0 ... 104_01.txt

OGDEN, Utah (AP) - Players from Sacramento State, Idaho State, and Eastern Washington are winners of player-of-the-week honors in Big Sky Conference football.

League officials Monday announced the award on offense went to wide receivers Fred Amey of Sacramento State and Akilah Lacey of Idaho State. Sacramento State defensive end Jacob Houston won the award on defense. The special-teams award went to Eastern Washington returner Eric Kimble, a previous winner of that award.

All were recognized for their performances in games Saturday.

Amey, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior from Union City, Calif., caught eight passes for 158 yards with two touchdowns in Sacramento State's victory over Southern Utah. His second touchdown, a 50-yarder, broke a 17-17 tie and lifted Sacramento State to a 23-17 win.

Amey now has 3,068 career receiving yards and has caught a pass in 33 straight games.

Lacey, a 6-3, 202-pound sophomore from Westminster, Calif., hauled in a career-high nine passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns in Idaho State's 49-42 double overtime victory over Northern Colorado. Lacey caught a 13-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left in regulation play, to tie the game. He caught a 9-yard touchdown pass in the second overtime, winning the game for Idaho State.

Houston registered eight solo tackles and one assisted tackle in his first career start for the Hornets. The 6-3, 235-pound junior from Sanger, Calif., had four tackles for losses and tied a Sacramento State single-game record with three sacks.

Sacramento State limited Southern Utah to 248 yards of total offense.

Kimble, a 5-10, 175-pound junior from Tacoma, Wash., returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown in Eastern Washington's 39-8 victory over Central Washington. Kimble's return put the Eagles ahead 22-0 in the first quarter. As a freshman in 2002, he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown.

Kimble finished with 92 yards on four punt returns. He had 147 all-purpose yards in the game.


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Upset doesn't propel Bearkats into Top 25

By Cody Stark, Huntsville Item

http://www.itemonline.com/articles/2004 ... orts02.txt

Surprisingly, the Sam Houston State Bearkats didn't break into the Sports Networks Division I-AA polls after upsetting No. 1 Montana on Saturday.

The Sports Network has the Bearkats ranked No. 26, up 21 spots from last week's poll. Sam Houston received 312 points, as compared to nine in the previous poll.

The Kats sent a message to the rest of the teams in the country with the 41-29 win over the Grizzlies at Bowers Stadium. Sam Houston's explosive offense racked up 512 yards, and the defense held Montana under their season average in scoring, but it wasn't enough to get them into the top 25.

"If we had finished the game 41-10, then we probably would have been ranked higher," Bearkat head coach Ron Randleman said. "The rankings are really insignificant because there are a lot of good teams out there. It doesn't matter how high you are ranked, you still have to win ball games."

Saturday's final score doesn't reflect the true story of the game, but unfortunately, that is all most voters see. The Bearkats had the game well underhand by jumping out to a 20-3 lead in the first half. The Grizzlies were able to add three late touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make it look closer than it was.

Southeastern Louisiana jumped into the top 25 last week after a 51-47 victory over then No. 6 McNeese State. The Bearkats will make the trip to Hammond, La., this week to battle SLU. Southeastern dropped out of the rankings after a double overtime loss to Texas State University-Sam Marcos.

"Beating Montana was a big boost for us," Randleman said. "Its going to helps us on the road against a very good football team in Southeastern Louisiana."

Stephen F. Austin moved up into No. 5 in the TSN poll after beating No. 13 Northern Iowa on the road Saturday. NcNeese moved into the No. 12 spot and Northwestern State is up two spots to No. 19. Texas State is now No. 31.

Sam Houston did climb into the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 college coaches poll at No. 24. SFA is listed as No. 4 in the poll and McNeese and Northwestern are No. 12 and No. 18 respectively.

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Top Offensive Teams Battle In Louisiana

http://www.shsu.edu/~ath_www/football/gamepreview.html

Sam Houston State Bearkats vs. Southeastern Louisiana Lions Saturday, Sept.18, 2004 - 6 p.m. - Hammond, LA (Strawberry Stadium)

KATS TOP NUMBER ONE MONTANA
Sam Houston State posted its biggest NCAA football victory ever Saturday night when the Bearkats knocked off number one ranked University of Montana 41-29 at Bowers Stadium. Previously, the highest ranked teams ever defeated by SHSU were top fourth-ranked foes, Nicholls State in 1986 and Stephen F. Austin in 1996. The game marked the seventh time in its NCAA I-AA history that Sam Houston had played a number one ranked opponent.

AERIAL FIREWORKS EXPECTED
Saturday's Bearkat-Lion matchup pits two NCAA Division I-AA national total offense leaders. Southeastern Louisiana leads the nation in total offense with 570.0 yards per game. Sam Houston State ranks third in the nation an average of 520.3 yards. Furman is second with 545.3 yards. Both team's quarterbacks rank high in the national standings as well. The Lions' Martin Hawkins is first among I-AA players in total offense (443.0) while Bearkat Dustin Long is fourth (299.3).

THE MONTANA VICTORY
Dustin Long passed for 329 yards and two touchdowns, Jarrod Fuller caught 10 passes for 133 yards, and Stevie Smith rushed for 113 yards and two tallies on 23 carries to lead Sam Houston State to a 41-29 victory over number one Montana before 12,941 fans at Bowers Stadium Saturday. The Bearkats gained 512 yards total offense while limiting the Grizzlies, who came into the game ranked 10th in I-AA football in total offense, to 352 yards. Sam Houston jumped out to a 20-0 lead and were up 41-10 before the Grizzlies scored 19 points in the fourth quarter. Defensively, safety Paul Donelson led the Kats with nine tackles and Mark Hughes made an interception in the end zone to stop Montana's opening drive.

KATS THIRD NATIONALLY IN PASSING
At a preseason media event, SHSU Head Coach Ron Randleman quipped, "Our offense this year is going to be diversified. We're going to throw short, long, and medium range." Statistics back up the coach as, through the first three weeks of the 2004 season, Sam Houston State ranks second in the nation in total passing yards with 1,137. Only this week's opponent, Southeastern Louisiana, has thrown for more yards. The Bearkats and Lions have combined for 2,485 yards in six games, an average of 414.7 per contest.


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I-AA West: California Rivalry

Kent Schmidt, I-AA.org

http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=60824

Not many football fans outside of California and maybe even outside of the Sacramento area know that there is a rivalry in the state of California that is below the I-A ranks. However, there is indeed a rivalry and a great one that fans need to take note of and learn.

This rivalry game is between two cross-town rivals in the greater Sacramento area. The two teams are Sacramento State and UC Davis. The two schools are separated by just 19 miles.

Let's make it clear. These two teams do have respect for one another but do not like each other very much at all. And the students and fans of each school maybe even have a greater hatred.

This rivalry will be renewed this Saturday when the Hornets of Sacramento State visit the UC Davis Aggies.

How long have these two schools been rivals?

The two teams have met 51 times. Fifty of the 51 meetings have been in the regular season. In 1988, the teams met twice, with Sacramento State winning in both the regular season and the first round of the Division II playoffs.

Overall, UC Davis has had the better of Sac State, having a 35-16 advantage.

UC Davis is in their second year of reclassifying from Division II to I-AA. Sacramento State moved up to I-AA in 1993. The two teams have kept their rivalry intact even though the two were in different divisions.

UC Davis, even though the lower division team, has gotten the better of Sacramento State in that time frame. The Aggies have a 9-2 record against the Hornets since 1993 to the present. UC Davis actually has won the last four meetings.

Last year, the Aggies won a classic battle between the two schools, 31-27. The winning points were scored with just 14 seconds left in the game.

Since this is a rivalry game, is there a trophy at stake to be given to the winner?

Yes, the Aggies and Hornets will be playing in what is named the "Causeway Classic." Although the two teams have met 51 times in the past, the "Causeway Classic" name was not introduced until 1983, when former Sacramento State sports information director Mike Duncan came up with the moniker.

The trophy, presented annually to the winner, is a Causeway Carriage which is a full-size 19th-Century Victorian carriage.

Sacramento State alumnus Jere Strizk donated the carriage in 1960. After it was refurbished at Folsom (California) Prison, it began appearing at the game in 1961.

This year's game will be played at UC Davis' Toomey Field. This will mark the first time that the game has been played at the UC Davis campus since 1998. The last two home games for the Aggies against the Hornets were played at the city of Sacramento's Hughes Field.

UC Davis Head Coach Bill Biggs said, "This is our last chance to play Sacramento State at Toomey."

UC Davis is scheduled to open a new football stadium for the 2006 season.

How have the two teams fared so far leading up to this week's big game?

UC Davis is 2-0 with victories over fellow Great West conference foe South Dakota State and the Big Sky's Weber State.

Sacramento State is 1-1 with an opening game loss to I-A Nevada and a victory over the Great West's Southern Utah.

UC Davis blew out SDSU in their opener at home 59-0 but narrowly edged Weber State 31-29 in a game that saw the Aggies race out to an early lead and to come back to win on a field goal later after Weber State came back.

UC Davis' Biggs said, "We hung on to win on a very windy day against a tough Weber State team last week."

Sacramento State, on the other hand lost big to Nevada 59-7. Last week, though, the Hornets bounced back against Southern Utah--winning 23-17 in a game they never trailed.

Sacramento State Head Coach Steve Mooshagian said, "We have found out that a lot of our young players are ready to play a bigger role."

Does either team in this rivalry prepare any differently going into the game?

According to both coaches, the teams will not prepare any differently this week for the rivalry game.

Mooshagian said, "We prepare the same as any game as far as our preparation process goes, but obviously there are more distractions during rivalry week and you have to keep your focus on the job at hand".

Biggs echoed Mooshagian, "We really don't prepare any differently."

Coaches can say things like this but most will agree that whenever you play your top rival that players give a little more and fans will be more vocal.

Fred Amey of Sacramento State, last week's Big Sky Conference co-offensive player of the week said in the recent I-AA.org Magazine 2004 Fall Preview in a feature titled "'X' on the Calendar," "They're not in the conference but they are a big rival and we haven't beat them since I've been here. We have to beat them this year, no matter what it takes."

Who are the players from both sides to watch?

Sacramento State brings in 2003 All-American Fred Amey. The senior Amey was an All-American as a kick returner but also is a great wide receiver.

Getting Amey the ball is senior quarterback Ryan Leadingham. Leadingham last week was 16 of 28 for 220 yards but did have one interception.

The Hornets are led by Big Sky defensive player of the week from last week, junior Jacob Houston. Houston last week had three sacks and eight tackles. Junior JC transfer LB Jimmy Ellingson was the leading tackler for the Hornets the past two weeks and should be another leader for the Hornet defense.

The Aggies are led offensively by junior running back O.J. Swanigan. Swanigan has 95 rushing yards on 25 carries and 133 yards receiving on eight catches so far this season after two games.

The Aggies decided on a quarterback late in fall practice before choosing sophomore Jon Grant. Grant has been outstanding with 278 yards and 311 yards passing respectively in the Aggies first two games.

Senior captains, DE Jake Mossawir and linebacker Tom Parisi, led the otherwise young Aggie defense. Mossawir led the Aggies in sacks last year.

Whatever the result Saturday, one thing is for sure, both teams will put the best effort in the Causeway Classic and likely the result will be a close game. And now, fans know of the Causeway Classic and of the I-AA rivalry in California.

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I-AA West Game of the Week

Last Week -- Cal Poly 27 Montana State 14

Senior cornerback Karl Ivory returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown, Cal Poly's fifth touchdown by the defense in three games, and junior fullback Adam Martinez added the clinching touchdown on a nine-yard run with two minutes to play as the Great West Mustangs defeated the Big Sky's Montana State Saturday afternoon in Bozeman, MT.

The win improves Cal Poly to 3-0, while Montana State drops to 1-1.

Cal Poly has won seven of its last eight games dating back to last season. With this win and coupled with the three other results matching Big Sky and Great West foes, the Great West so far has won three of the five head to head Great West-Big Sky match-ups.

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This Week

Northern Colorado (1-2) @ Montana (2-1)

This is another Great West-Big Sky match-up. Both squads are coming off losses from a week ago and will be looking to reverse that trend.

Northern Colorado last week lost 49-42 to Idaho State in double overtime. The loss was the first for the Bears at home in 16 tries.

Montana lost at Sam Houston State in a blowout 41-29 in a score that sounds better then it really was. SHSU led 34-10 after three quarters before Montana made the score respectable in the fourth quarter.

This "Battle of the Bears" Part II for both squads has one common opponent in another "Bear" team in Maine. Montana defeated Maine 27-20 and Northern Colorado lost 38-0.

This is the second time these two teams have squared off against each other in the past three years. The previous game in 2002 was also in Missoula and Montana prevailed 31-14.

I see a similar score this year for the Missoula bunch. Last year, the Grizzlies prevailed the next week after a loss.

However, the Grizzlies will need to cover UNC's leading wide receiver Vincent Jackson after getting burned for 512 yards total offense and 30 first downs last week by Sam Houston State.

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I-AA West News & Notes

-The Southland Conference teams (all but Nicholls State played) went 5-0 last week with wins over #1 ranked Montana (by Sam Houston State), #7 Northern Iowa (by Stephen F. Austin), and #25 Southeastern Louisiana (by Texas State). McNeese State defeated I-AA power Youngstown State (unranked as of last week) and Northwestern State defeated Texas Southern.

-Nicholls State was to play DII power Texas A&M-Kingsville at home last week but the game was canceled due to the impending Hurricane Ivan.

-Stephen F. Austin defeated their second straight ranked non-conference opponent in Northern Iowa. The week prior, the Lumberjacks defeated Northern Arizona. SFA is off to their best start (3-0) since the 2000 season.