Sorry I’m just now getting to this. It was a really busy day at work. Time for everybody’s favorite, the cats. They’re gonna have a good team this year, but the question is how good. Two main questions I have for them are what’s the plan if Tommy goes down again (which he probably will) and how good is their defense? There’s no Sean Chambers to bail out the offense if/when Tommy gets hurt this year, so what’s the plan? Defensively, was Garza the problem or are they just naturally much weaker on D under Vigen? With that, let’s dive in!
August 24 @ New Mexico - L. Week zero on FS1. Quite the game to open with. Probably gonna be 200 degrees at kickoff. Not sure what to think of this game. The Lobos have a new head coach and new QB that they’re really high on, and it’s at home. UNM has been really bad though. Can they be competitive year 1? I think this is a total coin flip game, but tie goes to the home team so I’ll say UNM wins a razor tight game.
August 31 @ Utah Tech - W. This game will likely be very similar to our game against them last year. Race out to a big lead and then play the young guys. How about 2 road games to open up the season though? Don’t see that often. Cats roll
September 7 vs. Maine - W. Gold Rush against the Black Bears. That’s a looooong road trip for Maine, and probably an even uglier result. Should be over quick
September 14 BYE. Advantage of playing week 0 is two bye weeks.
September 21 vs. Mercyhurst - W. By now I’m sure everyone knows that 2 weeks ago, Stephen F. Austin cancelled their game with the cats, leaving them scrambling to find a new opponent. Mercyhurst enters their first year in the FCS. For perspective, they lost to Ferris State 54-12 last year, so imagine what the cats are gonna do them.
September 28 @ Idaho State - W. Good game to open the conference slate with. Could be a little tighter than we may expect, but they should win comfortably.
October 5 vs. Northern Colorado - W. Clip board gate 2.0? That may be the only fun that comes out of this game.
October 12 vs. Idaho - W. This one’s gonna be a ball game. The cats fell right into Idahos trap last year. Did they learn their lesson? Their personnel may not be as good, but that style is hard to play against. I say the cats pull it out at home though.
October 19 @ Portland State - W. Can’t see this being much of an issue.
October 26 BYE
November 2 @ Eastern Washington - W. Games on the red rug have historically been tough for the cats, but they’ve won their last 2 and they should be fine this year. Eastern could have a lot on the line in this game.
November 9 vs. Sacramento State - W. Tough game at home. Sac hasn’t been to Bozeman since 2019. If the cats can beat them in Sacramento, then they should be able to beat them at home. Close game, but the cats win.
November 16 @ UC Davis - L. This one has trap game written all over it. The week before the Brawl, probably a night game, against potentially the best offense in the league. Hastings and Larison are a dangerous combination. Perhaps they get caught looking ahead? I say they lose this one in similar fashion to how they lost to Idaho
November 23 vs. Montana. I don’t pick this one, but it should be a war, and could very well be for the conference title again.
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I got the cats going 10-2 or 9-3. Certainly some games in there they could slip up in, but those final 3 games of the year, plus Idaho are gonna be tough. That’s my prediction. Thoughts????
August 24 @ New Mexico - L. Week zero on FS1. Quite the game to open with. Probably gonna be 200 degrees at kickoff. Not sure what to think of this game. The Lobos have a new head coach and new QB that they’re really high on, and it’s at home. UNM has been really bad though. Can they be competitive year 1? I think this is a total coin flip game, but tie goes to the home team so I’ll say UNM wins a razor tight game.
August 31 @ Utah Tech - W. This game will likely be very similar to our game against them last year. Race out to a big lead and then play the young guys. How about 2 road games to open up the season though? Don’t see that often. Cats roll
September 7 vs. Maine - W. Gold Rush against the Black Bears. That’s a looooong road trip for Maine, and probably an even uglier result. Should be over quick
September 14 BYE. Advantage of playing week 0 is two bye weeks.
September 21 vs. Mercyhurst - W. By now I’m sure everyone knows that 2 weeks ago, Stephen F. Austin cancelled their game with the cats, leaving them scrambling to find a new opponent. Mercyhurst enters their first year in the FCS. For perspective, they lost to Ferris State 54-12 last year, so imagine what the cats are gonna do them.
September 28 @ Idaho State - W. Good game to open the conference slate with. Could be a little tighter than we may expect, but they should win comfortably.
October 5 vs. Northern Colorado - W. Clip board gate 2.0? That may be the only fun that comes out of this game.
October 12 vs. Idaho - W. This one’s gonna be a ball game. The cats fell right into Idahos trap last year. Did they learn their lesson? Their personnel may not be as good, but that style is hard to play against. I say the cats pull it out at home though.
October 19 @ Portland State - W. Can’t see this being much of an issue.
October 26 BYE
November 2 @ Eastern Washington - W. Games on the red rug have historically been tough for the cats, but they’ve won their last 2 and they should be fine this year. Eastern could have a lot on the line in this game.
November 9 vs. Sacramento State - W. Tough game at home. Sac hasn’t been to Bozeman since 2019. If the cats can beat them in Sacramento, then they should be able to beat them at home. Close game, but the cats win.
November 16 @ UC Davis - L. This one has trap game written all over it. The week before the Brawl, probably a night game, against potentially the best offense in the league. Hastings and Larison are a dangerous combination. Perhaps they get caught looking ahead? I say they lose this one in similar fashion to how they lost to Idaho
November 23 vs. Montana. I don’t pick this one, but it should be a war, and could very well be for the conference title again.
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I got the cats going 10-2 or 9-3. Certainly some games in there they could slip up in, but those final 3 games of the year, plus Idaho are gonna be tough. That’s my prediction. Thoughts????
