Last year, Montana State traveled to two FBS schools, was waxed by Kansas State (69-10) and kept tight at Minnesota before falling, 35-23.

In the Kansas State game, on Sept. 6, the Bobcats had just 191 total yards, committed 4 turnovers (2 INTs), and trailed 45-7 at the half. Passing from both Cody Kempt and Mark Iddins was a combined 17-35-2-108. It was a real butt-kicking.

Against Minnesota on Sept. 13, the Bobcats trailed just 21-13 at the half, and 35-16 after three quarters. They outgained the Gophers 356-352 total yards, with 218 through the air. Their big play of the game: a 100-yard kickoff return by Demetrius Crawford with 3:33 left in the first half which kept the game tight. Against Minny, Bobcat QBs were: 16-39-3-218. The Bobcats threw three INTs against Minny: that's a total of 5 INTs against both FBS opponents.

Crawford was their starting tailback (1,314 yards in '08) and he has graduated, by the way - so with their two starting replacements out for the Michigan State game, expect Montana State to be thin and very young at RB... and, thusly, throwing the ball all over the place. The QBs certainly statistically were unimpressive against FBS last year.

The Moral of the Story: the talented and deep Spartan secondary should be licking its chops on Saturday.

Note that Montana State's starting cornerback, Arnold Briggs, tore his ACL in fall camp and is out for the year.