CSUN ANALYSIS: CSUN IN HUNT FOR BIG SKY TITLE.Byline: Chris Branam Staff Writer Some might have thought it was finished a month ago, but the Cal State Northridge football team is a threat in the Big Sky Conference. OK, a three-point win over disappointing Montana State doesn't mean CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge students should start partying in the intersection of Devonshire and Lindley. But winning a tough road game, at any level, in any conference, means respect. Walloping Sacramento State at home two weeks ago was quaint, but beating Montana State in the Bobcats' homecoming game was a statement. The Matadors (4-3, 3-2) are supposed to win at North Campus Stadium, where they are 3-0 this season. Until Saturday's 24-21 win over the host Bobcats, they hadn't won a conference road game since beating Weber State 26-10 on Halloween last year. ``We usually don't lose at home,'' CSUN quarterback Marcus Brady Marcus Brady (Born September 24, 1979) is a quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. College career He attended Cal State Northridge as a business major, where he started 43 straight games. said Saturday, ``so (people) figured, `They got their win at home.' '' Now CSUN has a chance at the Big Sky title. The Matadors, tied for second place, are favored to beat Weber State at home this week. If that happens, Northridge - picked to finish eighth by the conference's coaches in July - goes to Big Sky co-leader Portland State (6-2, 5-1) Nov. 6 with two Big Sky losses. Montana (6-1, 5-1) has a tie-breaking advantage over CSUN because the Grizzlies The name Grizzlies may refer to:
Montana plays at Montana State in the season finale in one of the nation's most bitter rivalries. If the Bobcats can pull off the upset, and if CSUN can upset Portland State and beat Northern Arizona Northern Arizona is dominated by the Colorado Plateau, the southern border of which in Arizona is called the Mogollon Rim. In the West lies the Grand Canyon, which was cut by the flow of the Colorado River while the land slowly rose around it. at home Nov. 20 . . . but that's a lot of ifs. Maybe the team hasn't been so wrong in closing every practice by yelling in unison: ``Big Sky champs!'' Surprisingly, the defense is leading the way. Despite allowing two fourth-quarter touchdowns Saturday, it must be satisfying for the Matadors' coaching staff winning a game with only 24 points. Since giving up 48 in the Montana loss Oct. 9, the Matadors have allowed a combined 35 points in the winning streak Noun 1. winning streak - a streak of wins streak, run - an unbroken series of events; "had a streak of bad luck"; "Nicklaus had a run of birdies" . ``A lot of it has to do with the confidence built up last week,'' CSUN interim head coach Jeff Kearin said Saturday, referring to the clampdown clamp·down n. An imposing of restrictions or controls: "Advertisers and broadcasters would raise howls of protest against any strong clampdown" Wall Street Journal. of Sacramento State. ``We can play good defensive football.'' Montana State, which trailed 24-0 before rallying, was demoralized de·mor·al·ize tr.v. de·mor·al·ized, de·mor·al·iz·ing, de·mor·al·iz·es 1. To undermine the confidence or morale of; dishearten: an inconsistent policy that demoralized the staff. . About 10,000 fans came to see the Bobcats win, and homecoming is serious business in Eastern Montana The Great Plains stretch across Eastern Montana, an area that consists of the eastern half of the U.S. state of Montana and the north-central portion near Great Falls. The area is drained by the Missouri River, which originates in SW Montana, and by its tributaries, the Milk, the . Doug Fullerton, the Big Sky Commissioner, passed on attending Montana-Eastern Washington to come to Bozeman; Fullerton was the athletic director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic at MSU MSU Michigan State University MSU Mississippi State University MSU Montana State University MSU Minnesota State University MSU Morehead State University (Kentycky) MSU Montclair State University for 11 years. Cliff Hysell, Montana State head coach and an MSU graduate, put his face in his hands several times in his short postgame press conference. ``That's all I've got guys,'' he said at the end, before walking away. CSUN has a chance for a winning season, and a possible conference title, in the same season it suffered a 71-14 loss to mediocre Kansas. The Matadors, unlike Hysell on Saturday, still have something left. Note: Senior center Julio Alcala missed his first game of the season with ankle and back soreness. Alcala sprained his left ankle against Sacramento State and didn't practice last week. CSUN STATUS REPORT GAME: 7 RESULT: CSUN 24, Montana State 21 RECORD: 4-3, 3-2 THIS WEEK'S GPA GPA abbr. grade point average Noun 1. GPA - a measure of a student's academic achievement at a college or university; calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted : 2.78 CUMULATIVE GPA: 2.64 NEXT GAME: Weber State QUARTERBACKS One to cherish for Marcus Brady, who erased all memories of last year's fourth-quarter disaster with a vintage performance. He threw 47 passes, completing 30, and didn't come close to an interception. A RUNNING BACKS CSUN's longest run - 19 yards - was by wide receiver Joe Gilliam Joe Gilliam (1950-2000) was an American football player. Biography Joseph Gilliam, Jr. (born December 29, 1950 in Charleston, West Virginia) was the third of four children for Ruth and Joe Gilliam Sr. on a reverse. The second longest run was by Brady. Jaumal Bradley had 54 yards, his season-low output. C- OFFENSIVE LINE An amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. job done by a patchwork line decimated by injuries. The Matadors' best OL - Julio Alcala - didn't play, but Brady was protected pretty well. Solid effort. B+ DEFENSIVE LINE These guys must have had Wheaties for breakfast and Power Bars for lunch. They dominated MSU's offensive line with six sacks. Shawnbay Jones (12 tackles) is becoming an All-Big Sky candidate. A LINEBACKERS Not spectacular, but Jack Heaslet had the hit on special teams that put out MSU's top receiver Chip Hobbs, and Brennen Swanson had two sacks and his second career interception. B DEFENSIVE BACKS Slipped a bit in the fourth when MSU rallied for two touchdowns. Still getting nicked for dumb penalties, most notably personal fouls, but the secondary hasn't been a liability like it once was. B- SPECIAL TEAMS Give kicker-punter Ethan Beck a game ball. Every kickoff was in end zone and his hang-time on four punts allowed only one return. Derek Brown (three field goals) isn't kicking like a freshman. B+ COACHING Head coach Jeff Kearin took blame for conservative play-calling in second-half, but in hindsight he made the right decision to keep the ball away from MSU. Defensive adjustments are working. B CAPTION(S): chart CHART: CSUN status report (see text) |
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