Hoffenbacker, Ogden soaking up playing time

Kalispell's Brandon Hoffenbacker and Dan Ogden were thrust into more action last week for the Montana State football team and both responded with their best games of the season.

With starting nose tackle Chris Kolone out with an ankle injury, Hoffenbacker and Ogden rotated with each other Saturday against Northern Arizona.

Hoffenbacker registered six tackles (three assisted and three unassisted), including a tackle for a loss, and Ogden had two tackles - including one for a loss.

Montanan State's first-year coach Rob Ash doesn't know if Kolone will be available on Saturday against Portland State.

"Kolone is still going to need a couple days of rest," Ash said. "Hopefully, we'll have (him) by Saturday, but we're not entirely sure about the total extent (of his injury). This is a day-to-day right now."

The Bobcats travel to play PSU at PGE Park in Portland, Ore., for a 2:35 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.

The Bobcats have lost six of the last seven at PSU.

After being ranked No. 12 in the nation on Oct. 8, the Bobcats lost to Eastern Washington and then Northern Colorado in a three-week time span and slipped out of the Top 25.