Big Sky notebook: Special teams giveth...

Special teams loomed large over the Big Sky Conference’s marquee games this past Saturday, making a difference in both Montana State’s win over Weber State, and Montana’s loss.

“Asked if the Bobcats’ 43-35 win was the strangest of his short tenure in Bozeman, second-year coach Brent Vigen said, “I think so.”

“We were down 24-9,” he continued. “And then we rattled off I don’t know how many unanswered points (34). The special teams plays, you almost couldn't believe it when it happened a third and fourth time.”

By “it,” he means Weber State’s jailbreak punt snaps, which added up to four safeties and eight points — precisely the margin of victory at Bobcat Stadium.

“I can’t believe we gave up two returns, at the same point, to get down like we did,” he added. “Football is a crazy game. Add in the elements (44 degrees, rainy) and you don’t know what you’re going to get sometimes. You have to morph into whatever it takes to win that day.”

Another major part of MSU’s record 17th straight home win was Tommy Mellott, whose 273 rushing yards are the second-best single-game total in program history.

Vigen noted that Mellott picked up quite a few yards on scrambles.

“I don’t know what the number would be,” Vigen said Saturday. “But I’m sure it was 10-plus, where passes were called. We stuck to what was working, I guess.”

The Bobcats are one of four Big Sky teams that have byes this week, ahead of a road game against Northern Arizona on Nov. 5.

Vigen danced around the record home win streak question after the Weber State game, which drew 20,707 fans to Bobcat Stadium.

“I think it starts off with we have good players,” he said. “Good players that really enjoy playing here. Then we have an amazing fan base that comes in and is an active force in the game. …

If you can get to the FCS playoffs and get a home game, that matters.”

Not as special

On the other side of things were the Grizzlies, who slipped to 10th and 11th in the weekly FCS polls after their 31-24 overtime loss at Sacramento State.

Griz fans are still sore over a key, 26-yard pass on fourth-and-4 that held up under review and set up Sac State’s overtime-forcing touchdown.

Of greater importance, probably, were two blocked field goals and a successful onside kick by the Hornets that marked the second in two weeks against Montana.

Asked about these special teams ills on Monday, Griz coach Bobby Hauck, who doubles as special teams coach, wasn’t having it.

“The blocked field goals, we just need to get the ball off faster,” he said.

Asked about the onside issues, he responded, “What onside kick are you talking about?” and when the reporter brought up the one by Idaho Hauck responded, “That’s a long time ago, man.”

Hauck later added, “Field goal kicking is an offensive function and blocking field goals is a defensive function.” The defensive function bears up: A quick call to a Griz that blocked kicks seemingly all the time, Alan Saenz, said that his reps came mainly in games.

Seeing as how he liked blocking kicks so much — he had two against Weber State in 2005 — Saenz tried to make sure he was on the field on defense when the opponents’ field goal unit came on. Calls were simple; he just had to beat his man, which happened a lot.

Late in 2005 he blocked a field goal at Northern Arizona, and Jimmy Wilson returned it for a touchdown. “We practice things like that,” Wilson said afterward, but he meant the scoop-and-score.

Hornets Alone

First Sacramento State was the only team in the Bowl Subdivision or FCS that hadn’t trailed all season (Montana took care of that, leading for over 48 minutes Saturday). Now the Hornets are the only unbeaten team (7-0) in either subdivision.

“We were stumbling over ourselves early,” Coach Troy Taylor told the Sacramento Bee after the win over the Grizzlies. “I told our guys it’d take all four quarters. I was wrong. It was overtime, too. It was one of those games where the last 45 minutes was a blur. A lot of things happened.”

One of those was a successful onside kick that was also reminiscent of Hauck’s previous tenure UM, where a line drive hit a front-line blocker and the kicking team recovered.

“It’s unusual that it would die right in front of one of their guys,” Hauck said. “But it seemed to be that kind of night.”

Hornet Stadium drew a season-best 15,927 fans to the game.

“Proud of our guys,” Taylor said. “We talk about resiliency, continuing to compete. It was cool that ESPN was here. That was great. It’s good to get that seventh win and it was good to see Sacramento excited about it.”

Not Bearing Up

Denver Post columnist Sean Keller visited Greeley, Colo., Saturday to watch UC Davis — coached by former Colorado Buffs mentor Dan Hawkins — blow out Northern Colorado 58-10.

At some point Keller ventured that if Dylan McCaffrey had a last name different from Bears head coach Ed MCaffrey, he wouldn’t be the starting quarterback.

“If it wasn’t for Dylan, we would be getting obliterated,” Dylan’s dad said. “If it wasn’t for him, it would be a lot worse. And I have faith in (backup) Jacob Sirmon. He’s a great quarterback as well … but Dylan’s one of the huge reasons we’re able to move the ball and we are able to put the points on the board.”

The younger McCaffrey threw for 232 yards with one TD and two interceptions. The Aggies took one pick back for six points, and broke 50 points for the second straight week.