Several advantages for the CATS on December 4th

[Montanabob]

In a close game, small things like weather can be a significant advantage. I point to the Furman game as well.

Elevation is a small advantage here as well. Not having to travel is, again, an advantage.

MSU also gets extra film study.

Especially if they use allegiant Air!

[Bobcatsinmso]

In a close game, small things like weather can be a significant advantage. I point to the Furman game as well.

Elevation is a small advantage here as well. Not having to travel is, again, an advantage.

MSU also gets extra film study.

Yep. Whoever said weather is never a factor and never will be, is mistaken! I will definitely admit people make waaaaay too much about the weather being an impact, gives people something to talk about. It's rarely the deciding factor in a game but it does come into play. I think it used to be way more of an issue with Southern teams coming to cold climates and playing in sub zero temps and snow - but even those teams have learned how to deal much better with the cold and snow.

Arkansas St. 1984. Watching those guys huddled around the Jet heater the entire 2nd half, they were out of their element.
Unfortunately the Temps next week will be moderate, above freezing, and the turf is no longer a frozen block of mud. Weather should not be a factor.

[rivercat]

In a close game, small things like weather can be a significant advantage. I point to the Furman game as well.

Elevation is a small advantage here as well. Not having to travel is, again, an advantage.

MSU also gets extra film study.

Yep. Whoever said weather is never a factor and never will be, is mistaken! I will definitely admit people make waaaaay too much about the weather being an impact, gives people something to talk about. It's rarely the deciding factor in a game but it does come into play. I think it used to be way more of an issue with Southern teams coming to cold climates and playing in sub zero temps and snow - but even those teams have learned how to deal much better with the cold and snow.

Arkansas St. 1984. Watching those guys huddled around the Jet heater the entire 2nd half, they were out of their element.
Unfortunately the Temps next week will be moderate, above freezing, and the turf is no longer a frozen block of mud. Weather should not be a factor.

The cold weather gear and high tech fabrics available today allow the teams to better deal with the elements. I loved the um vs Coastal Carolina playoff game in Missoula where it was below zero, the griz came out bare armed and CC came out dressed for the occasion and won. Cold can be helpful to the home team but don't be stupidly "tough".

[vike_king]

Hmm, not sure about that. I know the NCAA limits the travel roster size during the regular season, but I honestly don't know if that changes for playoffs?? anybody know the answer?

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/champi ... Manual.pdf

SQUAD SIZE
Participating teams are limited to a maximum number of 64 student-athletes in uniform. Replacements are
permitted up to the starting time of the game; after the game begins, no replacements shall be permitted
for any reason. An institution that is advised it is in violation of this regulation and does not conform
promptly to it automatically shall forfeit the competition. There shall be no inordinate delay of the
competition to allow the institution to conform to the rule. A roster form, to be provided by the NCAA
national office, shall list the 64 student-athletes and shall be submitted to the NCAA site representative
during the administrative meeting.

Championship game bumps up to 70.

Thanks Hawks!

Yes, thank you... and I now feel stupid for listing that as an advantage, not sure why I didn't know that - thought they'd still let the home team dress out as many as they wanted. Will be interesting to see who gets left out of the players that have been playing.

Because the rest of the team will be on the sidelines in some form of bobcat gear and cheering.

I think that only the players who dress for the game are allowed on the sidelines. We will see a week from today....or this afternoon during the first round of games.

[60's Cat]

In a close game, small things like weather can be a significant advantage. I point to the Furman game as well.

Elevation is a small advantage here as well. Not having to travel is, again, an advantage.

MSU also gets extra film study.

Yep. Whoever said weather is never a factor and never will be, is mistaken! I will definitely admit people make waaaaay too much about the weather being an impact, gives people something to talk about. It's rarely the deciding factor in a game but it does come into play. I think it used to be way more of an issue with Southern teams coming to cold climates and playing in sub zero temps and snow - but even those teams have learned how to deal much better with the cold and snow.

Arkansas St. 1984. Watching those guys huddled around the Jet heater the entire 2nd half, they were out of their element.
Unfortunately the Temps next week will be moderate, above freezing, and the turf is no longer a frozen block of mud. Weather should not be a factor.

They actually had fishnet jerseys that did not cover the midriff.

[Cat4LifeHouseDivided]

Regardless of if we end up with MSU or TM-Martin. Thanks to a successful season, the body of work convinced the committee that we deserved a seed, and getting that seed is HUGE! Here are some things I've been thinking about that favor the Cats, and mainly I'm kind of looking at some of the peripheral things in addition to the obvious X's and O's, of which I happen to believe that the Cats are going to come out on top in all three phases of the game. But, think about these advantages.

Bye week. Obviously this is huge for getting players healthy and rested... the team we play won't have that luxury.

Home field. No brainer here... the Bobcat Faithful will be loud and proud, really hard for teams to beat us in our house.

Playoff experience. We have it, they don't. It matters.

They can only bring 64 players. We'll have close to double that available. Again, this matters.

Weather? We'll see. long term forecast does show a system moving in around game time but who knows what it will do and how it will impact the game if at all.

Cats coming off a disappointing loss to our rivals. Some people look at this as a negative, somehow thinking this team is going to fold and close up shop for the year. I strongly disagree - I think they will be motivated and fired up, ready to get the sting of a loss behind them.

I like our chances. (P.S. This isn't a thread to rip on our offense, play calling, coaches, etc. Plenty of that going on in other threads. LOL)

I'm one of those people "ripping" on the offense. But I've also been saying all season that this is the most talented, best coached team that the Cats have fielded in the last 30 years.

I'm guessing that the entire team comes out swinging with a big chip on its shoulder. Id be pretty shocked to see a loss. I think you see backup RBs (either Mellot or Elliot) with over 100 yards.

Weather won't be a factor. Montana fans always think it will be. But it never is. Even if it was 10 degrees with 30 mph winds. Remember the weather when Sammy & SDSU waltzed into Bobcat Stadium & curb stomped us? Or when Coastal Carolina dismantled the Griz in fridgid weather? Never has been an issue, and it never will be.

While I agree for the most part on the weather, I remember a Furman team coming to town and looking frozen in the cold haha.

[ilovethecats]

Fans love talking about weather because it’s literally the only thing we have in common with the players on gameday! Except for of course the fact we can dress as warm as we want and seek warmth anytime we want!

[BelgradeBobcat]

UT Martin has gotta have few bumps and bruises after their big upset over Mo. State. I'd rather be playing UT Martin than EWU or SDSU on Saturday. Now we've got to show up and play.

[Catbacker_1]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

[ilovethecats]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

[60's Cat]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

[ilovethecats]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

Like what? There was like 1000 people at the game. Looked awful.

He asked for a normal gameday atmosphere. I pointed out we can’t do a normal gameday atmosphere thanks to ncaa. I don’t know what EWU did, but their atmosphere was abysmal.

[Catbacker_1]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

Exactly, there is no penalty in doing so. Let’s have our game day atmosphere.

[Catbacker_1]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

Like what? There was like 1000 people at the game. Looked awful.

He asked for a normal gameday atmosphere. I pointed out we can’t do a normal gameday atmosphere thanks to ncaa. I don’t know what EWU did, but their atmosphere was abysmal.

Music, announcer, the eagle scream after a first down. Their normal game day atmosphere. That’s all I’m looking for, keep it they way we always do it.

[AFCAT]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

Like what? There was like 1000 people at the game. Looked awful.

He asked for a normal gameday atmosphere. I pointed out we can’t do a normal gameday atmosphere thanks to ncaa. I don’t know what EWU did, but their atmosphere was abysmal.

Music, announcer, the eagle scream after a first down. Their normal game day atmosphere. That’s all I’m looking for, keep it they way we always do it.

The Cats can have the rodeo team perform as usual.

[ilovethecats]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

Like what? There was like 1000 people at the game. Looked awful.

He asked for a normal gameday atmosphere. I pointed out we can’t do a normal gameday atmosphere thanks to ncaa. I don’t know what EWU did, but their atmosphere was abysmal.

Music, announcer, the eagle scream after a first down. Their normal game day atmosphere. That’s all I’m looking for, keep it they way we always do it.

I think we still have the announcer and music right? I’m just saying the ncaa says what we can and can’t do.

I don’t think we want our atmosphere like EWU’s….

[Catbacker_1]

I hope that MSU rolls out the normal gameday experience and doesn’t clam up like it has in the past. Music, announcer, cat growl, etc. Home field advantage should be a true home field advantage.

Can’t do most of those things. Blame the NCAA

Seemed to be doing them at Cheney today.

Like what? There was like 1000 people at the game. Looked awful.

He asked for a normal gameday atmosphere. I pointed out we can’t do a normal gameday atmosphere thanks to ncaa. I don’t know what EWU did, but their atmosphere was abysmal.

Music, announcer, the eagle scream after a first down. Their normal game day atmosphere. That’s all I’m looking for, keep it they way we always do it.

I think we still have the announcer and music right? I’m just saying the ncaa says what we can and can’t do.

I don’t think we want our atmosphere like EWU’s….

I’m not to worried about that. We get more fans at the spring game then Eastern will see all season.

[imacat]

I think the biggest advantage is the week off. Cats were banged up.

[BleedingBLue]

The NCAA trying to take away home field advantage is just another over extension of power. The Cats still have a pretty good great day/game atmosphere and they cut music super early most of the time anyway so it's not a huge deal.

[onceacat]

I think the biggest advantage is the week off. Cats were banged up.

Week off, elevation, 14,000 fans, UTM dealing with injuries & a tough travel turnaround.

That’s a nice home field advantage for the Cats.