College football: Might weather cool off SDSU halfback?

There's a pretty decent running back coming to Bozeman on Saturday, where Old Man Winter might greet him with the kind of chill that slows down a lot of folks.

"I'm a Minnesota boy and I've got some warm blood," said South Dakota State senior halfback Zach Zenner with a chuckle. "So I'll be just fine in the cold."

Zenner and the SDSU Jackrabbits meet Montana State's Bobcats Saturday afternoon at 2 in the first round of the FCS playoffs. It's a battle of 8-4 teams, and considering the frigid forecast it might just be survival of the fittest.

Zenner, a 6-foot, 220-pounder from Eagan, Minn., has certainly been a good fit at the Brookings, S.D., school. He's rushed for 6,163 yards, which ranks fourth in FCS history, while averaging 5.9 yards per carry and totaling 55 touchdowns.

After back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons in 2012 and 2013, Zenner has 1,634 this fall. That includes 193-yard efforts against Big Sky Conference member Cal Poly and Indiana State.

That's a few yards shy of his career high, by the way. Zenner ran for 295 yards against North Dakota in 2013, tying the school record he established against Eastern Illinois the year before.

Zenner has topped 100 yards in 30 SDSU games and has been over 200 yards seven times. His speed? Well, Zenner has TD runs of 99, 94, 88 and 87 yards in his career.

ZENNER SAID South Dakota State was his only NCAA Division I offer.

"I've been a part of some great teams and coaching staffs. It's been a great fit, both academically and athletically," he said. "It's been a great experience."

Jackrabbits' coach John Stiegelmeier said NFL scouts have told him Zenner will get a shot. Regardless, few connected with the SDSU will forget the All-American.

"He does more service projects on our campus than anyone else. He's just a phenomenal student-athlete," Stiegelmeier said. "And you can't define it, how good he is and how hard he works at everything he does."

SOUTH DAKOTA State also has a pretty decent quarterback.

Senior Austin Sumner, who has played only five games this season after suffering an injury in the season opener at Missouri, holds school records for yards passing (9,077), touchdown passes (91) and total offense (8,907).

Last week in the regular-season finale against coach Joe Glenn's South Dakota Coyotes, Sumner was 16-for-28 for 395 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

THE SAN DIEGO team that visits Missoula Saturday afternoon to tangle with the Montana Grizzlies would seem to be a heavy underdog.

But there is this: The Toreros are 1-0 in their history against Montana.

The teams haven't met since 1958, when San Diego defeated the Grizzlies 24-13.

IF THE TOREROS enjoy any success against Montana's superb defense, look for a pair of sophomores to be in the middle of it.

San Diego's offense features sophomore quarterback Keith Williams and sophomore halfback Jonah Hodges.

Williams has thrown for 2,093 yards and 21 touchdowns. He's also rushed for 188 yards.

Hodges, a 5-9, 185-pounder, averages 5.6 yards per carry and has rushed for 1,194 yards and six scores.

MONTANA is unbeaten at Washington-Grizzly Stadium this season, winning six in a row.

Montana is allowing an average of just 16 ppg at home on the year.

LED BY SUPERSTAR defensive end Zack Wagenmann, the Big Sky's Defensive Player of the Year, the Grizzlies led the Big Sky in scoring defense this season (20.2-point average).

Montana ranked second in total defense (373 ypg), second in rushing defense (150.4 ypg) and third in passing defense (222.9 ypg).

THE BIG SKY has sent three teams to the national playoffs for three years in a row.

This year, the Bobcats, Grizzlies and league champion Eastern Washington all qualified for the 24-team field.

In 29 of the last 31 years, the Big Sky has had at least two teams selected for the postseason.

Though EWU, MSU and UM have qualified many times for the playoffs, this is the first time they've all been selected the same year.