Northern Arizona has what many teams covet. The Lumberjacks have a league-leading run defense coupled with the top offense in the Big Sky Conference. And the potent offense is balanced to boot.

Sophomore Zach Bauman (119 rushing yards per game) is one of the most talented running backs in the conference. Junior quarterback Cary Grosshart leads the league in pass efficiency and is throwing for 255 yards per contest. A stonewall defensive line leads a defense that allows a league-low 109 rushing yards per outing. Senior defensive end Isaac Bond leads the league with five sacks and junior end Jarrett Bilbrey is right behind with 4.5.

With a team that seams complete in every aspect, how on earth are the Lumberjacks sitting in seventh place with a 1-2 BSC record?

"The timing of some of our mistakes have absolutely killed us," said Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks' 14th-year head coach. "There isn't any one in particular. There isn't one guy fumbling the ball. It's just been untimely."

Untimely like the Matt Myers potential game-winning 41-yard field goal attempt that was blocked by Portland State's Myles Wade with under a minute to go, resulting in a 31-29 PSU win. Untimely like an interception by Grossart with his team in the midst of a 13-play, 53-yard drive trailing 36-28 to Eastern Washington with under five minutes to play last week.

Before the interception, Grosshart was 27-for-33 for 302 yards. He finished 31-for-38 for 355 yards, two touchdowns and the interception, just his third of the season.

"When we get the offense rolling, we just have to continue to keep it rolling," Bauman said. "We've had too many penalties, too many turnovers. In these close losses, we've really been shooting ourselves in the foot without taking the ‘W' home."

Without the untimely misfortunes, Saturday's game between NAU and host No. 3 Montana State could very well be for first place in the Big Sky. Instead, the Lumberjacks will look to bounce the lone undefeated team in league.

If the past is any indication, recent history is on the Lumberjacks' side. NAU has won three out of four against MSU, including two straight in Bozeman. The Lumberjacks also gave the ‘Cats their lone league blemish during MSU's run last year's to the league title. NAU blasted the Bobcats 34-7 in Flagstaff, Ariz.

"That loss was a team effort; we didn't play very well on either side of the ball and Northern Arizona was the exact opposite. They played a magnificent game, they had a great plan, they executed well," said MSU head coach Rob Ash. "We basically have to put it out of our minds. We have to build on this year, what we've done, go execute our plan and realize we are playing a real good football team."

A season ago, NAU threw a wrench into an MSU offensive machine that rolled through the rest of the league. The Jacks limited the Cats to 123 yards of total offense. Take away the NAU game and MSU averaged 492 yards per game in conference play. In other words, the MSU offense has some added initiative to perform well Saturday.

"This game is bigger than just last year," said senior wide receiver Elvis Akpla, who has touchdowns in five straight games. "It's big in the sense that they are the next opponent. It's big in the sense that we are always trying to improve on offense every week. Last year is just extra incentive to play really well. We didn't have our best showing so we want to make sure we do well. But it's more important to get the win in general because it's about this season. Last year is over."

To look at the stat sheet shows a pair of teams that seem to be evenly matched. That is, until one looks at turnovers. MSU is second in the league with a plus-2 turnover margin. NAU is dead last with a negative-4. Although Grosshart has thrown just three interceptions, the Lumberjacks have fumbled 12 times, losing eight.

"There isn't anything more important in the game of football than turnover margin," Ash said. "Our offense has to protect the ball, our defense has to take it away. Everyone that plays the game knows that and says that. It's a matter of who does it on Saturday that is probably going to win."

"Offensively, they are productive without turning the football over," Souers said. "It's the model everyone is trying to get in their program and they are doing better than we are right now."

A week ago, MSU was faced with the task of slowing down PSU's pistol rushing attack. The Bobcats limited the Vikings to 100 yards less than their season average. Now MSU must limit an NAU attack that can run the ball (175 yards per game) and throw it (255 yards per game) with equal success. NAU's 460 total yards per game are first in the Big Sky.

"It seems like we play the top offense in the league every week," said MSU middle linebacker Clay Bignell. "Really, it's amazing. We come off of Portland State and you look at NAU, see their record, then you really start looking at NAU and realize wow, they are good."

Bauman, an all-league performer as a freshman in 2010, is again lighting up the league. His 119 rushing yards per game trail only PSU running back Cory McCaffrey. Bauman has six touchdowns. His ability to keep defenses honest makes a passing filled with short passes and crossing routes that much more effective.

"The short passing game opens up a lot for running backs, keeping the linebackers honest and making sure the safeties can't fly down into the box," Bauman said. "We have a great passing attack that a lot of people can't stop as well as a great running attack. We want to keep the defense honest."

"Their short passing game is about as good as anyone's in the conference with all the dinks and dunks and the screens and the flash plays and the short crossing routes," Ash said. "They do a tremendous job with that and they make you expand, which then gives them alleys to run the football."

If MSU looks to extend its five-game winning streak, the second-best in the Football Championship Subdivision, it will have to slow down yet another high-powered offense. Such is life in the Big Sky Conference.

"It's great, we love it," Bignell said. "We'd like to play the best offense every week because we know we are going to get their best and we know we are going to bring our best."

‘Cat Tracks: Four teams (NAU, PSU, Weber State and MSU) are averaging more than 400 yards of total offense per game this season... NAU's 16 sacks rank third in the league. MSU's 18 lead the Big Sky... Northern Arizona leads the FCS with a 30.7 yard-per-return average on kick returns this season... Souers, the 1999 BSC Coach of the Year, is the longest-tenured coach in the league. He is 74-78 overall, 43-51 in league play in this, his 14th season at NAU... Ash's teams are 33-4 when scoring at least 20 points, 21-0 when scoring 30 or more... MSU is averaging 37.3 points and 489.1 yards in its three home games this season.