For a fleeting moment Saturday, it appeared Montana made the response it needed with its postseason hopes on the line. Then just as fast as they appeared reaffirmed, those hopes were likely dashed in an historic loss in Greeley, Colorado.
For the first time since 1984, Montana finished the Big Sky Conference season without a road win thanks to a 28-25 loss at Northern Colorado that likely ensured Montana’s season will end following next week’s regular-season finale in Missoula. At 6-4 overall, 3-4 in the Big Sky, the Grizzlies’ postseason chances were marginalized by early mistakes and inability to make plays in crucial situations.
Seven times Montana drove inside Northern Colorado’s 20-yard line, but managed just three touchdowns. There were questionable play calls and dropped passes that stifled those opportunities. There was a field goal, a turnover and missed kicks that preserved the Bears’ lead.
What there was not enough of were the points Montana needed to overcome an early 14-0 deficit. By the time the final seconds ticked off at Nottingham Field, Montana was staring down the barrel of an insignificant final week played against its fiercest rival, hoping for an unpredictable turn of events that could prolong its season.
But with the four road losses and a spot in the middle of the Big Sky standings, that seems like an improbable scenario.
“It’s very upsetting to not get the win because we had a lot of opportunities to get points on the board and stop people,” coach Bob Stitt said. “It’s one of those things that’s really tough to stomach.”
Montana came into Greeley on the winning side of every matchup between the two schools in last four decades. But after Northern Colorado scored on a 58-yard pass from Kyle Sloter to Hakeem Deggs on its fourth play and then added a touchdown on a blocked punt, that streak looked in doubt.
Hours later, it was over. Northern Colorado took three knees then benefitted from a personal foul on UM senior captain Caleb Kidder that continued their final possession until the clock hit 0:00. Saturday’s win over 18th-ranked Montana was just the Bears’ 18th against a conference opponent and 30th as a Division I program since joining the Big Sky in 2006. The win, UNC’s first over Montana since 1976, pushes Northern Colorado to 6-4 overall, ensuring a second straight winning season after winning just 18 games its first nine years in the league. UNC is 4-3 in league play with a game at Cal Poly remaining on its schedule.
“I’m just thrilled for our kids, nothing else really matters,” UNC fifth-year head coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. “Last week they were hurting walking off that field because they felt they should have gotten that one (a 23-13 loss to North Dakota). I’m just proud of this team. This is one of those wins that can be a benchmark for your program to keep moving forward. You name it, it was awesome to sit and watch the game today from the defense being patient – making them (Montana) go methodically down the field, to the offense coming out and getting some points on the board right away. Just to see the smiles on the kids’ faces after the game is why I do this job. It was just an awesome day all the way around. “
Montana, which dominated the ball, running 90 plays, had plenty of opportunities.
Facing the 14-0 deficit, the Griz reached the Northern Colorado 2-yard line on its next drive. But a negative run and two incomplete passes forced a 22-yard Tim Semenza field goal, his 13th of the year. Montana then received a fumble on at midfield, but managed just three plays before Eric Williams came on for a punt.
Montana then moved the ball down to the Bears’ 10. Facing third-and-4, Z receiver James Homan came on a fly motion, but bobbled the reverse handoff from quarterback Chad Chalich. The ball bounced right into the belly Mikhail Dubose, ending another Griz threat.
“It really sets them up for their defense, the way they are going to play because hey aren’t going to give you big shots, you’re going to have to earn it,” Stitt said of the early deficit. “We said it before the game, we don’t want to play from behind and before we can turn it around we’re down two scores.”
After the defense continued to bottle up Northern Colorado’s resurgent offense, the Griz strung together eight straight runs, methodically moving to the UNC 3. But the offense could move no further and Stitt brought in Semenza for a chip-shot field goal that was blocked.
Montana got the ball back with 2 minutes on the clock in the first half, driving 75 yards to the UNC 5, but again failed to get into the end zone. Chalich, who was coming off a school-record eight-touchdown performance in a win over Idaho State and was starting in place of the injured senior Brady Gustafson for a second straight week, had a pass go through the hands of H-receiver Colin Bingham and then overthrew Keenan Curran.
“We’ve got to find a way to get our young guys to get ready to go and win a ball game on the road,” Stitt said. “We play completely different on the road than at home.”
A field goal ensued as the offensive frustrations carried over into the second half. It wasn’t until Darius Graham ripped off a 38-yard touchdown run through the heart of Montana’s defense to put UNC up 21-12 that the Griz offense was able to string together consecutive touchdown drives.
Montana put together a 12-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with Joey Counts’ 2-yard run to trim the deficit to 21-19. Montana then took its first lead when it turned a Justin Strong interception into a 50-yard play that ended on Chalich’s 2-yard scamper.
Facing third down, something Montana had to solve 22 times on Saturday, Stitt brought in his jumbo package. With Caleb Kidder, Bingham and Counts in the backfield, Chalich faked the handoff to Counts then went around the end untouched into the end zone.
To that point, Chalich seemed to have difficulties finding the weak spots in Northern Colorado’s defense. Stitt said coming into the game that the Bears often changed up their looks throughout the season. The 3-3-5 scheme they showed Saturday kept the lid on a Montana offense coming off a 62-point showing just seven days earlier. Montana’s longest play of the game was a 40-yard highlight from Jerry Louie-McGee that started with a short pass on one side of the field and ended with a long and winding run on the other side.
But as soon as the offense appeared to have life, UNC recaptured the lead on a 5-yard pass from Kyle Sloter to Theron Verna that put UNC ahead 28-25.
Montana again drove to midfield, but Chalich’s fourth-down pass to continue the drive, and presumably the Grizzlies’ playoff chances, fell incomplete.
“I don’t know what to say,” Stitt said. “We had our chances, and it is really disheartening that we don’t come away with a win on the road.”
The Grizzlies will play their final regular season game of the year next week, hosting Montana State in the 116th Cat-Griz game.
