Given the overall success of the Montana Grizzlies over the last 30+ years and given head coach Bobby Hauck’s success in the Big Sky Conference, it was stunning to hear on the Scripps Sports broadcast on Saturday afternoon that UM had only one win in its last six matchups against Weber State.
Last season’s 55-48 overtime Wildcats’ victory in Missoula seemed like an anomaly last season, especially after the Wildcats lost to winless Northern Colorado to help the Bears snap their 18-game losing streak the very next week last fall.
And after Saturday’s cruise control victory in Ogden, Montana’s first at Stewart Stadium since 2012 and just the second since 2006, that recent string of success for Weber State over the Griz also seemed like a thing of the distant past.
Montana’s electric offense stayed red-hot on Saturday afternoon despite Weber doing its damndest to eliminate super star slash Michael Wortham a week after the versatile play-maker had 238 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns in UM’s 49-35 win over Sac State.
With the Wildcats keying on Wortham, Eli Gillman feasted in the run game, rolling up 122 yards to surpass 3,000 for his career and approach 1,000 just nine games into his senior season.
And despite not being as efficient in the passing game, Keali’i Ah Yat continued to show composure, swagger, confidence and the ability to dice defenses with his explosive arm. Brian Bohanon had a breakout day, catching three passes for a career-high 131 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown that helped Montana break the game open.
And when Ah Yat waltzed into the end-zone untouched on a zone-read keeper to put Montana up 21-3 before the first quarter was finished, the Griz shifted into cruise control, coasting to their ninth straight victory, 38-17 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Ogden.
“Winning is hard, losing is easy. All you have to do is give in. Our guys came and took this game. We started fast. It’s never academic, but our guys were not going to give in enough to let Weber get back into it,” Montana head coach Bobby Hauck.
“I told them it’s a sign of a championship team when you’re up by three touchdowns at halftime and the head coach is just ripping you. It was good. When you look at what’s going on around FCS football right now, be advised. Good teams can get beat.”
Boy, do they ever. In the Big Sky, No. 6 UC Davis lost 38-36 to Idaho State. No. 19 Northern Arizona lost 35-32 in overtime to Idaho. And winless Portland State beat Cal Poly 40-35 to move to no longer winless.
Outside of the Big Sky, No. 1 North Dakota State had to hold on for a 38-30 win over No. 18 Youngstown State. No. 4 South Dakota State lost for the second week in a row, falling 24-12 to Indiana State. No. 8 North Dakota fell 26-21 to resurgent South Dakota.
And outside the FCS Power 2 conferences, unranked Abilene Christian knocked off undefeated and No. 2 Tarleton State 31-28.
“It’s pandemonium,” Hauck said on his post-game interview on the Grizzly Radio Network. “Anybody can beat anybody. That’s the way college football is right now. However, when you prepare and lock in like these guys do, it’s harder, and I’m appreciative of our players, especially on the offensive side of the ball.”
Montana’s spurt to a 28-3 lead set the pace for UM’s ninth straight win.
I just think it was great on offense,” Hauck said. “Our quarterback was good, as usual. Our running game was terrific early on When they started ganging up on us a bit at the end, we weren’t finding as much, but it was a pretty good offensive performance. Over 500 yards of offense, 38 points on the board.
“We got that 28-3 lead and then we pulled off a little bit.”
Defensively Montana logged two turnovers, an interception and a fumble on WSU’s first play of the game that jumpstarted the Grizzly scoring. Clay Oven led UM in tackles with six, but seven other Grizzlies logged four-plus tackles, with Hayden Schwartz logging the only sack of the day.
Montana’s rush defense held Weber in check, notching the second week in a row the Griz defense has limited a prolific running game.
“They had just a little over 100 yards rushing and couldn’t run the ball on us,” Hauck said. “They got some of their yards at the end with the young kids in, but when they can’t run it successfully, they’re going to have a hard time beating the Grizzlies.”
Montana jumped offsides an inordinate amount in the first half and gave u pa field goal before halftime to go into the break with a 31-10 lead.
“I was hot at halftime that their field goal drive and their touchdown drive in the first half were because we couldn’t stay onside, and that really had me fired up. But we settled in,” Hauck said. “We played well. We gave up seven in the second half, but wanted a second half shutout. We didn’t get it, but, again, everybody played. We have a bunch in that second group that hasn’t played a lot of college football and we’re going to keep bringing them along.”
Most of the most important action happened in the first half, but the most beneficial action might’ve taken place in the second half. Montana played almost everyone that traveled to Ogden in cruising to yet another win.
Hauck moved to 43-10 all-time during his 14 seasons leading the Griz.
“I anticipate that we’re going to hit our stride here,” Hauck said. “I want us to roar into November and be a well-drilled, well-oiled machine like team as we get into the next three weeks.”
