Big Sky Conference

Huskies overwhelm Griz, crush Montana in Seattle

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Editor’s Note: Blake Hempstead attended Montana’s game at No. 7 Washington, providing reporting and the photos printed in this story. His work can be found at copperheadcountry.org.

SEATTLE — A few in attendance deemed the physicality of the Huskies frightening. Playing against the highest ranked foe they have faced in the modern generation, the Montana Grizzlies hardly had a chance.

UM sophomore safety Josh Sandry stepped in front of a Jake Browning throw 10 minutes into the game, intercepted it and raced into the end-zone for a 36-yard touchdown. The Big Fork native’s first pick-six tied the action at Husky Stadium against No. 7 Washington at 7-7.

Then the hosts avalanched the Griz on a picturesque evening in the Emerald City.

Washington scored 56 consecutive points, scoring 63 points on just 65 offensive plays. Led by Montana-bred tight end Will Dissly, the Huskies offense marched up and down the field at will. Against Washington’s fierce defense packed with future NFL draft picks, Montana managed to possess the ball for nearly 30 minutes.

But the swarming defensive Dawgs notched five sacks, held UM to less than one yard per rush and kept the Griz behind the sticks the entire evening in a 63-7 rout in front of 68,491 in Seattle Saturday evening.

Montana head coach Bob Stitt on the Husky Stadium sideline in Seattle/ by Blake Hempstead, for Skyline Sports

Montana head coach Bob Stitt on the Husky Stadium sideline in Seattle

“They’re as advertised,” head coach Bob Stitt said. “They’re a very, very good football team. In a game like this, you have your opportunities to do your things early. Their athleticism and size and power hurt you as the game goes on, and then it’s a little bit of a snowball effect.”

Following Sandry’s game-tying touchdown, Washington scored twice in the final five minutes of the first frame. Running back Myles Gaskin’s four-yard touchdown run capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive. Nintey-two seconds later, UW forced a 3-and-out, Montana punted and Dante Pettis did what he does better than anyone in Pac 12 history.

With zeroes reading on the first quarter clock, the senior All-American took the punt 66 yards for a touchdown, the seventh of his illustrious career. That return broke former Cal star and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter DeShaun Jackson’s Pac 12 record for punt return touchdowns in a career.

Montana’s offense managed to cross midfield three times in the first half and just four times overall. The Griz mustered 163 yards of total offense, including 31 rushing yards on 33 carries. Washington notched 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and Montana averaged 2.5 yards per play.

Washington tight end Will Dissly (No. 98), a Bozeman native, had a career day against Montana/ by Blake Hempstead

Washington tight end Will Dissly (No. 98), a Bozeman native, had a career day against Montana

That defensive dominance opened the door for the Huskies to pile up 35 first-half points, including the first of two Dissly touchdowns, scoring grabs that marked the second and third TD catches of the tight end’s career. The former Montana Gatorade Player of the Year who prepped at Bozeman High set career-highs with five catches, 79 yards and the two scores. The first touchdown from 20 yards out capped a five-play, 80-yard drive that took just 44 seconds. Dissly’s second score came from three yards out and started what would become a 28-point second half for the reigning Pac 12 champions.

“I was fortunate enough to get the ball in my hands and make some plays,” Dissly said. “Montana tried to take Dante Pettis away and we happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Dissly’s second score of the day also capped a six-play, 34-yard drive set up by Sean Constantine’s interception of a Reese Phillips pass. A week after throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns in UM’s 45-23 win over Valparaiso, Montana’s senior quarterback completed 17-of-28 passes for 123 yards. He was intercepted twice in as many possessions in the third quarter.

Montana quarterback Reese Phillips/ by Blake Hempstead

Montana quarterback Reese Phillips

Three minutes after Dissly’s second touchdown, Jomon Dotson snared a Phillips pass and raced 68 yards the other way for a touchdown. That score gave UW a 49-7 lead, covering the point spread of 39.5 and putting the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. Phillips hit sophomore Jerry Louie-McGee for a 47-yard touchdown but the play was called back because of an ineligible man down field.

UW backups, including quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels and heralded freshman running back Salvon Ahmed, last season’s No. 1 overall recruit in the country. Ahmed’s one-yard touchdown gave UW a 56-7 lead. Sean McGrew’s three-yard touchdown run capped the scoring with six minutes to play.

Montana’s defense forced two punts Saturday. The other two Griz stops came on Sandry’s interception and a blocked field goal by UM defensive tackle David Shaw. Senior defensive end Tucker Schye notched two tackles for loss while backups Cy Sirmon and Randy Rodriguez had tackles for loss when the outcome was out of reach. Senior safety Justin Strong, a former Oregon State Beaver, led the Griz with nine tackles. Sandry chipped in eight stops.

Browning, UW’s talented junior quarterback, was 22-of-26 for 259 yards for two touchdowns, in addition to another rushing score. Browning finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2016.

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Montana senior defensive end Tucker Schye chases down Washington’s Chico McClatcher

“We couldn’t get any pressure on their quarterback,” Stitt said. “He could stand back there forever and made some great decisions with the ball.

The loss drops Montana to 1-1. The Griz return home for the first of two straight home games to wrap up their non-conference schedule Saturday against Savannah State.

“We have a different locker room than we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Stitt said. “This team really enjoys each other and cares about each other, and we’re going to get stronger from this. We’ve got a good football team.”

Photos by Blake Hempstead, who also contributed to the reporting of this storyAll Rights Reserved.

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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