Montana Grizzly Football flies first class over Cal Poly Mustangs

A lack of discipline and a lackluster offense at times left fans uneasy.

The University of Montana Grizzlies overcame a host of heavy penalties and a nonexistent running game with two explosive plays late in the third quarter, one on special teams and one on defense, to overcome a Cal Poly team whose defense kept them going for long stretches almost three quarters of the game. Then the wheels came off and the Griz defeated the Mustangs 42-7 on Saturday afternoon in San Luis Obispo, California. Although the athleticism may be questionable, the Griz desperately wanted running back Stevie Rocker to score his first career touchdown in the final minute. .

The Griz offense immediately struggled with an interception by quarterback Logan Fife on their first series. But the defense stiffened, as it did most of the game. Later in the first quarter, a touchdown pass from Keali'i Ah Yat to Xavier Harris made it 7-0.

In the second quarter, a spectacular catch by Keelan White against Logan Fife extended the lead to 14-0, where it stood at halftime. Then came a long, uninspiring period for the Grizzly offense.

It was late in the third quarter when the Griz forced a punt. Junior Bergen picked up the ball at his own 16-yard line. 84 yards later, Bergen's outstanding skills made it 21-0.

On Cal Poly's next possession, an interception by Garret Hustedt gave the Griz the ball right back at the Mustang 17. A few plays later, running back Eli Gillman's 3-yard touchdown run made it 28-0 and the route was open .

With an opponent depleted, Montana scored another touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The only drama left in the game was whether the Griz would be able to hold a second consecutive opponent scoreless.

But another major pass interference penalty forced Cal Poly to keep the ball inside the 20-yard line. The Mustangs rallied after the Griz's final error to make it 35-7, not a second straight shutout. This ended a 139-minute scoreless streak for the Grizzly defense.

Montana's 10 penalties for 132 yards were a major source of frustration, but were never really factored into the overall performance.

The Griz return home to face fourth-seeded UC Davis, which defeated Northern Colrado 59-7 on Saturday afternoon. Take a nap, Griz Nation! Kick-off on Saturday evening, November 9th, at 8:15 p.m.