Montana 42-7 Cal Poly (November 2, 2024) Game Recap

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Junior Bergen returned a punt 84 yards for his Big Sky Conference-record sixth career touchdown, marking Montana's 42-7 victory over Cal Poly on Saturday.

The Grizzlies, ranked eighth in the FCS coaches poll, led 14-0 as Keali'i Ah Yat and Logan Fife threw touchdown passes in the first half. Late in the third quarter, Bergen hit the punt to the right marker and turned it left before racing down the sideline.

The Grizzlies (7-2, 4-1 Big Sky Conference) then used interceptions by Chrisshawn Gordon and Garrett Hustedt to gain short fields and two short touchdown plays to take a 35-0 lead. Eli Gillman had a 3-yard run and freshman lineman Lucas Freitas fell on a loose ball that Fife fumbled into the end zone.

Fife was 12 of 16 passing for 137 yards with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Keelan White. Ah Yah was 9 of 14 for 137 and a 24-yard touchdown to Xavier Harris.

Three quarterbacks combined to go 20 of 36 for 234 yards for the Mustangs (2-6, 1-4), with Richie Watts throwing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Alek Marshall. Je'Kob Jones was 13 of 28 for 147 with the two interceptions.

Fourth-seeded UC Davis (8-1) is in Montana next weekend.

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