MISSOULA — It was another nip-and-tuck game Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, and Montana fought back against Northern Arizona to get back into the win column with a much-needed victory.
Logan Fife threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Junior Bergen in the fourth quarter to give the 14th-ranked Grizzlies their first lead and then UM’s defense stopped NAU on a key fourth down on the way to a 31-20 over the No. 24-ranked Lumberjacks in front of 26,229 fans.
PHOTOS: NO. 14 MONTANA BOUNCES BACK WITH 31-20 WIN OVER NO. 24 NORTHERN ARIZONA
Montana’s defense, much maligned in the past two weeks, did a better job limiting big plays from an NAU offense that was quarterbacked by third-stringer P.J. London.
Despite this, the Lumberjacks used an array of play-action rollout throws and Wildcat runs to keep the Grizzlies off balance and stay in the lead for most of the game.
But the only score that matters is the one at the end of the game, and the Grizzlies survived what was a defensive battle between Big Sky rivals.
Montana’s defense got a three-and-out to start the game — a good sign — but NAU scored a defensive touchdown on UM’s first offensive possession when Alex McLaughlin forced a fumble from Logan Fife on fourth-and-1 and the ball was scooped up by Brandon Wong for a 45-yard fumble return and a 7-0 Lumberjacks lead.
The Grizzlies got the ball back and marched deep into NAU territory, getting on the scoreboard with a 21-yard field goal by Ty Morrison.
Later, a roughing-the-punter penalty on Montana’s Ian Finch gave the Lumberjacks life, and they ended up with first-and-goal from the 2. But UM’s defense didn’t break.
After a false start penalty and a subsequent sack by Riley Wilson, NAU settled for a 33-yard field goal by Marcus Lye for a 10-3 lead with 11:05 left in the second quarter. Lye later tacked on a 24-yarder with 1:59 after the Griz again held up in the red zone, putting NAU up 13-3 at intermission.
At the start of the second half the Grizzlies marched down the field on an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown sneak by Fife to pull UM within 13-10.
But that momentum disappeared immediately as Kolbe Katsis took a push pass from London 88 yards for a touchdown on the very next play. The Lumberjacks lined up in an unconventional, unbalanced formation, and Katsis swept in motion, caught the ball from London and cut up the field through Montana’s defense to make the score 20-10.
The Grizzlies, though, came right back — thanks in part to a crucial personal-foul penalty called on NAU's Tim Williams — to get back within 20-17 on another 1-yard touchdown run by Fife.
After that, NAU got into field goal range again but this time Lye was wide left on a 47-yarder. Montana was able to eventually grab its first lead of the game at 24-20 on Fife’s 11-yard toss to Bergen with 6:13 left.
Montana’s defense stopped NAU on a fourth-and-2 play later in the fourth quarter as a London pass landed incomplete, and then Fife scored his third rushing touchdown of the game for a 31-20 lead. The Grizzlies sealed the game when Ronald Jackson forced a fumble from London that was recovered by Jaxon Lee.
Turning point: Trailing 20-10 in the third quarter, Fife threw a third-down pass that sailed incomplete out of bounds. But the Lumberjacks were called for a personal foul as Williams hit intended receiver Eli Gillman along the boundary.
With a new set of downs, the Grizzlies took advantage and found the end zone as Fife ran around the right side for a 1-yard touchdown run to pull Montana within 20-17 with 5:34 left in the third.
Lye then misfired on his 47-yard field goal try on NAU’s next possession and Montana was in position to go in front in the fourth quarter.
Stat of the game: Montana’s defense needed a bounce-back performance, and they got it on Saturday. The Grizzlies had given up 104 points and 1,092 total yards in their previous two games but held NAU to 306 total yards and 16 total first downs.
Grizzly game balls: RBs Eli Gillman and Nick Ostmo (Offense). Gillman and Ostmo grinded for hard-earned yards all day, including in the fourth quarter. Gillman rushed 14 times for 76 yards and Ostmo had 15 attempts for 73 yards.
LB Riley Wilson (Defense). Wilson had another big game from his linebacker spot, racking up nine total tackles with a quarterback sack as the Grizzlies defense rebounded.
What's next: It will be a while now before the Grizzlies — now 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Sky — play in front of their home fans. Next Saturday will serve as Montana’s bye week, and then UM will play two consecutive games on the road.
The first of those will be a game in Greeley, Colo., against lowly Northern Colorado on Oct. 26. The following week the Grizzlies will visit Cal Poly.
