SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — What seemed like a weakness earlier in the year has become a key storyline in the second half of Montana’s football season.
The Grizzlies’ defense played another stout game Saturday — and Junior Bergen provided a spark in the return game — in helping No. 8-ranked UM to a 42-7 Big Sky victory at Cal Poly at Mustang Memorial Field
The Griz went through a stretch earlier in the year when their defense seemed to get progressively worse, surrendering 35 points to Western Carolina, 49 to Eastern Washington and 55 to Weber State.
But Montana extended its shutout streak to eight quarters before finally surrendering a touchdown to Cal Poly in the later stages of Saturday’s game.
Defensively, Montana limited the Mustangs to 297 yards of total offense and just 63 net rushing yards.
Griz QB Logan Fife threw his first interception of the year on the game’s first possession, but it was no harm, no foul because UM found the end zone on its next time out.
That first scoring drive went for 11 plays and 75 yards and featured a good balance of run and pass. It finished with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Ah Yat to Xavier Harris and a 7-0 Griz lead with 5:13 left in the opening quarter.
On two occasions in the first half, Cal Poly’s offense ventured inside Montana’s 30-yard line but both times the Grizzlies didn’t break.
Jaxon Lee forced a fumble that was recovered by Trevin Gradney to snuff out one Mustangs drive at the 21, and another ended when a fourth-and-11 pass by QB Jade Jones from the 27-yard line fell incomplete in the end zone.
On the heels of those two stops, Keelan White added to the Grizzlies’ lead with a spectacular touchdown catch.
On a third-and-5 play, Fife lofted a ball over the top toward White, who was streaking toward the end zone. The ball was high, but White deflected it with his left hand, then corralled it as he fell into the end zone for a 21-yard TD grab.
That gave the Grizzlies a 14-0 advantage, which they took into the locker room at halftime.
In the third quarter, Montana’s Tyson Rostad blasted Cal Poly QB Bo Kelly, forcing a fumble that Rostad recovered on the Mustangs’ 16-yard line. But Rostad was called for targeting and the play was nullified and Rostad was disqualified.
Cal Poly remained in striking distance, but Montana returner Junior Bergen gave the Grizzlies a 21-0 lead with an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown with 2:49 left in the third. It was the record-setter’s first return for a TD this season.
After that, Montana’s Garrett Hustedt intercepted Mustangs quarterback Jaden Jones and returned in 29 yards to the Cal Poly 17. That set up a 3-yard TD run by Eli Gillman and a 28-0 Griz advantage.
UM’s Chrishawn Gordon made a diving interception of a Jones pass early in the fourth quarter. The Griz shortly thereafter tacked on another touchdown when offensive lineman Lucas Freitas recovered a Logan Fife fumble in the end zone.
Montana’s defense gave up its first score since the third quarter of a 31-20 win over Northern Arizona on Oct. 12 when Cal Poly’s Richie Watts hit Jake Woods with a 14-yard touchdown pass with 6:11 remaining.
Stevie Rocker Jr. added a short touchdown run for the Grizzlies in the final moments.
Turning point: Bergen had been held in check throughout the season in the punt return game but the sleeping giant was awoken in the third quarter, as he fielded a Ryan Collins punt, broke left, followed his blocks down the sideline and scored for an 84-yard TD and a three-score lead.
It was Bergen’s sixth punt return for a touchdown in his career, a continuation of his school record and a new Big Sky Conference record previously held by Montana State’s Corey Smith.
Stat of the game: Montana’s defense dominated in several facets. The Grizzlies had four quarterback sacks, 11 tackles for loss and three total takeaways, and held Cal Poly to 5 for 18 on third downs and 1 for 4 on fourth downs.
Grizzly game balls: WR Keelan White (Offense). With the running game not able to gain momentum, White helped ignite the passing game with six catches for 73 yards and his impressive touchdown catch in the second quarter.
DL Henry Nuce (Defense). So many to choose from, but Nuce played a great game from his interior line position with three tackles a sack, two tackles for loss and a ball batted down at the line of scrimmage.
PR Junior Bergen (Special teams). Bergen only had four punt returns all season entering Saturday, and averaged only 5.5 yards on those attempts. But he broke out against Cal Poly to give the Grizzlies all the momentum they needed.
What’s next: With the win, Montana improved to 7-2 overall and to 4-1 in the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies return home next week for the first time since Oct. 12, and will face a stiff test against surging UC Davis. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. next Saturday and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
The Aggies, after a 59-7 victory over Northern Colorado on Saturday, are 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big Sky and in a tie with Montana State for first place in the league standings.
The Griz own the all-time season series over UC Davis by a 9-1 count. The Aggies beat UM the last time the teams tussled in Missoula in 2018.
