MISSOULA -- Marcus Knight and Samori Toure both set new records and the Montana Grizzlies blew out Southeastern Louisiana 73-28 on Saturday afternoon at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Toure caught 12 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns which set a new school record in single-game receiving yards for UM. According to UM sports information, that 303-yard mark also set a new FCS playoff game record, which was previously 288 yards and was held by Randy Moss of Marshall in 1996.
Knight, meanwhile, scored four touchdowns - three on the ground, one receiving - to set Montana's single-season touchdown record with 25 total, as well as a new mark of 23 rushing touchdowns on the season.
Quarterback Dalton Sneed finished the game 29 for 45 for 459 yards and five touchdowns. Knight ran the ball 16 times for 75 yards.
Southeastern Louisiana scored first, using an 11-play drive before Chason Virgil found Javon Conner for a 29-yard score. But Montana responded immediately as Sneed hit Toure on the first play from scrimmage for a 62-yard score.
Montana took a 38-21 lead into halftime before running away in the second half.
TURNING POINT: Sneed's 62-yard touchdown pass to Toure on Montana's first play from scrimmage. SLU was coming off of a 75-yard, 11-play drive that used the first 5 minutes, 33 seconds of the game. That response set the ton for Montana's offense which put up 600 total yards on the day.
STAT OF THE GAME: Toure's 303 yards set a new FCS playoff game record as he shredded SLU's defense. The previous Montana school record for single-game receiving yards was 279 which was set by Joe Douglass in 1996. Also, Knight's four touchdowns to set a new single-season scoring mark of 25 touchdowns stood out. His 23 rushing touchdowns this season also set a new school record.
GAME BALLS: Toure, Sneed, Knight and Dante Olson. With Toure and Knight setting new records, Sneed's ability to dictate the offense made life difficult for the Lion defense as Montana could do no wrong on that side of the ball. Olson finished with 13 total tackles including a sack as Montana's defense held SLU to just seven second-half points.
WHAT'S NEXT: Montana will get a rematch with Weber State next week in the FCS quarterfinals. Weber State topped Kennesaw State 26-20 on Saturday. When the two teams met back in November, Montana beat Weber State 35-16 in Missoula. Next week's game will be in Ogden, Utah.
