Weber shocks Grizzlies
10/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
The University of Montana???s 25-game regular season winning streak came to an end when the Weber State Wildcats upset the fourth ranked Grizzlies 45-28 in rainy Ogden, Utah.
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Montana was unable to overcome their four lost turnovers ??? two fumbles and two interceptions ??? and seven Wildcat defensive sacks to continue their win streak.
With less than 12 minutes left in the game, Montana brought the game within reach at 28-38 on a five-yard touchdown catch by receiver Mike Ferriter, but Weber State put the game out of reach on the ensuing drive with 8:41 left in the game when quarterback Cameron Higgins connected with Bryant Eteuati to give the Wildcats their largest and final lead of the game.
Montana quarterback Cole Bergquist completed 14-of-26 passes for 273 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Receiver Tyler Palmer caught four passes for 115 yards and one touchdown.??
Weber State???s sophomore quarterback Higgins threw for 237 yards on 21-of-30 passes. He threw four touchdowns to three different receivers and one interception. Sophomore receiver Mike Phillips caught three balls for 39 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow sophomore Bryant Eteuati caught seven passes for 74 yards and one touchdown.
A 15-yard defensive pass interference penalty against Weber State and a Rob Schulte 18-yard direct-snap run, set up the first score of the game. Montana runningback Chase Reynolds finished the drive on a 10-yard rush.
The Wildcats put their first points on the board when kicker Jon Williams made a 42-yard field goal with 6:07 left in the first quarter.
Montana???s next drive ended in a turnover when H-Back Kevin Kloboe???s first rush resulted in a fumble that was recovered by Scotty Goodloe giving the Wildcat???s great field position on Montana???s 34-yard line.
A holding penalty against Weber State wiped out an 11-yard rushing touchdown. The next play, on 2n-and-20, Higgins took a shot at the endzone, but Montana defensive back Shann Schillinger intercepted the pass in the back of the endzone.
Montana???s offense made the most of the turnover when, on third-and-long, Bergquist lofted a pass deep down the field where junior receiver Tyler Palmer came up with the ball and ran it in the rest of the way for a 75-yard touchdown catch to put the Grizzlies up 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Weber State fired back early in the second quarter when Higgins connected with Phillips for a 28-yard touchdown catch who just got one foot down before going out of bounds making the score 10-14.
The Grizzlies then put together a six-play, 52-yard scoring drive. Bergquist, on a quarterback keeper, ran it in from 7 yards out to extend Montana???s lead to 21-10.
The Wildcats returned the ensuing kickoff to Montana???s 30-yard line. The first play of the drive resulted in a touchdown when Higgins connected with Smith who dove into the endzone for the 30-yard touchdown catch, 17-21.
On Montana???s next drive, Bergquist???s first pass was picked off by Terrell Cloud and returned to Montana???s 26-yard line. Weber State capitalized on the turnover when backup quarterback Brandon Doyle took the quarterback keeper up the middle and into the endzone for the 20-yard touchdown run to give the Wildcats their first lead of the game at 24-21 with 6:23 left in the first half.
Weber State finished out the first half with an 11-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that took 5:04 off the clock. Higgins connected with Phillips for an eight-yard touchdown catch with just 15 seconds left in the first half extending their lead to 31-21 going into halftime.
Montana???s offense wasn???t able to overcome Weber State???s three sacks on their first drive of the second half. The Griz, despite converting a risky fake punt on fourth-and-two on their own 29-yard line, were forced to give the ball back to the potent Wildcat offense with 4:01 left in the third quarter.
The first play of the fourth quarter was disastrous for the Grizzlies when Bergquist lateralled to Kloboe who fumbled for the second time in the game. Scotty Goodloe picked up the fumble and returned it to Montana???s five-yard line. Two plays later, Smith ran it in from five yards out to put the Wildcats up 38-21.
Montana, down by 17 with 11:44 left in the fourth quarter went for it on a 4th-and -11 from the Wildcat 34-yardline. Bergquist was able to connect with Mariani for a 19-yard catch to keep the drive going. Three plays later, Ferriter caught a five-yard touchdown pass to bring the Griz within ten at 28-38.
Higgins put the game out of reach for the Grizzlies when he connected with Eteuati on a 28-yard touchdown catch giving the Wildcats a 45-28 lead with 8:41 left on the game clock.??
Beau Hedley squashed any chance for the Griz to make a late comeback when he intercepted Bergquist with less than six minutes left in the game
Montana is 0-1 in the Big Sky Conference and 4-1 overall. The Grizzlies take on Eastern Washington in Cheney, Washington. Kickoff is slated for a 3:05 kickoff time.
