Grizzlies outlast Central Washington, 38-35
9/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
The University of Montana football team improved to 4-0 overall with a 38-35 home win over Central Washington on Saturday afternoon in front of 25,326 spectators at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.
The fourth-ranked Grizzlies, playing in their final regular-season non-conference matchup, rallied back from an early 14-point deficit and won with a last second, 42-yard field goal by freshman place kicker Brody McKnight.
With less than four minutes left in the game, Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly connected with receiver Johnny Spevak for a 56-yard touchdown catch. Following a successful two-point conversion, the Wildcats pulled to within three points at 35-32. CWU recovered the ensuing onside kick, then advanced into field goal range for kicker Garrett Rolsma to tie it up at 35 each with just 2:47 left on the clock.
The Grizzlies two-minute offense marched down the field behind senior quarterback Cole Bergquist, who converted on third-and-ten and fourth-and-four on the drive, both to senior wide receiver Mike Ferriter. The conversions gave McKnight a shot at a long field goal, which he made to extend Montana?s regular-season winning streak to 25 games.
Bergquist threw for 377 yards, completing 25-of-34 passes with three touchdowns and one interception. Ferriter and junior wide receiver Marc Mariani again had impressive outings. Mariani caught six passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while Ferriter had nine catches for 133 yards. Sophomore running back Chase Reynolds took advantage of his 16 rush attempts by running for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
CWU's Reilly completed 21-of-35 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Spevak caught seven balls for 136 yards and one touchdown.
The Wildcats' first series was stifled by the Grizzly defense and ended in a three-and-out. The ensuing punt was fumbled by Mariani and recovered by CWU linebacker Buddy Wood on Montana?s 35-yard line. Central Washington took advantage of the turnover, converting a third-and-long when Reilly completed a screen pass to running back Ryan Dyer for a 32-yard touchdown giving the Wildcats the early lead at 7-0.
Montana countered on its first offensive possession with a 12-play, 63-yard touchdown drive. Bergquist capped off the drive by connecting with junior tight end Dan Beaudin on a 2-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-apiece with 5:44 left in the first quarter.
The Grizzlies stumbled on their next possession when three penalties for 30 yards put them in a couple of third-and-long situations. Bergquist, faced with third-and-19, dropped back for a pass and, when flushed from the pocket by a Wildcat blitz, fumbled the ball. Wood returned the fumble 18 yards for a Wildcat touchdown, giving them the lead at 14-7 early in the second quarter.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 21-7 when Reilly connected with tight end Jared Bronson for a 17-yard touchdown pass. The score ended a six-play, 67-yard touchdown drive that was aided by two Montana penalties for 20 yards.
Montana quickly countered when Mariani caught a long pass from Bergquist and was able to stay on his feet and out-run a couple of Wildcat defenders for a 64-yard touchdown catch. The scoring drive, which brought the Griz to within seven points at 21-14, took only four plays and 1:55 off the clock.
After Montana?s defense forced another three-and-out, the offense responded with a long touchdown drive. Bergquist, seeing that a blitz was coming, quickly lofted a pass near the sideline where Mariani elevated to snatch it and ran into the endzone for a 42-yard touchdown catch. The six-play, 92-yard drive tied the game at 21 with 2:39 remaining in the first half.
Central Washington finished out the first stanza by making a 23-yard field goal and taking the 24-21 lead into halftime.
Two turnovers ? one interception in the endzone by Bergquist and one fumble by Griz junior running back Thomas Brooks-Fletcher ? prevented Montana from converting a couple of promising scoring drives to begin the second half.
Montana?s defense stepped-up when needed, as junior safety Shann Schillinger forced Wildcat running back Ryan Dyer to fumble, which was then recovered by sophomore linebacker Alex Shaw at Central Washington?s 31-yard line.
The Grizzly offense rewarded their defense?s efforts with a 4-play, 31-yard touchdown drive. Reynolds bounced an inside run play to the outside and outran a Wildcat defender to the corner of the endzone, putting the Griz up, 28-24.
The Wildcats faced a fourth-and-two on their next drive, and elected to try for a first down when Reilly lobbed a pass to Spevak who caught it, but was ruled out of bounds during the catch. The incomplete pass resulted in a turnover on downs, giving the ball to Montana?s offense.
With 11:08 left in the game, Montana was faced with a fourth-and-seven on the Wildcat 32-yard line. Bergquist tried to fire the ball to Ferriter in the middle of the field, but it was broken up. The Wildcats were called on pass interference on the play, giving Montana an automatic first down and keeping the drive alive. Reynolds made the most of it by leaping into the endzone on a 3-yard touchdown run, which extended the lead to 35-24 with 7:30 remaining.
Montana?s defense stuffed Central Washington on the next drive, but a fake punt gave the Wildcats just enough for the first down to keep their drive alive. Two plays later, Reilly connected with Spevak for a 56-yard touchdown reception. The Wildcats came within three points after a successful two-point conversion, 35-32.
The Wildcats, with less than four minutes left in the game, recovered an onside kick on Montana?s 48-yard line. Six plays and 25 yards later, Rolsma made a 44-yard field goal to the tie the game at 35-35 with 2:47 left in the game.
It was up to the Griz offense to seal the win on their final drive.
Bergquist, faced with a third-and-10 from his own 32-yard line, threw to Ferriter who made a sliding catch for 21 yards to continue the drive. On the next set of downs, Montana was faced with a fourth-and-four from the Wildcat 38-yard line. Bergquist again went to Ferriter who converted another fourth-down catch, this time for 15 yards.
With five seconds left on the clock, Montana put McKnight to the test. From 42 yards out, McKnight nailed the game-winning field goal to give the Grizzlies the 38-35 result. The loss was Central Washington's first of the season.
Montana (4-0) begins its Big Sky Conference schedule next Satuday on the road against Weber State. Kickoff is slated for 1:05pm.
The fourth-ranked Grizzlies, playing in their final regular-season non-conference matchup, rallied back from an early 14-point deficit and won with a last second, 42-yard field goal by freshman place kicker Brody McKnight.
With less than four minutes left in the game, Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly connected with receiver Johnny Spevak for a 56-yard touchdown catch. Following a successful two-point conversion, the Wildcats pulled to within three points at 35-32. CWU recovered the ensuing onside kick, then advanced into field goal range for kicker Garrett Rolsma to tie it up at 35 each with just 2:47 left on the clock.
The Grizzlies two-minute offense marched down the field behind senior quarterback Cole Bergquist, who converted on third-and-ten and fourth-and-four on the drive, both to senior wide receiver Mike Ferriter. The conversions gave McKnight a shot at a long field goal, which he made to extend Montana?s regular-season winning streak to 25 games.
Bergquist threw for 377 yards, completing 25-of-34 passes with three touchdowns and one interception. Ferriter and junior wide receiver Marc Mariani again had impressive outings. Mariani caught six passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while Ferriter had nine catches for 133 yards. Sophomore running back Chase Reynolds took advantage of his 16 rush attempts by running for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
CWU's Reilly completed 21-of-35 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Spevak caught seven balls for 136 yards and one touchdown.
The Wildcats' first series was stifled by the Grizzly defense and ended in a three-and-out. The ensuing punt was fumbled by Mariani and recovered by CWU linebacker Buddy Wood on Montana?s 35-yard line. Central Washington took advantage of the turnover, converting a third-and-long when Reilly completed a screen pass to running back Ryan Dyer for a 32-yard touchdown giving the Wildcats the early lead at 7-0.
Montana countered on its first offensive possession with a 12-play, 63-yard touchdown drive. Bergquist capped off the drive by connecting with junior tight end Dan Beaudin on a 2-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-apiece with 5:44 left in the first quarter.
The Grizzlies stumbled on their next possession when three penalties for 30 yards put them in a couple of third-and-long situations. Bergquist, faced with third-and-19, dropped back for a pass and, when flushed from the pocket by a Wildcat blitz, fumbled the ball. Wood returned the fumble 18 yards for a Wildcat touchdown, giving them the lead at 14-7 early in the second quarter.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 21-7 when Reilly connected with tight end Jared Bronson for a 17-yard touchdown pass. The score ended a six-play, 67-yard touchdown drive that was aided by two Montana penalties for 20 yards.
Montana quickly countered when Mariani caught a long pass from Bergquist and was able to stay on his feet and out-run a couple of Wildcat defenders for a 64-yard touchdown catch. The scoring drive, which brought the Griz to within seven points at 21-14, took only four plays and 1:55 off the clock.
After Montana?s defense forced another three-and-out, the offense responded with a long touchdown drive. Bergquist, seeing that a blitz was coming, quickly lofted a pass near the sideline where Mariani elevated to snatch it and ran into the endzone for a 42-yard touchdown catch. The six-play, 92-yard drive tied the game at 21 with 2:39 remaining in the first half.
Central Washington finished out the first stanza by making a 23-yard field goal and taking the 24-21 lead into halftime.
Two turnovers ? one interception in the endzone by Bergquist and one fumble by Griz junior running back Thomas Brooks-Fletcher ? prevented Montana from converting a couple of promising scoring drives to begin the second half.
Montana?s defense stepped-up when needed, as junior safety Shann Schillinger forced Wildcat running back Ryan Dyer to fumble, which was then recovered by sophomore linebacker Alex Shaw at Central Washington?s 31-yard line.
The Grizzly offense rewarded their defense?s efforts with a 4-play, 31-yard touchdown drive. Reynolds bounced an inside run play to the outside and outran a Wildcat defender to the corner of the endzone, putting the Griz up, 28-24.
The Wildcats faced a fourth-and-two on their next drive, and elected to try for a first down when Reilly lobbed a pass to Spevak who caught it, but was ruled out of bounds during the catch. The incomplete pass resulted in a turnover on downs, giving the ball to Montana?s offense.
With 11:08 left in the game, Montana was faced with a fourth-and-seven on the Wildcat 32-yard line. Bergquist tried to fire the ball to Ferriter in the middle of the field, but it was broken up. The Wildcats were called on pass interference on the play, giving Montana an automatic first down and keeping the drive alive. Reynolds made the most of it by leaping into the endzone on a 3-yard touchdown run, which extended the lead to 35-24 with 7:30 remaining.
Montana?s defense stuffed Central Washington on the next drive, but a fake punt gave the Wildcats just enough for the first down to keep their drive alive. Two plays later, Reilly connected with Spevak for a 56-yard touchdown reception. The Wildcats came within three points after a successful two-point conversion, 35-32.
The Wildcats, with less than four minutes left in the game, recovered an onside kick on Montana?s 48-yard line. Six plays and 25 yards later, Rolsma made a 44-yard field goal to the tie the game at 35-35 with 2:47 left in the game.
It was up to the Griz offense to seal the win on their final drive.
Bergquist, faced with a third-and-10 from his own 32-yard line, threw to Ferriter who made a sliding catch for 21 yards to continue the drive. On the next set of downs, Montana was faced with a fourth-and-four from the Wildcat 38-yard line. Bergquist again went to Ferriter who converted another fourth-down catch, this time for 15 yards.
With five seconds left on the clock, Montana put McKnight to the test. From 42 yards out, McKnight nailed the game-winning field goal to give the Grizzlies the 38-35 result. The loss was Central Washington's first of the season.
Montana (4-0) begins its Big Sky Conference schedule next Satuday on the road against Weber State. Kickoff is slated for 1:05pm.
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