Griz back to winning ways in homecoming win
9/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Montana survived a four-turnover performance to defeat the Sacramento State Hornets, 28-25, Saturday in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The ends the Griz losing streak at two and improves UM to 2-2 (1-1 Big Sky) on the season.
The Griz once again trailed in time-of-possession, 27:05-32:55, and found themselves on the short end of the turnover battle, 4-2, but outgained the Hornets 314-246.
???We continued to have the turnover issues,??? coach Robin Pflugrad said. ???The defense had a tremendous game and gave us a chance to win.???
Quarterback Justin Roper, who played most of the game following an injury to Andrew Selle, was 16-for-19 with a pick and two touchdowns. Jabin Sambrano led the game with 77 receiving yards, and three Griz caught scoring passes. Sac State running back Bryan Hilliard had a game-high 124 rushing yards.
The Hornets got on the board first after recovering a Montana fumble in Griz territory. Sambrano was stood up by a swarm of Hornets at the end of an 11-yard gain and stripped by Sac linebacker Peter Buck. Linebacker Jeff Badger recovered for the Hornets at the UM 33. The Griz defense held fast, hurrying the quarterback twice and yielding no yardage, but Chris Diniz drilled a 50-yard field goal, giving Sac State a 3-0 lead with 9:32 left in the first period.
The Grizzlies answered with Chase Reynolds??? 49th career touchdown. The senior running back took a swing pass from Selle 42 yards down the right sideline to finish off a four-play, 60-yard drive that gave Montana a 7-3 lead.
Sac State used some trickery to set up its second field goal. Facing a second-and-2 from their own 23, receiver Ron Richardson pulled up on a reverse to throw a 34-yard strike to quarterback Jeff Fleming to the Griz 43. The Hornets advanced as far as the UM 25, where Diniz made the 42-yarder to cap the 55-yard drive. The Griz led 7-6 with 4:11 left in the opening quarter.
The Hornets put Montana in a punting situation early in the second quarter and Brody McKnight???s first punt was called back on a holding penalty. The second attempt was blocked by Joe Larche and Sac State took over at the Montana 11-yard line. Two plays later, Fleming lobbed a 4-yard pass to Matt Carver for the Hornets??? first touchdown.?? Sac State led 13-7 with 11:52 to play in the half.
On Montana???s next drive, Roper found a wide open Antwon Moutra on a third-down pass, who then used Jeff Larson???s downfield blocking to spring a 54-yard touchdown reception. Montana regained the lead, 14-13, on the 71-yard drive with 9:40 to go in the second frame.
The Hornets nearly picked up a second touchdown when Fleming attempted a 43-yard pass to receiver Brandyn Reed. Reed appeared to be behind the Grizzly defense, but cornerback Trumaine Johnson broke up the pass with his left hand at the goalline at the last moment. The Sac State drive stalled at the 11, and the Hornets regained the lead, 16-14, on a Diniz 28-yard field goal.
Selle was injured on a bizarre exchange late in the first half. Selle fumbled when he was hit at the Montana 10. Charles Burton appeared to heave the ball in the air near the goal line, and the Hornets looked to have the ball deep in Griz territory. The officials ruled that Burton was down at the UM 1-yard line and the Griz were able to go to the locker room down just 2. Selle was taken to the locker room just before the half and did not return.
The Griz defense forced a three-and-out to open the second half, and Roper and the Griz went to work. Roper found Sambrano on a 34-yard pass down to the Sac State 1, and two plays later Reynolds broke through from 2 yards out to get the Griz a 21-16 lead with 10:08 on the clock in the third quarter.
Diniz made another field goal, this time from 34 yards out, to narrow the Montana lead, which stood at 21-19 with 6:50 left in the third.
Montana coughed up the ball at the Sac State 30 when Hornet safety Dana Willis put his helmet on the ball, forcing Sambrano to fumble on an end-around. The defense forced a three-and-out, but on the next possession Roper???s pass was intercepted by Willis. The safety stepped under the route and returned the pick 26 yards to the Montana 7. The pick was the first of Willis??? career.
On the ensuing possession, Hornet running back Jake Croxdale attempted a pass that was tipped as he threw and was picked off by Erik Stoll at the Montana 8-yard line. On the next play, Peter Ngyuen was stripped by Zack Nash, and David Coleman received for the Hornets at the UM 8. The field position set Sac State up for its second touchdown of the day, a 3-yard Fleming to Carter pass. The two-point attempt failed, leaving Sac State with a 25-21 lead with 14:56 left to play.
Montana then strung together a 12-play, 68-yard drive that consumed 5:22 and resulted in a Bryce Carver touchdown. Roper threw the ball over a diving defender to Carver 29 yards downfield in the end zone.
The 28-25 Montana lead held up through a near-disastrous fourth down, when McKnight possibly saved the game for the Griz when he knocked down a high snap and managed to get a 31-yard punt off. Sac State???s last ditch effort was ended when Trumaine Johnson picked off a fourth down Fleming pass, allowing the Griz to kneel out the clock for Montana???s 18th straight homecoming win.
???If we can turn the ball over four times and still win,??? Griz safety Erik Stoll said, ???this team???s got potential.???
Montana returns to the road next week, with a 1:30 p.m. contest at Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo.
Montana survived a four-turnover performance to defeat the Sacramento State Hornets, 28-25, Saturday in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The ends the Griz losing streak at two and improves UM to 2-2 (1-1 Big Sky) on the season.
The Griz once again trailed in time-of-possession, 27:05-32:55, and found themselves on the short end of the turnover battle, 4-2, but outgained the Hornets 314-246.
???We continued to have the turnover issues,??? coach Robin Pflugrad said. ???The defense had a tremendous game and gave us a chance to win.???
Quarterback Justin Roper, who played most of the game following an injury to Andrew Selle, was 16-for-19 with a pick and two touchdowns. Jabin Sambrano led the game with 77 receiving yards, and three Griz caught scoring passes. Sac State running back Bryan Hilliard had a game-high 124 rushing yards.
The Hornets got on the board first after recovering a Montana fumble in Griz territory. Sambrano was stood up by a swarm of Hornets at the end of an 11-yard gain and stripped by Sac linebacker Peter Buck. Linebacker Jeff Badger recovered for the Hornets at the UM 33. The Griz defense held fast, hurrying the quarterback twice and yielding no yardage, but Chris Diniz drilled a 50-yard field goal, giving Sac State a 3-0 lead with 9:32 left in the first period.
The Grizzlies answered with Chase Reynolds??? 49th career touchdown. The senior running back took a swing pass from Selle 42 yards down the right sideline to finish off a four-play, 60-yard drive that gave Montana a 7-3 lead.
Sac State used some trickery to set up its second field goal. Facing a second-and-2 from their own 23, receiver Ron Richardson pulled up on a reverse to throw a 34-yard strike to quarterback Jeff Fleming to the Griz 43. The Hornets advanced as far as the UM 25, where Diniz made the 42-yarder to cap the 55-yard drive. The Griz led 7-6 with 4:11 left in the opening quarter.
The Hornets put Montana in a punting situation early in the second quarter and Brody McKnight???s first punt was called back on a holding penalty. The second attempt was blocked by Joe Larche and Sac State took over at the Montana 11-yard line. Two plays later, Fleming lobbed a 4-yard pass to Matt Carver for the Hornets??? first touchdown.?? Sac State led 13-7 with 11:52 to play in the half.
On Montana???s next drive, Roper found a wide open Antwon Moutra on a third-down pass, who then used Jeff Larson???s downfield blocking to spring a 54-yard touchdown reception. Montana regained the lead, 14-13, on the 71-yard drive with 9:40 to go in the second frame.
The Hornets nearly picked up a second touchdown when Fleming attempted a 43-yard pass to receiver Brandyn Reed. Reed appeared to be behind the Grizzly defense, but cornerback Trumaine Johnson broke up the pass with his left hand at the goalline at the last moment. The Sac State drive stalled at the 11, and the Hornets regained the lead, 16-14, on a Diniz 28-yard field goal.
Selle was injured on a bizarre exchange late in the first half. Selle fumbled when he was hit at the Montana 10. Charles Burton appeared to heave the ball in the air near the goal line, and the Hornets looked to have the ball deep in Griz territory. The officials ruled that Burton was down at the UM 1-yard line and the Griz were able to go to the locker room down just 2. Selle was taken to the locker room just before the half and did not return.
The Griz defense forced a three-and-out to open the second half, and Roper and the Griz went to work. Roper found Sambrano on a 34-yard pass down to the Sac State 1, and two plays later Reynolds broke through from 2 yards out to get the Griz a 21-16 lead with 10:08 on the clock in the third quarter.
Diniz made another field goal, this time from 34 yards out, to narrow the Montana lead, which stood at 21-19 with 6:50 left in the third.
Montana coughed up the ball at the Sac State 30 when Hornet safety Dana Willis put his helmet on the ball, forcing Sambrano to fumble on an end-around. The defense forced a three-and-out, but on the next possession Roper???s pass was intercepted by Willis. The safety stepped under the route and returned the pick 26 yards to the Montana 7. The pick was the first of Willis??? career.
On the ensuing possession, Hornet running back Jake Croxdale attempted a pass that was tipped as he threw and was picked off by Erik Stoll at the Montana 8-yard line. On the next play, Peter Ngyuen was stripped by Zack Nash, and David Coleman received for the Hornets at the UM 8. The field position set Sac State up for its second touchdown of the day, a 3-yard Fleming to Carter pass. The two-point attempt failed, leaving Sac State with a 25-21 lead with 14:56 left to play.
Montana then strung together a 12-play, 68-yard drive that consumed 5:22 and resulted in a Bryce Carver touchdown. Roper threw the ball over a diving defender to Carver 29 yards downfield in the end zone.
The 28-25 Montana lead held up through a near-disastrous fourth down, when McKnight possibly saved the game for the Griz when he knocked down a high snap and managed to get a 31-yard punt off. Sac State???s last ditch effort was ended when Trumaine Johnson picked off a fourth down Fleming pass, allowing the Griz to kneel out the clock for Montana???s 18th straight homecoming win.
???If we can turn the ball over four times and still win,??? Griz safety Erik Stoll said, ???this team???s got potential.???
Montana returns to the road next week, with a 1:30 p.m. contest at Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo.
Players Mentioned
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