Griz face tall task hosting a "really, really, quality opponent" in Monmouth

The Montana Grizzlies made a big impression under the lights of Autzen Stadium and in the national spotlight of a #Pac12AfterDark game last week, holding the potent #15 Oregon offense to just 35 points.

Now the Grizzlies (2-1) return home on week four, and return to FCS play hosting the team's final nonconference game of the year against Monmouth, a perennial contender in the Big South Conference.

While the Hawks might not fly as high as the Ducks on the national level, Monmouth comes to Missoula sitting at 2-1 on the season, and looking to make a big impression of their own as they seek a return to the FCS playoffs, where they advanced to the first round in 2017 before falling at Northern Iowa.

Now, two teams with playoff aspirations who are both earning top-25 votes collide in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, and UM head coach Bobby Hauck knows how vital the home-field advantage will be for his squad.

"They'll be a great challenge," said Hauck. "This is a huge game for us. We need our crowd here and be ready to go and try to be disruptive because this is a really, really, quality opponent who was in the playoffs two years ago. So, we've got our hands full with these guys."

How huge is this game for the Grizzlies? With every game against an FCS opponent crucial when it comes to playoff seeding, Saturday's matchup could be make-or-break for the Griz on the postseason, with league play around the corner.

That fact is compounded with a traditionally strong Monmouth team coming to Missoula, entering the week with a 19-5 record against FCS opponents since 2017 – the last time they advanced to the playoffs.

"These intersectional games are big when you've got a playoff system. So, for us, this is a huge game in that regard," Hauck added.

WHERE TO WATCH: The Montana/Monmouth game will be broadcast statewide on your local FOX Montana station, and on SWX in the Billings market. Fox Montana is available over the airwaves, on Charter Cable, and on the DISH Network in Western Montana. Due to a contractual dispute, the game is not available on DirecTV. The game is available on the Altitude Sports Network via select regional cable companies in parts of Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Check local listings to see if the game is available in your area.

Fans around the country, and around the globe can find a web stream of the game at GoGriz.com/watch($).

LISTEN: "Voice of the Griz" Riley Corcoran and Greg Sundberg will bring you the action Washington-Grizzly Stadium over the airwaves on the Montana Grizzly Radio Network and its 13 affiliates across the state. Fans can also listen worldwide via the internet at GoGriz.com/listen and via TuneIn.com and the TuneIn App.

CHEERS TO THE GRIZ: The 14th annual Montana Wine & Beer Festival kicks off this week's Grizzly home-game social slate on Friday, Sept. 20, in the Adams Center.

The festival consists of fine wine and beer tasting with food samples from some of Missoula's top restaurants and caterers. In addition, Montana artists will be on-site displaying and selling art. A silent auction with limited-edition originals and a variety of wine & beer items as well as Griz memorabilia will also be a part of the evening's festivities. All proceeds from this event benefit the GSA and its mission of providing scholarships for student-athletes.

Limited tickets remain, and $50 per person and attendees must be at least 21 years of age. Contact the GSA office at 243-6481 for more info.

GOING THE EXTRA YARD FOR TEACHERS: The Montana Grizzlies are going the extra yard for teachers this week, joining schools across the country in celebrating educators and offering a teacher-only discount to Saturday's home football game against Monmouth.

The College Football Playoff Foundation's "Extra Yard for Teachers" week is designed to elevate the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers across the country.

Grizzly Athletics will join in that mission by offering teachers from kindergarten to college discounted $20 tickets to see Montana take on Monmouth at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Sept. 21.

LEGACY 37 GAME: The Grizzlies will celebrate the legacy #37 tradition on Saturday, honoring the 14 standouts from the Treasure State that have worn the jersey and passed it on to another Montana native since Kraig Paulson passed the number to Tim Hauck in 1986.

Here is a list of everyone who has been entrusted with the number that has come to symbolize the spirit of Montana… "hard work, dedication to the team, and tough play on the gridiron."

Jesse Sims - Defensive End - 2018-19 - Stevensville
Tucker Schye - Defensive End – 2017 - Malta
Caleb Kidder - Defensive End - 2015-16 - Helena
Zack Wagenmann - Defensive End – 2014 - Missoula
Jordan Tripp – Linebacker - 2012-13 - Missoula
Ryan Fetherston - Defensive End – 2011 - East Helena
Carson Bender - Defensive Tackle - 2008-10 - Deer Lodge
Loren Utterback – Linebacker - 2004-07 - Fort Benton
Ciche Pitcher - Defensive End - 2001-03 - Anaconda
Andy Petek - Defensive End - 1998-00 - Helena
Jason Crebo – Linebacker - 1994-97 - Helena
Todd Ericson – Safety - 1990-93 - Butte
Tim Hauck – Safety - 1987-89 - Big Timber
Kraig Paulson – Fullback - 1983-86 - Plentywood

Fans can get in on the celebration with official #37 gameday t-shirts, available at Universal Athletic, the Montana Bookstore, Scheels, and the M Store in downtown Missoula, with proceeds benefitting scholarships for student-athletes.

UM FAMILY WEEKEND: The Grizzlies will welcome the families of all University of Montana students to the game on Saturday as part of UM's annual Family Weekend.

Griz game ticket packages and a schedule of events for the weekend is available at umt.edu/family-weekend.

GRIZ TRACKS:

IN THE POLLS: After holding its own against the No. 15 Ducks, Montana bumped up a spot in the STATS FCS Media Poll to No. 19, but dropped a spot to even out at No. 19 on the AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll to enter the week at the same place on both lists for the first time this season.

Monmouth is also receiving votes in the media poll, sitting at No. 40 with 33 points this week.

In total, six Big Sky teams are ranked in the top-25 this week, including Montana's week five opponent UC Davis, who is the highest-ranked league team at No. 4 on both polls.

JERRY'S WORLD: Montana receiver and return specialist Jerry Louie-McGee entered the Grizzly record books for the second time in his career last week at Oregon, breaking Raul Pacheco's 1998 school record for career pass receptions (192) with six against the Ducks. With nine regular-season games remaining, Louie-McGee enters Saturday's game against Monmouth with 196 career grabs.

With his six catches for 66 yards and a new school record under his belt against the Ducks, "JLM" earned Montana's Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week nomination.

Louie-McGee also needs just one more punt return for a touchdown to set a new school record and is also among UM's career leaders in receiving yards and all-purpose yards per game.

After his 66 yards at Oregon, Louie-McGee moved to No. 16 on all-time receiving yards list passing Ryan Bagley (04-07), Mike Trevathan (87-90), and Mike Erhardt (1993-96) with 1,994 career yards. He is now ranked No. 15 behind Keenan Curran's 2,008 yards, and Mike Ferriter at No. 14 with 2,089.

"It's pretty cool coming here as a walk-on, getting my shot and just hoping to be able to get some snaps or be able to help the team as best I can," said Louie-McGee on Monday.

"I'm pretty blessed, and I'm honored to have my name up there, but I'm excited to get going on the next game."

The senior from Coeur d'Alene currently leads the nation in punt returns, averaging 26-yards per return, and is ranked third in the Big Sky in receptions per game with seven.

While fans know his electric spark on the field, it's what he does away from the crowds that impresses Hauck about Louie-McGee most.

"He's exciting to watch play. What you all don't see is how hard he works in the weight room and on the practice field. But the thing I've appreciated probably most about him is how much he's improved his practice habits and how much he's improved his game in the broad sense," says Hauck.

"He's become a way more complete football player. He's bigger and stronger, and I think he's faster, and the work he's put has made him an even better player."

GOOD WORK DANTE: Dante Olson earned a big-time pat on the back last week for his work off the field, being named to the prestigious Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Olson is one of just 22 players nationwide at all levels of college football to earn a place on the team, narrowed down from a list of 137 nominees by an esteemed panel of judges, including Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN) and Tim Tebow (Florida, 2009 team). The Honorary Head Coach of the Good Works Team is Dabo Swinney of the National Champion Clemson Tigers.

As a member of the Good Works Team, Olson will be invited to the 2020 Allstate Sugar Bowl and will join Tebow, Allstate volunteers, and the rest of the team in a special community service project in New Orleans. Olson will also be invited to the Superdome where Allstate will recognize the Good Works Team during the Sugar Bowl halftime show.

For more than a year, Olson has served as a mentor and pen-pal with a class of underprivileged third graders at Gerber Elementary in Northern California farm country, encouraging them to pursue a college education as part of the "No Excuses University" program.

SPEAKING OF DANTE: Olson earned Montana's Defensive Player of the Week nomination after an eye-catching performance against Justin Herbert and the vaunted Oregon Duck offense (which put up 77 points on Nevada the week previous). Playing in his home state, Olson totaled a game-high 14 tackles, with 10 of them solo tackles. No other player in the Big Sky posted more tackles overall in week three.

Olson passed Kurt Schilling (91-94), Dan Downs (91-94), and Mike Bouchee (93-96) to move to No. 28 on UM's all-time tackles list after his season-high performance at Oregon. With 2487 career takedowns he now trails Buchanan Award finalist Trey Young by two (250), and UM safeties coach Shann Schillinger's career total of 257.

The Big Sky Preseason Defensive MVP now leads the conference in total tackles and is ranked 20th in FCS football.

STOPS WHEN IT MATTERS: Montana's defense was rock-solid on third and fourth down against the high-flying Ducks, keeping Oregon from converting seven third downs (6 of 13), and three fourth-down attempts (1 of 4).

FINISHING STRONG: Even with Oregon on the schedule, Montana's defense has been superb in the third and especially the fourth quarters. The Griz have held their three opponents this season to just one touchdown in the fourth quarter, and a total of 21 points in the second half over three games.

The Grizzly offense, meanwhile, has outscored its opponents 62-21 in the second half, and 95-69 overall this season.

KICKING ***: Montana senior punter Adam Wilson was superb against the Oregon Ducks, who entered the game as the No. 1 punt return team in FBS football. Wilson dropped six of his eight punts inside the Oregon 20 and boomed two punts for 53-yard each. He totaled 309 yards on the day, averaging 38.6 yards per attempt. Most importantly, he allowed Oregon's Jevon Holland (the No. 1 returner in FBS football) only one attempt for 8 yards.

Monmouth will feature its own special teams-standout on Saturday, with placekicker Matt Mosquera named Big South Special Teams Player of the Week for a second-straight week after hitting the game-winning field goal against Albany in overtime.

Mosquera was a perfect three-for-three on extra points and three-of-four on field goals against Albany. The week previous he posted 11 points in Monmouth's win over Lafayette and leads the team in scoring with 23 points. Mosquera was named first-team preseason All-Big South in the leadup to the season.

QUICK HITS:

• Cornerback Justin Calhoun is set to make his 20^th consecutive start for the Grizzlies. The former receiver has been strong at corner this season, currently ranked second in the Big Sky in passes defended this season and picked off a pass at South Dakota.

• With 184 passing yards at Oregon Dalton Sneed's career total improves to 3,603 total yards. He needs just 53 more passing yards to move to No. 13 on UM's career passing leader list, passing current WR coach Brent Pease's career total of 3,655 yards.

• In a rare occasion: Oregon QB Justin Herbert's 5 passing TDs were the most against UM since Vernon Adams threw for six against the Griz in Missoula all the way back in 2013.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS: Monmouth comes to Missoula led by senior quarterback Kenji Bahar, the Preseason Big South Player of the Year who has been a staple of the Hawk offense with 29 consecutive starts.

"He's a really, really, good player," says Hauck. "He's smooth, he's got a big arm, he's impressive."

Bahar operates a primarily rushing attack for MU that has outrushed its opponents 541-191 yards so far this season with running back Pete Guerriero as their go-to ball carrier.

Guerriero is also a first-team All-Big South selection and is the fastest Hawk RB to rush for over 2,000 career yards. He is currently the second-ranked rusher in the FCS, averaging 131 yards per game on the ground, and is ranked No. 14 in the country in all-purpose yards, averaging 147.67 per contest.

In all, the Hawks enter the game with the third-best rushing offense in the Big South. A good rushing offense creates a good rushing defense as well, with the MU defense ranked fourth in the nation in rushing yards allowed, holding opponents to just 63.7 per game.

THE GARDEN CITY HOSTS THE GARDEN STATE: Saturday's game against Monmouth marks the first time Montana has ever played a team from the state of New Jersey. The Garden State has just three D-I football programs, with Monmouth and Princeton playing in the FCS, and Rutgers in the FBS. Monmouth is located on the Northern Coast of New Jersey in West Long Branch, a little over an hour south of New York City and just minutes from the coast.

Saturday's game marks the furthest west the Hawks have ever traveled to play football, with Google Maps placing the two schools 2,416 miles apart.

The previous longest distance traveled by Monmouth to play was in 2013 when the Hawks traveled 2,215 miles to play Montana State in Bozeman.

THE JERSEY BOYS: While Montana has a short (non-existent) history against teams from New Jersey, it has a slightly longer list of lettermen from New Jersey who played at Montana. In total, eleven players from the Garden State have ever earned a letter at Montana, dating back to the first in 1942. They are:

Andrew Badger (2010-11)
Vincent Barone (1953-54)
Donald Bedell (2016)
Fred Calder (1962-63)
Robbie Dews (1976-77)
Jack Ferris (1942)
Tony Gabriel (1968)
Willie Grady (1976)
John McBurrows (1968)
Wyatt McCraw (1974-75)
Paul Spigner (1976)

Griz face tall task hosting a "really, really, quality opponent" in Monmouth

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Players Mentioned

Donald Bedell

Justin Calhoun

Keenan Curran

Caleb Kidder

Jerry Louie-McGee

Dante Olson

Tucker Schye

Jesse Sims

Dalton Sneed

Adam Wilson

University of Montana Athletics