Suffocating defense leads Griz past Dixie State

Saturday, October 9

Missoula, Mont.

1 PM

Montana

4-1 , 1-1

Dixie State

0-5 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Dixie St.

Montana

10/9/2021 6:07:00 PM | Football

Box Score Post-Game Press Conference

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana Grizzlies got back on the winning track on Saturday afternoon with a convincing 31-14 win at home against the Dixie State Trailblazers. The final non-conference game of the season sends Montana into the heart of the league schedule with a 4-1 record and some positive momentum following a big second-half performance.

"Winning is good. It beats the heck out of the other side of the equation. I didn't think we were particularly sharp today, but it was good by our crew coming out of the locker room at halftime and taking the win from Dixie State," head coach Bobby Hauck said. "They came in, they played hard, and credit goes to them, but we were too much for them."

The game began slowly for both sides, but Montana turned it after the halftime break, scoring 28 in the final half-hour of the game and not allowing a Dixie State offensive touchdown until the final drive of the game. Montana's defense again impressed, allowing just 261 total yards and one score. It was the third time the Griz defense held its opponent under 300 yards this year, and the fourth time in five games they allowed just one or fewer scores.

Kris Brown started the game at quarterback for Montana in place of the injured Cam Humphrey and took some time to get comfortable, but once he did the freshman put together a solid performance. In his first career start, Brown threw for 241 yards and a touchdown while adding another two on the ground.

He received a big boost from his backfield. Freshman Xavier Harris eclipsed 100 yards for the second consecutive game, carrying a career-high 29 times for 119 yards. Another freshman, Junior Bergen, handled 14 carries for 44 yards and added his first career touchdown.

"Xavier did a good job today. Obviously, he averaged a little over four yards a carry," Hauck said. "The front did a good job. I thought we had a pretty good run game today, and we need that to continue certainly.

"Junior is a calm, confident kid for a young guy and obviously for a kid who spent all of fall camp at wide receiver to come in and kind of be playing a bunch at running back speaks volumes about his intellect and ability to pick things up," Hauck said. "Good by Junior, we're certainly glad he's with us."

The game changed in the third quarter, where Montana outgained Dixie State by 174 yards and scored twice to take a 17-0 lead. They started the fourth quarter hot as well, with 14 more points out of the gates to make it comfortable in the final minutes.

Montana was able to move the ball well but struggled with turnovers and finishing drives, otherwise, the result could have been even more lopsided. The Grizzlies turned it over three times, including a scoop-and-score defensive touchdown for Dixie State. Montana also failed to score three times in the red zone, finishing the game just 5-for-8 inside the 20.

The defense stepped up in the same categories where the offense may have lacked, though. The Grizzly defense - Justin Ford, to be specific - forced two turnovers on the day, and both came in the red zone. They allowed just one score in three red zone trips to the Trailblazers. Ford had his third interception of the season on the first red zone drive, then forced a fumble later in the game to keep Dixie State off the board.

The Grizzlies again found success getting to the quarterback, sacking the Trailblazers four times and getting five tackles for loss.

"They pretty much shut them out," Hauck said of his defense. "Dixie State couldn't do anything offensively, that was good by us. The defense was solid, played hard, did a lot of good things today and we have to get everybody caught up to that."

Gallery: (10-9-2021) FB vs Dixie State 10.09.2021

Montana mixed it up through the air, with tight end Cole Grossman leading all receivers with five grabs for 70 yards and his first career touchdown. The Grizzlies found creative ways to get the big tight end the ball, including a shovel pass near the goal line that kept a drive alive.

"It's always what is available and Cole did a good job," Hauck said. "He's a guy that wants to do well, he works hard, and we keep forgetting he's just a freshman, too."

Samuel Akem and Mitch Roberts each added four catches for 57 and 30 yards, respectively.

The Grizzlies outgained the Trailblazers by nearly 200 yards and had more than double the first downs (27 to 13). Montana's offense was very balanced, with 249 yards through the air and 191 on the ground.

Both teams were shut out in the opening quarter despite long drives from each. The Grizzlies were denied deep in Trailblazer territory on a sack that forced a fumble. They took the ball and drove the length of the field, but Justin Ford jumped a slant route in the end zone for his third interception of the season.

In a slow-moving first half, it was Dixie State that created the next big play with an interception deep in Montana territory. Taking over at the Grizzly 30-yard line, Montana's defense once again stepped up and forced the Trail Blazers backward. A 50-yard field goal came up short.

The Grizzlies took over with good field position and made it into the red zone but couldn't find the final play. Instead, Montana knocked home a 27-yard field goal to get the first points on the board with 2:12 remaining in the half.

A quick three-and-out from Dixie State led to a punt with just over a minute left. Back stepped safety Robby Hauck, who caught the punt in his own territory. A quick shake lost the initial man and got Hauck the edge, where he sped for a 34-yard return. The return set Montana up from just outside the red zone.

Once again, Montana's offense couldn't find the end zone as Macias came in to kick a 22-yard field goal to end the half. The Grizzlies instead went for a trick play. Holder Mitch Roberts pitched to Kevin Macias, but the Trailblazers read it well and stopped the kicker short.

A half that saw the two teams combine for just under 300 total yards ended with Montana holding on to a 3-0 lead. It was the first time Montana didn't score a touchdown in the first half against an FCS opponent since 2018 vs. North Dakota.

Montana put together another drive into Trailblazer territory coming out of the halftime break, but a 37-yard field goal was missed wide left to keep the game within one possession.

You'll remember this one, Junior! Bergen scores his first career TD to put the Griz up 10-0!#GrizFB #RTD #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/ZkdFPeM49s
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 9, 2021

The first touchdown of the game came from freshman Junior Bergen, who took a stretch run outside and found the end zone from six yards out for his first career touchdown.

Cole Grossman got in on the offensive action on the next drive, taking a dump pass for a 26-yard gain to set the Grizzlies up deep in Trailblazer territory. Montana then put the ball in the hands of Harris five times before ending the drive the same way they started it. Grossman slipped into the open field and hauled in his first career touchdown reception from Brown to give Montana the 17-0 lead.

Another Grizzly finds the end zone for the first time. Cole Grossman puts Montana on top 17-0!#GrizFB #RTD #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/jPG61YZdwN
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 9, 2021

Dixie State could sense where the game was headed and rolled the dice, going for it on fourth down inside their own territory. The Grizzlies stopped them short, taking over again and quickly getting into the red zone on a long connection from Brown to Bergen.

Montana took a risk of its own on the ensuing drive, converting a fourth down inside the five to start the final quarter with first and goal from the one-yard line. Brown would keep it himself, sneaking over the goal line to put Montana ahead 24-0 two plays later.

The Grizzlies dominated the third quarter, outgaining Dixie State 189-15 and scoring 14 points. The Brown touchdown to kick off the final frame came as a result of a drive that came mostly in the third quarter as well.

The Trailblazers drove down the field again only to meet the stingy red zone defense of Montana. Dixie State went for it on fourth and goal from the one-yard line, where Ford blitzed from the edge and sacked the DSU quarterback, forcing a fumble and returning it to give Montana some room to operate.

Not against the Griz D! Montana stops Dixie State from the 1-yard-line on back-to-back plays!#GrizFB #RTD #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/4HnfrugNf9
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 9, 2021

But a big defensive play from the visitors would give Dixie State their first score of the game. Brown was sacked, coughing up the ball for a scoop-and-score. The Trailblazers went for two but were unsuccessful. The defensive score cut the Montana lead to 24-6.

A composed Montana offense took the field on the next drive, moving quickly down the field in seven plays to score on another QB sneak from Brown to make it 31-6 Montana. It was the second rushing touchdown of the day for Brown.

The final drive of the day for the Trailblazers led to the 31-14 final score. The win improves Montana to 4-1 and should move them up in the national rankings as three of the top seven teams suffered losses Saturday. The Grizzlies will return home next week against Sacramento State.

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Split-The-Pot: The winning split-the-pot ticket from Saturday's game was #641078. The winner claimed a prize of $8,137.13.