Griz back on the road seeking first win in Flagstaff in a decade

Fresh of a soul-cleansing 35-0 shutout at Northern Colorado, the Montana Grizzlies return to the road this week, back in the top-10 and on a roll after three-straight wins heading into the business end of the season.

This week, Montana is wheels-up for Flagstaff, where the Griz (7-2, 4-2 BSC) square off against a mercurial Northern Arizona (4-5, 3-3 BSC) in the Walkup Skydome, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.

As co-members of the Big Sky since 1970, Saturday's game marks the 51st all-time meeting between UM and NAU. But there will be some unfamiliarity as the Griz travel to Flagstaff for just the first time since 2016 and the fourth time in the last decade as the two play for the first time since 2017.

The Griz have traditionally had success in Flagstaff, holding a 36-14 lead in the all-time series and a 16-9 lead in games at NAU. However, UM hasn't won there since 2011, dropping two-straight road games 34-16 in 2016 and 45-34 in 2016.

The 2021 squads share some similarities, with both squads holding a win over a Pac-12 opponent. The Lumberjacks beat Arizona 21-19 on week three to pair up with UM's win over No. 20 Washington on week one.

NAU also picked up a road win that turned heads around the league at Idaho, beating the Vandals 38-31, but have also dropped some unexpected games, one being their league opener at Northern Colorado.

While the Griz enter the game with a pair of losses, they've both been one-score contests. This week the Griz are buoyed by momentum, too, thanks to an offensive spark last week, now having outscored opponents 263-130 to date.

The injury bug will play a role in the game plan for both squads this year as well, with NAU entering the contest coming off a 40-24 loss to UC Davis at home where the Lumberjack's top two QBs in RJ Martinez and Jeff Widener went down with injury. NAU started the game hot, jumping out to a 14-87 lead before the injuries came and the Aggies scored 29 points in the second and third quarters.

Montana got the benefit of a fully healthy Cam Humphrey last week at UNC, starting his first game since October 2nd and putting up four total touchdowns, three through the air on one gutsy run on the ground.

But without the use of its first selection running backs and a question mark on several offensive line starters, Montana is still TBD in the injury department as well.

But no matter who takes the field, Montana will be looking to secure its fourth-straight win and keep it's lock in the top-10 before returning home for the final conference game of the season.

HAPPENINGS: The official Griz Fan Tailgate Party will be located on the south side of the Walkup Skydome in Lot C. The tailgate will starts two hours prior to kickoff at 11 a.m. Beverages will be provided. A donation to the GSA would be greatly appreciated at the tailgate. To view the tailgate map please CLICK HERE.

WATCH: ABC Montana (NBC in Billings) will pick up the feed from NAU TV and provide a statewide broadcast of Montana's game at Northern Arizona, and fans anywhere around the nation can tune in via the ESPN+ streaming service. Fans who live in the state of Montana can also pick up a stream of the game on their mobile devices via the Watch SWX App.

Veteran NAU broadcaster Mitch Strohman will be on the call, with Kevin Stephens serving as color commentator.

LISTEN:  "Voice of the Griz" Riley Corcoran and long-time analyst Greg Sundberg will bring you the action live from Flagstaff on KGVO Missoula, the flagship station of the Grizzly Sports Radio Network, and its fifteen affiliates around the state.

New in 2021, Griz fans have a better than ever way to stream all of Montana's radio broadcasts on their mobile device LIVE and FREE of charge with the Varsity Network App, powered by Learfield and Sidearm Sports. Live audio web streams can also be found at GoGriz.com/Listen.

Fans can download the app for iPhone or Android use for instant access to free gameday audio streams plus the Coach Hauck Radio Show, and receive push notifications to remind them of games starting or upcoming audio broadcasts as well.

COACHES SHOW: The Bobby Hauck radio show returns this week, broadcast live across the state from the banks of the Clark Fork River at the show's new home of FINN in the DoubleTree Hotel in Missoula, each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Admission to watch the live broadcast at FINN is free, with a special coaches' show menu available.
GRIZ IN THE POLLS: Montana returned to the top-10 in both the media and coaches polls this week, checking in at No. 9 in both. The Griz are one of four two-loss teams in the top-10 of the media poll, alongside South Dakota State (4), EWU (7), and Villanova (8). The Griz are also one of five ranked Big Sky teams.

Montana checks in as the third-highest ranked Big Sky Conference team in this week's Sagarin Ratings at No. 110. Montana State leads the league at No. 102 and EWU comes in at No. 105.

Published by USA Today and compiled by statistician Jeff Sagarin, the Sagarin Ratings are one tool used to break ties in the Big Sky Conference title race. Montana had been rated as high as No. 77 this season.

OUTSTANDING O'CONNELL: Montana linebacker Patrick O'Connell was one of 11 total players and the only player from the Big Sky Conference added to the watch list for the 2021 Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award, the organization announced Wednesday.

O'Connell joins fellow Grizzly linebacker Jace Lewis on the watch list for the Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player in FCS football.

Lewis was placed on the list at the beginning of the season, while O'Connell is a mid-year addition thanks to a breakout junior campaign.

O'Connell, from Kalispell, currently leads the Big Sky and is tied for fourth in the FCS in total sacks with 10.5 on the season. He's also third in the league in tackles for loss with 16.5 and top-10 for total tackles with 77.

After leading the team in sacks as a sophomore in 2019, the Glacier High School product is already climbing Montana's record books for career sacks with 17 to his name, needing just three more this season to enter the top-10.

He's also in UM's top-25 for TFLs at 26, tied with Dante Olson and Tucker Schye for their career totals.

The mid-season additions to the Buchanan Award Watch List are:

• Defensive Line: Brevin Allen, Campbell - Nate Lynn, William & Mary - Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga - Clay Patterson, Yale - Vaughn Taylor Jr., Morehead State

• Linebacker: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross - Matthew Jackson, Eastern Kentucky - Isaiah Land, Florida A&M – Jalen Mackie, Dartmouth - Patrick O'Connell, Montana

• Defensive Back: Darius Joiner, Western Illinois

The original watch list in the preseason included 35 players. A 50-member national media panel will select the winner following the regular season.

Also this season, Stats Perform will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year), and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

BUILT FORD TOUGH: The dude has magnets in his hands. Cornerback Justin Ford extended one of the most improbable streaks in college football at UNC, picking off a tipped Dylan McCaffrey pass for his seventh interception in seven-straight games.

That seven INTs is tied for the most in FCS football with Austin Peay's Johnathon Edwards, which is also tied for the most in all of D-1 football, with Steven Jones of App State leading the FBS with six picks.

Ford's seven interceptions also brings him within striking distance of a record that was once thought to be unbreakable – Karl Stein's UM and Big Sky record 11 INTs in a single season, set in 1969.

Ford is now tied at No. 4 on UM's all-time single-season picks list at seven this year, one spot behind Stein (again), who also had nine picks in 1970, and former UM head coach Mick Dennehy who had 10 INTs in 1972. Tim Hauck also has seven INTs in 1989, as did Robin Peters in 1971 (the late 60's-early 70's was a tough time for opposing QBs).

Interestingly, Ford is now tied with Peters for the most interceptions by a cornerback in school history, with Stein, Dennehy, and Hauck all playing safety for the Griz.

As a nod to his unbelievable streak, Ford received an honorable mention for Stats Perform FCS Defensive Player of the Week following his day in Colorado.

RECORD WATCH: Senior receiver Samuel Akem had a monster day at UNC, hauling in three grabs for 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Those two TDs move him into second all-time on Montana's career touchdown catch list with 27, needing just three more to break Marc Mariani's school record of 29 TD grabs from 2006-09.

Akem also passed his former teammate Samori Toure on the career receiving yards list to move into No. 8 with 2,495, and now with 177 catches passed Jon Talmadge to move into sixth on the all-time receptions list.

• Robby Hauck continues to rack up the total tackles, rocketing his way up UM's leaderboard. Now with 323 to his name, the junior is tied with the great Colt Anderson and needs just four more stops to move into seventh ahead of Mike Rankin.

QUICK HITS

• Montana outrushed Northern Colorado 156-72, marking its third straight game winning the ground battle and eighth game this season. All-told, UM is 7-1 when outrushing its opponents, having only lost the ground game once against Sac State.

• Montana's rush defense continues to be one of the best in the nation, ranked No. 5 this week with an average allowance of just 75 yards per game.

• Defensive Coordinator Kent Baer's unit pitched its second shutout of the season at UNC, with the first coming against Western Illinois. In UM's 42-7 win over WIU, a pick-six by the offense were the only points allowed by UM all day.

• The Griz are undefeated at 7-0 this season when holding opponents to 20 points or less.

• Montana scored on its second drive of the game at UNC, the earliest in a game the Griz have scored all season en-route to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. UM's 21-0 halftime lead is also its largest of the season.

• Montana lost just its second coin toss of the season at UNC, forcing the Grizzly offense to take the field first for the only time in nine games to date. The Griz are 5-2 overall when winning the toss this season and undefeated at 2-0 when losing the toss.

• Tight end Cole Grossman scored a TD against UNC to make it his third in the last three games and fourth overall on the season. The freshman has been a big playmaker for the Griz this season with 27 grabs for 313 yards to make him the team's third-leading receiver.

Griz back on the road seeking first win in Flagstaff in a decade

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Players Mentioned

Samuel Akem

Justin Ford

Cole Grossman

Robby Hauck

Cam Humphrey

Jace Lewis

Patrick O'Connell

Samori Toure

University of Montana Athletics