Saturday, October 18
Missoula, Mont.
1 PM
Montana
43
vs
21
Sacred Heart
Photo by: Ella Palulis/University of Montana
Ah Yat’s air raid leads Griz to win over Pioneers
10/18/2025 6:59:00 PM | Football
Fueled by an explosive first half of offense, the Montana Grizzlies improved to 7-0 on the season for just the seventh time in program history with a decisive 43-21 win over Sacred Heart (5-3) on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Missoula.
The Griz won the first half 29-7 and overcame a third quarter lull with two quick fourth quarter scores to pull away from the up-for-it Pioneers with 484 yards of total offense and a season high four sacks for the defense.
Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat completed a personal best 82 percent of his passes (27-33) to rack up 349 yards and another career high five touchdowns over the air to post a 220.7 passer rating.
He was lethal from the game's opening drive with 300 of those yards and three passing scores coming in the first half alone. All told he was responsible for six scores and 368 yards of total offense on the game, adding a rushing touchdown to his haul and 19 net yards.
Ah Yat connected with a season-high 11 receivers in the game, but none more prolific that Michael Wortham who hauled in a career high 132 yards through the air with two explosive touchdowns, both from 40-plus yards out. Of UM's 349 passing yards, 198 came after the catch with the Griz totaling eight explosive pass plays of 15-plus yards.
Ah Yat spread the wealth in the endzone as well, finding four different receivers for scores including a 49-yard strike in the fourth quarter to newcomer Korbin Hendrix – his first career touchdown.
The win is now Montana's 30th-straight in nonconference play inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium, a streak that dates to 2015. It's also the 17th-straight win over a team from east of the Mississippi River in Missoula, with UM holding 43-7 advantage inside the stadium over eastern squads.
Apart from a third quarter where UM managed just 61 yards of offense and was shut out of the scoreboard, it was a complete performance for fourth-ranked Montana, who remains at the top of the Big Sky standings at 3-0 in league play and 7-0 overall.
"It was such an up-and-down game. We talked about how good the offense was - almost 500 yards - but then we got shut out in the third quarter. That wasn't good. We've got to come out of the locker room and go get after them. But we were good early. It looked like it was going to be really easy, and it never is until you're off that field," said head coach Bobby Hauck.
"But I'm proud of our team getting to 7-0. We had one game this week, and we won it by 22."
From the opening kickoff Montana's offense had little trouble navigating the Pioneers' D, with Ah Yat throwing for a career-high three touchdown passes in the first quarter alone on three scoring drives.
The Griz were clinical from the start, putting together a 15-play opening drive that tied their longest of the season to get on the board first. Ah Yat opened the scoring with an escape act, rolling out to his right before doubling back and hitting Eli Gillman on the run in the endzone for a toe-tap touchdown to go up 7-0.
A three-and-out later Montana's offense was on the move again after Drew Deck set UM up in good field position with a 44-yard punt return. Deck then capped the drive with a touchdown when Ah Yat found him wide open in the endzone from four yards out for the senior's second TD of the season to put UM up 14-0.
Another three-and-out for the Grizzly defense set up another Grizzly score soon after when Ah Yat hit Wortham on a wheel route who sprinted in 43-yards for the score and the rout was already on with a minute left on the clock in the first quarter.
Sacred Heart was then able to muster a seven play, 70-yard drive that was kickstarted by a pair of passes for 47 yards to put the Pioneers into UM territory for the first time. Jack Snyder capped the drive with a three-yard pass to Dean Hangey that made it 22-7 with just under four minutes to play in the half.
Ah Yat went back to work again with a 12 play, 77-yard drive in a race against the clock. Montana converted three third downs on the drive. He ended the drive with a three-yard quarterback keeper around left tackle that extended the UM lead to 29-7 at the break.
"I was impressed with how well he (Ah Yat) was protected back there. That O-line, the running back at times, just protected him well and he was able to kind of get through his progression and see the field," said Hauck.
"The pocket was clean. The guys did a nice job with that. I like the way he keeps his eyes downfield. Again, he showed that he can run, but the protection was good. I also thought our guys caught the ball cleanly and ran with it after the catch well too."
Sacred Heart, who entered the game outscoring its opponents 50-7 in the third quarter this season, marched down the field again on the opening drive of the second quarter with a 10 play, 75-yard, five-minute possession.
The visitors broke off five of those plays for gains of seven yards or more and Mitchell Summers – the reining FCS Freshman of the Week – capped the drive with a three-yard burst up the middle that cut Montana's lead to 29-14 early in the third.
Montana was forced to punt for the first time of the day later in the third after being called for an illegal man downfield, one of just three penalties for the Griz on the day. But the defense held and forced a third punt from the visitors on the ensuing drive.
Montana was marching once again on the next drive but was held short again when Malae Fonoti (who finished with 15 rushing yards and 33 receiving) was stuffed on a fourth and short at the Pioneer 12.
It was a turnover that eventually led to SHU's third and final TD of the day after QB Jack Snyder converted a 4th and five on a rush up the middle to the UM 15-yard line with 9:30 left to play in the 4th. UM appeared to have the drive bottled up again, but again the Pioneers converted a 4th down when Dean Hangey scored on a 14-yard pass from Snyder that capped a 16 play, 88-yard drive that chewed up 9:26 of the half and made it a one score game 29-21 with 6:46 to play.
It turned out to be the spark Montana needed to reignite the offense though, as the Griz found the endzone twice in drives that lasted less than a minute and put in one final three-and-out defensively to ice the game.
Following the Hangey TD, Ah Yat connected with Wortham wide-open on a wheel route and the senior sprinted 51 yards for his second TD of the day and Montana went up 36-21.
A quick defensive stop later the Griz found the endzone again in short order when Ah Yat connected with Hendrix on a vertical route, outpacing the defenders for a 49-yard strike that put UM up for good, 43-21.
Montana now prepares to return conference play next week and hits the road for just the second time this season as the Griz open a two-game road swing at Sacramento State on Oct. 25 on ESPN2.
The Griz won the first half 29-7 and overcame a third quarter lull with two quick fourth quarter scores to pull away from the up-for-it Pioneers with 484 yards of total offense and a season high four sacks for the defense.
Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat completed a personal best 82 percent of his passes (27-33) to rack up 349 yards and another career high five touchdowns over the air to post a 220.7 passer rating.
He was lethal from the game's opening drive with 300 of those yards and three passing scores coming in the first half alone. All told he was responsible for six scores and 368 yards of total offense on the game, adding a rushing touchdown to his haul and 19 net yards.
Ah Yat connected with a season-high 11 receivers in the game, but none more prolific that Michael Wortham who hauled in a career high 132 yards through the air with two explosive touchdowns, both from 40-plus yards out. Of UM's 349 passing yards, 198 came after the catch with the Griz totaling eight explosive pass plays of 15-plus yards.
Ah Yat spread the wealth in the endzone as well, finding four different receivers for scores including a 49-yard strike in the fourth quarter to newcomer Korbin Hendrix – his first career touchdown.
The win is now Montana's 30th-straight in nonconference play inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium, a streak that dates to 2015. It's also the 17th-straight win over a team from east of the Mississippi River in Missoula, with UM holding 43-7 advantage inside the stadium over eastern squads.
Apart from a third quarter where UM managed just 61 yards of offense and was shut out of the scoreboard, it was a complete performance for fourth-ranked Montana, who remains at the top of the Big Sky standings at 3-0 in league play and 7-0 overall.
"It was such an up-and-down game. We talked about how good the offense was - almost 500 yards - but then we got shut out in the third quarter. That wasn't good. We've got to come out of the locker room and go get after them. But we were good early. It looked like it was going to be really easy, and it never is until you're off that field," said head coach Bobby Hauck.
"But I'm proud of our team getting to 7-0. We had one game this week, and we won it by 22."
🪄 @kealiiahyat with the escape act and 6️⃣ for @eli_gillman! #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/dqlv93O8Bb
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 18, 2025
From the opening kickoff Montana's offense had little trouble navigating the Pioneers' D, with Ah Yat throwing for a career-high three touchdown passes in the first quarter alone on three scoring drives.
The Griz were clinical from the start, putting together a 15-play opening drive that tied their longest of the season to get on the board first. Ah Yat opened the scoring with an escape act, rolling out to his right before doubling back and hitting Eli Gillman on the run in the endzone for a toe-tap touchdown to go up 7-0.
A three-and-out later Montana's offense was on the move again after Drew Deck set UM up in good field position with a 44-yard punt return. Deck then capped the drive with a touchdown when Ah Yat found him wide open in the endzone from four yards out for the senior's second TD of the season to put UM up 14-0.
Another three-and-out for the Grizzly defense set up another Grizzly score soon after when Ah Yat hit Wortham on a wheel route who sprinted in 43-yards for the score and the rout was already on with a minute left on the clock in the first quarter.
🗣️ Forget about it!@Moneymike61 into the endzone for the first time today!#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/svnzP0nlaz
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 18, 2025
Sacred Heart was then able to muster a seven play, 70-yard drive that was kickstarted by a pair of passes for 47 yards to put the Pioneers into UM territory for the first time. Jack Snyder capped the drive with a three-yard pass to Dean Hangey that made it 22-7 with just under four minutes to play in the half.
Ah Yat went back to work again with a 12 play, 77-yard drive in a race against the clock. Montana converted three third downs on the drive. He ended the drive with a three-yard quarterback keeper around left tackle that extended the UM lead to 29-7 at the break.
"I was impressed with how well he (Ah Yat) was protected back there. That O-line, the running back at times, just protected him well and he was able to kind of get through his progression and see the field," said Hauck.
"The pocket was clean. The guys did a nice job with that. I like the way he keeps his eyes downfield. Again, he showed that he can run, but the protection was good. I also thought our guys caught the ball cleanly and ran with it after the catch well too."
Sacred Heart, who entered the game outscoring its opponents 50-7 in the third quarter this season, marched down the field again on the opening drive of the second quarter with a 10 play, 75-yard, five-minute possession.
The visitors broke off five of those plays for gains of seven yards or more and Mitchell Summers – the reining FCS Freshman of the Week – capped the drive with a three-yard burst up the middle that cut Montana's lead to 29-14 early in the third.
Montana was forced to punt for the first time of the day later in the third after being called for an illegal man downfield, one of just three penalties for the Griz on the day. But the defense held and forced a third punt from the visitors on the ensuing drive.
Montana was marching once again on the next drive but was held short again when Malae Fonoti (who finished with 15 rushing yards and 33 receiving) was stuffed on a fourth and short at the Pioneer 12.
It was a turnover that eventually led to SHU's third and final TD of the day after QB Jack Snyder converted a 4th and five on a rush up the middle to the UM 15-yard line with 9:30 left to play in the 4th. UM appeared to have the drive bottled up again, but again the Pioneers converted a 4th down when Dean Hangey scored on a 14-yard pass from Snyder that capped a 16 play, 88-yard drive that chewed up 9:26 of the half and made it a one score game 29-21 with 6:46 to play.
It turned out to be the spark Montana needed to reignite the offense though, as the Griz found the endzone twice in drives that lasted less than a minute and put in one final three-and-out defensively to ice the game.
Following the Hangey TD, Ah Yat connected with Wortham wide-open on a wheel route and the senior sprinted 51 yards for his second TD of the day and Montana went up 36-21.
BACK IN BUSINESS 💪@kealiiahyat ➡️ @Moneymike61 for a 51-yard strike! #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/AKiWJ66vsu
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 18, 2025
A quick defensive stop later the Griz found the endzone again in short order when Ah Yat connected with Hendrix on a vertical route, outpacing the defenders for a 49-yard strike that put UM up for good, 43-21.
💣 @HendrixKorbin with his first career TD and the Griz are rollin'! #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/dUM6Z3fFs2
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) October 18, 2025
Montana now prepares to return conference play next week and hits the road for just the second time this season as the Griz open a two-game road swing at Sacramento State on Oct. 25 on ESPN2.
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