Griz look to build momentum against Drake

Saturday, September 5

Missoula, Mont.

1 PM

Montana

Drake

Buy Tickets

Montana defeated the Southern Utah Thunderbirds 28-21 on August 29, 2026 in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Photo by: Montana Photography

9/1/2026 4:53:00 PM | Football

UM Notes

By: Montana Sports Information

After starting the Bobby Kennedy era 1-0, the Montana Grizzlies return to action this week for the first nonconference game of the year at Washington-Grizzy Stadium as the Drake Bulldogs visit Missoula for the second meeting ever between the two programs. UM is 1-0 all-time against Drake after the Bulldogs visited in 2018 - a 48-16 win for Montana.

Game two is prove it time for the Griz as Montana looks to build momentum early in the season at home before a challenging set of road games at the tail end of the month at Oregon State and UC Davis.

There is plenty to build off for Montana as well, with many of UM's stars shining as bright as ever in last week's conference win over Southern Utah, including a career day on minimal touches for Eli Gillman and a slew of young receivers flashing their talent.

The Griz can also build off some of the unknowns that showed what they're capable of, including new starters across the offensive line that acquitted themselves well and an equally new defensive backfield that bent but didn't break against the SUU passing attack.

Drake returns to Missoula reeling from a loss to D-II South Dakota Mines, but under a new, championship-caliber head coach and a passing attack that piled up over 500 yards last week, now is not the time for the Griz to get complacent.

Kennedy and the Grizzly staff have been preaching constant improvement, and the focus remains inward this week as the Griz look to defend their home turf and earn win No. 247 inside the "Mecca of FCS Football."

Kickoff against the Bulldogs is set for 1 p.m.

WATCH: The Grizzlies return to Montana Television Network/Scripps Sports stations around the state this week, with the Drake game available on basic cable, satellite options, free-to-air channels, and online streaming.

This week's game will be shown on "The Spot - MTN" around the state. "The Spot" is a new independent television network that serves as the secondary home of Big Sky Conference games and will carry specific UM games in specific markets. This week's game can also been seen on "The Spot" in Phoenix.

The Spot is available around the state free-to-air for viewers with antennas in Billings (2.2), Butte/Bozeman (4.2/7.2), Great Falls (3.2), Helena (12.2) and Missoula (8.2). It is also available on Spectrum Cable, Tongue River Cable, TCT West Cable, Montana Opticom, Access Montana, DIRECTV, the DIRECTV streaming platform, and FUBO TV.

ESPN+ will again serve as the primary streaming home of Montana Athletics this season.

Veteran play-by-play announcer Trey Bender and former Grizzly All-American Jordan Tripp return to the broadcast booth this season. Kyle Hansen will report from the sidelines. For complete broadcast details visit GoGriz.com/WhereToWatch.

LISTEN: "Voice of the Griz" Riley Corcoran is in his 11th season behind the mic at Montana and will once again bring you all the Grizzly action over the airwaves on the Grizzly Sports Radio Network and its sixteen affiliate stations around the state.

Joining Corcoran in the booth this season is Chase Reynolds – a Montana native, Grizzly Sports Hall of Famer, five-year NFL veteran and one of the most decorated players in UM history – who brings his knowledge of the game to the airwaves as the Grizzlies' new radio analyst.

"Grizzly Gameday" starts two hours before kickoff each Saturday with the official pregame radio show featuring Ace Sauerwein and Denny Bedard before Corcoran and Reynolds take over 30 minutes to kickoff.

Griz fans outside the radio footprint can stream all of Montana's broadcasts on their mobile device LIVE and FREE of charge with the Varsity Network App, powered by Learfield and Sidearm Sports.

BOBBY KENNEDY RADIO SHOW: The Grizzly Coaches show returns to The Den on Upper Miller Creek Road each Wednesday at 7 p.m. this season as Coach Kennedy and "Voice of the Griz" Riley Corcoran provide an exclusive breakdown of this week's opponent and relive all the highlights of last week's win. The Coaches Show can be heard on select Grizzly Sports Radio Network stations around the state, originating from 98.3 FM and 1290 AM KGVO Missoula.

GRIZZLY INSIDER: The Grizzly Insider takes fans inside the huddle every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on The Spot – MTN. Corcoran and Scripps TV sideline reporter Kyle Hansen break down that week's game with Kennedy and a featured player each week with up-to-date features on other Grizzly sports as well.

HAPPENINGS: It's one of Montana's favorite new traditions this week as Griz fans "Stripe the Stadium" in maroon and white, depending on the section you sit in. To find out what color your section of Washington-Grizzly Stadium is wearing, visit @UMGRIZZLIES on social media and keep your eyes on GoGriz.com for maps.

///GRIZ TRACKS///

FIRST TIME OUT: Bobby Kennedy followed a trend of Montana's previous 37 head coaches finding success in their first game. After beating SUU in a conference game, new Grizzly head coaches are now 7-2 over the last 40 years dating back to Don Read's first game in 1986 and including two Bobby Hauck wins.

STREAKS ALIVE: Montana kept several impressive streaks alive in Saturday's win over SUU. Most importantly, it was UM's fifth straight win over the T-Birds dating back to the last loss in 2012. That's notable as Southern Utah returns to the Big Sky and will again be frequent on UM's future schedules.

• The Griz also extended their FCS-best streak of wins in the season opener, now at 12. It's a mark that's now tops in the subdivision by a long shot after Villanova (which had won 9-straight) lost a shocker to William & Mary on Saturday. The next closest streaks in the FCS are five-straight wins by both Georgetown and Harvard – neither of which have played yet this season.

• Washington-Grizzly Stadium continues to be one of the hardest places for opponents to win in college football. Montana has now won 23-straight home openers, dating back to the last loss in 2003. UM is an astounding 36-4 in the home opener over the last 40 years.

• The nighttime also continues to be the right time for the Griz at WGS after the 7 p.m. kickoff against SUU. Montana is now 21-3 all-time under the lights in Missoula and will face another after dark test in November when UM faces Idaho State at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• Not a streak per se, but Montana's win over SUU also hit a nice round number milestone as win No. 660 in program history and No. 280 in Big Sky Conference history. Montana is one of just 19 teams in the FCS (including the Ivy League) and the only team in the Big Sky Conference to have amassed 650-plus wins in program history, dating back to 1897.

Coincidentally, this week's opponent Drake is right on the heels of Montana in all-time wins at 658.

GRIZ IN THE POLLS: Montana slid a spot to No. 3 in both the AFCA Coaches Poll and the Stats Perform Media Poll this week after a one TD conference win over SUU. UM swapped spots with former No. 3 South Dakota State, which trounced Stetson 70-7 in Brookings. Stetson, based in Florida, is a co-member of the Pioneer Football League with Drake.

GRIZ IN THE RATINGS: Montana also slid a little bit in the Sagarin and Massey Ratings. After starting at No. 89, UM is now the No. 91-rated team in college football according to the Sagarins but stayed at No.3 in the Massey ratings.

The Sagarin and Massey ratings are computer calculations that take into account strength of schedule, among other variables, to rank teams, and can be used in tiebreaking scenarios for championships and the postseason.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week was really a whole bunch of players, but Grizzly defensive end Jake Mason was a catalyst in the standout day by Montana's third unit in the win over Southern Utah.

Mason and Grizzly special teams squad blocked both a Thunderbird field goal and PAT attempt and stuffed a pair of two-point conversion attempts as well to keep eight points off the board in the seven-point victory.

Mason blocked the PAT, finished with six tackles and one tackle for loss, and was named co-Special Teams Player of the Week, the Big Sky Conference announced Monday. It is the first Big Sky weekly honor of Mason's career and follows his preseason all-conference selection in July.

BLOCK PARTY: Montana's special teams have never blocked both a field goal and PAT in the same game in recent program history. UM's last blocked field goal was from Josh Sandry against Savannah State way back in 2017. The last blocked PAT was by Jareb Ramos in 2025 against Indiana State.

The Griz are No. 1 in the FCS this week in blocked kicks with two and are one of six teams that blocked a pair around the nation on week one.

• Another curiosity from the "last time it happened" file… Southern Utah had two players rush for over 100 yards each against the Griz as the T-Bird offense racked up 510 yards of total offense. The last time a UM opponent had two players rush for 100-plus? Montana State's Tommy Mellot and Julius Davis in 2023. The common thread between the two? Both Grizzly wins.

OTHER SATURDAY STARS
• Eli Gillman took his first touch of the ball 85 yards to the house for one of his two touchdowns against Southern Utah en route to a game-high 169 all-purpose yards. The preseason MVP led Montana with 76 net rush yards and a score on the ground and paired it with a game-high 93 receiving yards and another TD.

His 93 receiving yards are a career high, as was his 85-yard TD catch on the second offensive play of the game. His 85-yard reception is also the 8th longest TD pass in school history.

Gillman is now tied with Lex Hilliard for second in program history with 50 rushing TDs, and his receiving TD against SUU brings his career total to 55 scores – now just five from breaking Chase Reynolds' program mark. With 76 net yards on the ground his career total now comes to 3,753, putting him now 318 yards shy of another school record.

He also now leads the conference and is second in the FCS in yards per catch, averaging 46.5 yards per touch.

• In his Grizzly and D-I debut, safety Braeden Orlandi, a transfer from Carroll, posted a game-high eight tackles and logged a half-TFL for a SUU loss of three yards against the Thunderbirds. He's the latest transfer from the Saints to make an impact for the Griz after Hunter Peck became a first team all-conference pick in 2025.

• Speedy sophomore Sage Salopek had a breakout day at cornerback, helping contain the SUU passing attack with a game-high six solo tackles. He is now tied for second in the FCS among corners in solo tackles this week and had seven total stops against the T-Birds.

• Phillipsburg native Kade Cutler earned his first start as a Grizzly and was one of four Grizzlies to total seven tackles and also logged his first career TFL. Other defenders to collect seven tackles are transfer end Tyler King, and "Butte Tough" Tanner Huff.

WHAT'S UP WITH WHATCOM COUNTY: Mason was one of several standouts on Saturday hailing from Whatcom County, Washington, – the area to the north and east of Bellingham. Mason, from Ferndale, was Big Sky Player of the Week. Brock Beaner, who picked off the pass to seal the win, and his brother Brady hail from just down the road in Anacortes. Colton Lentz from nearby in Nooksack made a big special teams stop, and O-lineman Lincoln Hoefer from Everson is also a promising up and comer.

The state of Washington has been a hotbed of recruiting for the Grizzlies, with the most players from out of state on the UM roster. A total of 24 Griz are from Washington, with 12 currently on the two deep. Of course, Montana is the state with the most representatives on the roster this season (and every season) with 30, and 8 from Missoula.

FLAG BEARERS: New in 2026, Montana will have four standouts from the previous week selected by the coaches to carry one of three flags and a sledgehammer out of the Topel Tunnel during team runout prior to kickoff.

The previous week's offensive and defensive MVPs will carry out the American Flag and Montana State Flag. The special teams MVP will carry the hammer. The "Montana Til I Die" flag - a mantra coined by former Grizzly Colt Anderson for his clothing line UpTop - is carried by a weekly MVP from the state of Montana.

On week one, Helena's Austin Buehler carried the American flag, Butte Tough Tanner Huff carried the state flag, No. 37 Clay Oven carried the "Montana Til I Die" flag, and Missoula's Ian Finch carried the hammer.

MORE FRESH STARTS: A new season equals a first starting opportunity for several Grizzlies. Running onto the field first were a pair of receivers in Landon Ransom-Goelz and Lekeldrick Bridges, and tight end Titus Rohrer earned his first start as well. The offensive line had fresh starts across the front, with Bozeman's Torin Jeske, Lucas Freitas, Jack D'Ambra, Dyllan Drummond, and Buehler all getting the green light to start.

Defensively, newcomer Tanner Williams and Clay Oven were first-start linebackers, Mason got his first start up front with Cooper Buffington, and Chris Johsnon II, Brady Beaner, Kade Boyd, and Huff all got their first career starts as well.

SCOUTING DRAKE: Drake may have lost to D-II South Dakota Mines on week one, but don't let that result fool you. The Bulldogs come to Missoula with as high-powered offense as the Grizzlies will see in 2026, passing for 535 yards and five TDs (two of which were 70-plus yards) in a wild 35-38 loss to the Hardrockers.

Drake is led by first year head coach Matt Walker, who came to Des Moines after 15 hugely successful years at Wisconsin-River Falls where he won a D-III national championship and was a two-time D-III Coach of the Year. During his time at River Falls the Falcons consistently had one of the top offenses in all D-III as well.

Veteran quarterback Riley Warzynski, who followed Walker from River Falls, completed 38 of his 56 passes with one INT and took just two sacks in the loss to SD Mines, while racking up 535 yards in the air. Hank Foley and Willis Nofsinger accounted for the bulk of those receiving yards, with 168 and 146, respectively.

LAST MEETING: Led by a smothering defense and 38 second-half points, the Griz bounced back from a slow start to defeat Drake 48-16 on week two of the 2018 season in the only other meeting between the two programs.

The Griz nabbed three interceptions and recovered a pair of fumbles to win the turnover battle while dominating the line of scrimmage with seven sacks in a defensive effort led by then-coordinator (and current analyst) Kent Baer.

The Bulldogs made life difficult for the Griz in the opening half as UM went to the locker rooms up 10-3. But the floodgates opened in the third quarter with a 25-yard touchdown run from Adam Eastwood, and a pair of touchdown passes from Dalton Sneed that made it a 21-10 game, and UM added 17 more points in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on the victory.

IS THIS HEAVEN? NO, IT'S IOWA: Drake University resides in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa, in the center of the state. Montana has two players on the roster that hail from the Hawkeye State this season. Starting D-lineman Cooper Buffington is from the tiny town of Winfield – two hours southeast of Des Moines. However, freshman O-lineman Owen Liechti hails from Ankeny, a suburb of Des Moines, roughly 20 minutes from the Drake campus.

Missoula is a long way from the rolling Iowa corn fields. Outside of Buffington and Liechti, only 11 lettermen in the history of Griz football have come from there.