Montana Tops MSU 33-19
11/21/2009 4:11:44 PM | Football
Andrew Selle passed for three scores and the Montana Grizzlies lived up to their top ranking on Saturday, beating Montana State 33-19.
Montana, ranked atop the FCS coaches' poll, never allowed the 23rd-ranked Bobcats to get into an offensive rhythm, holding MSU to two first downs and 68 totals yards in the second and third quarters combined.
The win gives Montana a 69-35-5 record after 109 meetings in the storied rivalry. The Grizzlies now get ready for the first round of playoffs begging Nov. 28. The Bobcats needed a win for a chance to be considered for an at-large spot in the post season, finished the season 7-4, their best record in Rob Ash's three-year tenure. They finished 5-3 in the Big Sky Conference.
A standing-room-only crowd of 15,127 watched Montana move on with an 11-0 record and a perfect 8-0 in the league. It was UM's fourth straight win in the series.
The Bobcats scored first. Junior Dan Ogden and senior Matt Harris tackled UM backup quarterback Justin Roper in the end zone to make it 2-0 after one quarter. Surprisingly, the Grizzlies answered with a safety of their own when MSU backup Matt Iddins fell on a bad snap in the end zone.
Then Selle got busy. He hit All-America candidate Marc Mariani for a 9-yard score. Senior Jason Cunningham's 29-yard field goal, after a fake punt attempt by the Grizzlies, made it 9-5 at halftime.
Selle opened up the third-quarter scoring with another touchdown pass to Mariani, this time for six yards. Then Roper found Dan Beaudin on a 1-yard scoring pass and Brody McKnight kicked a 40-yard field goal to give UM a 26-5 lead. The Bobcats answered with a 14-yard scoring pass from Cody Kempt to senior tight end Joe Schreibeis.
Kempt, a junior, overcame two first-quarter interceptions to finish the day with good numbers, hitting 19 of 35 attempts for 159 yards. Senior Aaron Mason led the Bobcats with 51 yards rushing. MSU totaled only 83 yards on the ground and 242 total yards in the game. The Bobcats were forced to punt eight times.
The Grizzlies final score was a Selle to Beaudin 14-yard connection. The Bobcats finished the scoring with a 1-yard plunge by Kempt.
Harris and fellow seniors Dane Fletcher and Jeff Price each collected 11 tackles for the Bobcats. Fletcher also blocked a field goal attempt in the second quarter.
Selle hit 17 of 22 passes for 163 yards. The Grizzlies totaled 356 yards, but only 95 came on the ground. Beaudin and Mariani each hauled in six passes for a 128 combined yards. Running back Chase Reynolds, the league's top rusher, was held to 63 yards on 25 carries.
