UM Stops Bobcats in 120th Cat-Griz Game

Saturday, November 20

Missoula, Mont.

12 p.m. (Noon)

Montana State University

9-2 , 7-1

Montana

9-2 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Montana St.

Montana

11/20/2021 2:10:00 PM | Football

Box Score

UM rides Macias' leg to win

By: Bill Lamberty

MISSOULA, Montana - Kevin Macias kicked five field goals and Montana held the Bobcats to 204 total yards on Saturday in a 29-10 win by the Grizzlies in Missoula.

The Grizzlies struck early, when quarterback Cam Humphrey connected on a 74-yard touchdown pass to Junior Bergen on the game's second scrimmage play. That was the only touchdown scored by either offense until late in the fourth quarter.

"It was still just one play," Bobcat coach Brent Vigen said of UM's early touchdown, "We had a chance to tie the score up, we had second-and-one inside the five, and only got a field goal. ;We definitely had a chance to take the momentum back but we just never did. We didn't make enough plays. They did."

After that 35-yard field goal by Blake Glessner, Montana drove from its own 25 to the Bobcat 25, and Macias connected on his first boot to boost UM's lead to 10-3. He made two more in the second quarter, one with 12 seconds remaining, then hit another early in the third quarter. "He had a big impact on the game," Vigen said. "If any of those field goals (aren't made) it changes the game."

The Grizzlies out-gained MSU 236 yards to 88 in the first half, with Cam Humphrey throwing for 213 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was 11-for-17. UM's defense forced four straight three-and-out possessions sandwiching halftime, two before the intermission and two directly after.

While Humphrey finished the day with 220 passing yards on 13-for-22 passing, the Cats did intercept him twice. Troy Andersen snagged one, Jeffrey Manning the other. MSU quarterback Matthew McKay threw for 108 yards on 12-for-25 passing. Neither team's ground game got untracked. MSU rushed for 96 yards, with Isaiah Ifanse gaining 50, while UM's Xavier Harris led his team with 41. The Grizzlies totaled 51.

Montana State's lone touchdown came in the game's final minute. McKay found Nate Stewart in the end zone from 20 yards out.

"A lot of the credit goes to them," Vigen said. "They played well today."

Both teams finish the regular season 9-2, with the Cats falling to second place in the Big Sky with a 7-1 record. UM finished 6-2 in the league. Both teams learn their playoff fate on Sunday at 10:30 am Sunday. The event is televised on ESPNU.

#GoCatsGo