Box Score MISSOULA, Mont. — Sacramento State scored first but had no response for a Montana offense which amassed over 500 yards of offense in a 34-7 loss on Saturday night at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
The No. 4 Grizzlies improved to 8-1 overall and remain in the Big Sky Conference championship race with a 5-1 league mark. The seventh-ranked Hornets dropped to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in conference games. The loss snapped a three-game win streak for Sacramento State against Montana which dated back to 2019.
Sacramento State's offense was hard to stop on its first two possessions. After the defense created a three-and-out on the game's opening drive, the Hornets moved the ball to the Montana 26, but a 44-yard field goal attempt missed wide right. The offense got a second chance soon after and scored on a 1-yard rush from
Marcus Fulcher. Sacramento State needed just five plays to cover 55 yards during the drive.
From that point on, Montana took control of the game. The Griz used a couple of big third-down conversions to keep its next drive alive and tied the game on an 8-yard rush from Eli Gilman. Montana added to its lead early in the second quarter after a long punt return took the ball to the Hornet 33. A trick play brought the ball to the 9-yard line and Nick Ostmo scored on the next play to put UM on top 14-7 with 13:35 to play.
The Grizzlies took a 21-7 lead into halftime following a 9-yard pass from Clifton McDowell to Aaron Fontes.
The Hornets offense took their second drive of the third quarter inside the 10-yard line but again settled for a field goal which was missed. The defense then picked up its first turnover of the game when
Kylen Ross made a diving interception deep in Hornet territory to keep it a two-score game.
The big blow from Montana came on its next drive. After a a
Cal McGough punt pinned the Griz just outside their own goal line, McDowell hit Keelan White in stride up the right sideline for a 97-yard touchdown four minutes into the fourth quarter. Ostmo scored his second touchdown with a 10-yard rush to cap a 75-yard drive which featured all rushing plays.
Sacramento State finished with 268 yards of total offense. The Hornets rushed for 149 yards which was more than double of Montana's average of 66 rushing yards allowed in league games prior to tonight. Fulcher led the team with 87 yards on 11 carries while
Kaiden Bennett had 42 yards on 12 attempts. The team played two quarterbacks who combined to complete 15-of-39 passes for 119 yards.
Carlos Hill led the team with four receptions for 53 yards.
Montana amassed 547 yards of offense with 305 on the ground and 242 passing. Eli Gillman rushed for 113 yards and quarterback Clifton McDowell added 83 rushing and 218 passing.
Gavin Davis-Smith, who started at nickelback tonight, had a career high 11 tackles for the most on either team.
Sacramento State will host its final home regular season game of the year on Saturday, Nov. 11, against Cal Poly. The game will start at 2 p.m., and will feature "Senior Day" celebrations prior to the start of action.
