CHENEY, Wash. — For the second consecutive week, the Montana football team engaged in an offensive showdown.
On Saturday night at Roos Field, the eighth-ranked Grizzlies secured a thrilling 52-49 victory over the Eastern Washington Eagles. This win improved their overall record to 4-1 and marked their first Big Sky victory of the season (1-0) since 2022, kicking off their defense of the 2023 conference title.
The two teams racked up a staggering 1,252 yards of total offense, with the Grizzlies notching their first win in Eastern Washington since 2008, breaking their longest road losing streak against conference rivals. They’ve now won four straight Big Sky road games—matching their longest streak since winning seven in a row during the 2008-09 seasons.
The game’s combined total of 101 points was the highest for the Grizzlies since their 2019 playoff matchup against Southeastern Louisiana. With 52 points scored, this is the most the team has tallied on the road since a dominant 57-14 victory at Southern Utah in 2018. Over the last three games, the Grizzlies have amassed 157 points, the most for a three-game stretch since 2016 when they scored 178.
“That was an exciting football game,” said Montana head coach Bobby Hauck. “It was really intense. Defensive fans might not have enjoyed it as much, but it was definitely wild. Overall, it was a fantastic game.”
Quarterback query
Just when it looked like Keali’i Ah Yat was set to become Montana’s starting quarterback, uncertainty clouds the position once again — and it’s not due to Ah Yat’s performance.
He missed the game against Eastern due to an injury from the previous week and was “held out of practice,” as noted in the TV broadcast. Meanwhile, Fife, who shone during the win over Western Carolina, excelled even more in his first start against the Eagles.
Fife directed one of Montana’s most vibrant passing games in five years, reminiscent of their 2019 playoff victory against Southeastern Louisiana. He completed 30 of 42 passes (71.4%) for a career-high 364 yards and five touchdowns.
He was particularly effective in critical moments, completing 8 of 11 third-down passes for 99 yards and connecting on both fourth-down attempts for 49 yards and two touchdowns, including one to Junior Bergen, who hit 150 receiving yards—the highest since the SELA game. Similar to last week, Fife played a key role in securing the victory.
“Logan played exceptionally well,” Hauck commented. “We needed every point. He managed a lot of situations, and when we review the film, I think we’ll see he made many smart choices throughout the game. A well-played effort by Logan.”
Fife demonstrated great accuracy, delivering the ball in places that made receiving easier for his receivers. He connected with tight end Erik Barker for a touchdown on a pass that Ah Yat had overthrown the week before. Barker ended with three catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns, both career highs, as Fife effectively utilized his tight ends, including finding Jake Olson for his first career TD.
Like Ah Yat, Fife proved he could be a dual-threat quarterback, with runs of 10 and 15 yards contributing to his yardage, even though he netted 22 yards on the ground after accounting for sacks. Unlike Ah Yat, Fife has a sturdier build that allows him to absorb hits better, contrasting with Ah Yat’s injury in the last game.
In the past two weeks, Montana demonstrated a strong running game with Nick Ostmo and Eli Gillman both surpassing 100 yards, a feat the Griz hadn’t achieved repeatedly since 2013. They amassed 337 rushing yards against Eastern, while Fife also showcased his passing skills. Ah Yat’s best game passing so far totals 155 yards.
“As for throwing, we know we can do that too,” Fife stated. “We have a lot of talented receivers. Our tight ends also played well tonight. I think we’re clicking in all parts of our offense, and it was exciting to be a part of. My job was to get the playmakers the ball and let them take charge.”
Montana has shown it possesses two capable quarterbacks who can lead the team if one is injured, a luxury they haven’t had in recent seasons. When they visited EWU in 2021, Cam Humphrey was hurt during the game, and the backup couldn’t spark a rally, which led to a loss to Sacramento State the following week.
The victory at Eastern also showcased Fife’s potential for a strong season, considering his college experience and the composure he exhibited. He has played in all five games at Montana, starting once, after appearing in 21 games and starting six at Fresno State.
As for Ah Yat, a redshirt freshman and legacy player, he may have a brighter future ahead if he continues to develop with game experience. He has participated in nine games this year, but meaningful reps have come in just four, completing 54 of 85 passes for 469 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
It’s still unclear how long Ah Yat will be sidelined or how he will perform upon return. Will he resume the workload he managed by Week 4? Will he and Fife continue to share snaps? Or will there be a primary QB with specific packages for the other?
Both players have found success with an uptempo offense, and regardless of the quarterback situation, maintaining that faster pace could benefit Montana.
“They’re physical and thrive on that hurry-up offense,” EWU defensive back Cage Schenck noted. “They push to get aligned quickly, and then the play is over before you know it.”
Defensive desires
UM’s 49 points allowed is the highest the team has ever given up in a win throughout its 1,181-game history, which dates back to 1897. The previous record was 48 points, set three times: once against South Dakota State in 1993 (52-48), again in 2009 (61-48), and in 2013 during overtime at Sacramento State (51-48).
This total of 49 points also ties for the second-most surrendered by a Griz team under coach Hauck in his 170-game tenure, with only a 55-21 loss to Montana State in 2022 being higher. It is the most points given up since a 49-26 loss to North Dakota State in the 2022 playoffs.
Montana’s defense allowed 551 total yards, with 288 passing yards and 263 rushing yards. This is the highest yardage surrendered since allowing 561 at Montana State in 2022, totaling 1,028 yards allowed over their last two games.
These results raised concerns about the defense under first-year co-defensive coordinators Tim Hauck and Roger Cooper, especially after losing several starters from a previously dominant unit.
“I don’t think we executed well as a unit,” said senior linebacker Ryan Tirrell. “We need to return to our defensive identity and just push through. The offense supported us.”
Kekoa Visperas led the offensive effort, completing 22 of 38 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 61 yards and two scores. Jared Taylor, one of three quarterbacks in the rotation, showcased his strength during a 48-yard touchdown run.
All-American receiver Efton Chism III was the standout target, catching eight passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns. After the game, Hauck expressed relief that Montana wouldn’t face Chism again.
The Eagles exploited the defense effectively, racking up nine rushing plays of over 10 yards and seven passing plays exceeding 15 yards, converting 9 of 14 third downs. They resembled their formidable past despite averaging only 28.5 points per game leading into this matchup.
“They had a solid game plan against us,” Hauck noted. “They exploited man coverage, got the ball to the perimeter, and slipped players out on blitzes that we missed. There were also a few blown coverages.”
The Griz played without safety Ryder Meyer for the third consecutive game and also missed safety Jace Klucewich, a key rotational player. Defensive end Noah Kaschmitter, who Hauck had praised over the years, was out for the second week in a row.
Additionally, All-American linebacker Riley Wilson was unavailable for the first half. Though the defense only allowed 14 points in that half, they gave up 35 after the break, including 28 in the fourth quarter.
“We didn’t play as well overall in the second half as we have in the past,” Hauck admitted. “We were missing several key players and didn’t execute defensively as we needed to.”
Montana’s defense has yet to deliver a full four-quarter performance against a scholarship opponent this season. Their most complete game was a 59-2 victory over non-scholarship Morehead State.
In their previous match against North Dakota, they allowed 20 points in the second half and lost 27-24 after squandering a 17-point halftime lead. They nearly let another 17-point halftime lead slip against the Eagles but maintained the advantage, with the offense stepping up this time.
The Griz had a slow start last week against Western Carolina, falling behind 17-0 in the first 16 minutes but managed to win 46-35. They also trailed Missouri State following the opening drive of the season.
“The offense is exciting to watch,” Tirrell said regarding the Griz’s attack. “The defense needs to step up and put together a full four quarters.”
Be more ‘special’
It’s rare for Montana to find itself at a clear disadvantage on special teams, but that was the case against the Eagles.
Michael Wortham was particularly impactful, returning six kicks for 184 yards, averaging 30.7 yards per return. His longest was a 46-yard return that helped set up a 50-yard touchdown pass just three plays later, narrowing Montana’s lead to 45-42.
He also recorded returns of 39 and 40 yards, although those did not result in scores; the 39-yarder was after the first half’s final seconds, and the 40-yarder initiated a drive that ended in a turnover on downs when the Eagles opted against a field goal.
Montana struggled with their kickoffs, sending one out of bounds for a penalty, having only four of their nine kicks reach the end zone, and managing just one touchback. Their final kickoff was deliberately short to avoid Wortham, but Eastern still converted it into a touchdown drive, beginning at their own 36-yard line.
Although the Griz have made big hits on kick returners, they have also been vulnerable, allowing an average of 23.61 yards per return, ranking them 98th in the FCS. They are conceding significant yardage without generating any big plays of their own, whereas special teams helped secure two playoff victories last year.
Additionally, the Griz allowed Eastern’s kicker to recover his own onside kick, and on another onside attempt, they couldn’t field the ball, narrowly regaining possession when it went out of bounds.
In contrast, the Griz managed only one kick return for 21 yards, as Eastern achieved five touchbacks and attempted two onside kicks. They failed to return any of the three punt opportunities they created, resulting in one touchback, one fair catch, and another that rolled to the 2-yard line.
Both teams missed a field goal, but Montana was successful with the only one that counted in what became a three-point victory. Ty Morrison made a 29-yard kick but missed from 40 yards for the Griz, while Eastern’s Soren McKee missed a 40-yarder.
“I think they outperformed us in the kicking game, to be honest,” Hauck said. “They did an excellent job. I’m just as pleased as I can be that we managed to get a win this week.”
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