By: Holly Malkowski
The Montana State University Bobcats beat the University of Montana Grizzlies 34-11 in the 123rd Brawl of the Wild in Bozeman in a packed Bobcat stadium.
This win makes MSU undefeated in the Big Sky Conference, with a perfect 12-0 record. The Bobcats will receive a first round bye, and are looking ahead to the playoffs.
“We appreciate where we’re at, but we all understand that we have bigger things in mind moving forward,” Bobcat head coach Brent Vigen said.
The Bobcats started the contest strong in their run game. MSU marched down the field and starting quarterback Tommy Mellott ran it in for the first score of the game. The Bobcats led 7-0.
MSU ended the day with 326 rushing yards compared to Montana’s 117.
Montana started with a near sack on QB Logan Fife, who was forced to throw it away in his first play. The Griz were able to get one first down, but were forced to punt it regardless.
The Bobcat’s next possession was hindered by a false start penalty and resulted in a punt.
Montana got the ball back at the very end of the first quarter. Xavier Harris was able to get a big pickup to move the Griz downfield and kicker Ty Morrison finished the drive with a 47-yard field goal.
The Cats got a break on a Montana unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which led to a deep pass up the middle from Mellott to Rohan Jones for a touchdown. After the extra point, MSU led 14-3.
Montana was unable to get anything going on offense and was forced to punt its next two possessions. The Griz were two for 12 on third down conversions in the contest.
“We didn’t execute cleanly enough or make enough plays to come in here and not walk,” head coach Bobby Hauck said. “So, good by them, not good enough by us.”
Led by Mellott on his feet, the Bobcats made it down the field, but the Griz made a big defensive stop and held MSU to a field goal.
Montana followed up with a promising offensive drive in the last minutes of the half including first downs passes from Fife to running back Nick Ostmo and wide receiver Keelan White, but ended up turning it over on downs.
Fife was 18 for 34 on the day with 117 yards passing.
The Bobcats got the ball back with 25 seconds left on the clock. Mellott was able to run for a first down and kicker Myles Sansted made a 49-yard field goal to send the team to halftime up 20-3.
The third quarter started out slow for both teams and they punted back and forth. Toward the end of the quarter, MSU’s running back Adam Jones broke away for an 88-yard run into the red zone and finished it on the next play, running it up the middle himself for the touchdown. This put a fire back into the Bobcats and the fans as they led 27-3.
The start of the fourth quarter brought in a little wind storm, complete with a blustering wintry mix. Montana strung together some first downs and even converted on fourth down and eight yards to get into the red zone. Running back Eli Gillman ran it in for the touchdown from the 1-yard line to give the Griz its only TD of the day. Fife completed the two point conversion to Sawyer Racanelli to make the score 27-11.
The Cats answered with another Jones rushing touchdown, putting MSU up 34-11. Jones finished the day with 197 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Griz got the ball back and punted. After a MSU first down, they knelt on it to finish the contest.
Montana State will have a first round bye in the playoffs, as Montana waits to see where they stand.
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