With the win, the Grizzlies are now 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Sky Conference games. Sacramento State dropped to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in league play.

Montana scored the game’s first points on a 6-yard rush from Reggie Bradshaw with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter. The Griz had the drive set up by a long punt return from Tuff Harris. The Hornet defense backed Montana up during the drive but Swogger completed a pass to Eric Allen on 3rd-and-19 to keep the drive alive.

On the ensuing series Sacramento State was backed up due to a holding penalty and Montana responded by blocking Mitch Lively’s roll punt and recovering the ball at the Sacramento State 28-yard line. A pass interference call in the end zone took the ball to the 14-yard line before a long run by Bradshaw gave the Griz 1st-and-goal from the 1. Bradshaw added his second touchdown of the game on the next play to make the score, 14-0, with 2:56 left in the first quarter.

The Hornets answered back with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a 9-yard run from sophomore Torrell Baker. During the drive, Sacramento State relied heavily on running back Kris Daniels as well as the feet of junior quarterback Marcel Marquez. The pair hooked up on a shovel pass on third down that gained 17-yards and took the ball inside Montana’s red zone. Baker’s touchdown run, which was the first of his career, came on play action from Marquez. Baker took the handoff and dashed up the middle of the field before diving over the goal line.

The Griz opened the second quarter with a change and quarterback and running back. Sophomore Cole Bergquist took over under center and completed all three of his attempts for 35 yards and Brady Green rushed three times for 37 yards, including a 29-yard gain. Green capped the quick drive with a 3-yard TD rush to put UM back on top by 14 points with 10:46 left in the first half.

The momentum continued to go Montana’s way on the Hornets’ next drive. On 3rd-and-3, Marquez attempted to throw a wide receiver screen to Bobby Mooshagian but Quinton Jackson jumped the route and intercepted the pass on the 18-yard line. The Sacramento State defense, however, responded with a stop forcing the Griz to settle for a 30-yard field goal.

The Hornets moved the ball to the Montana 40-yard line but the drive stalled. On fourth down, the team called a fake punt but Lively was tackled short of the line of scrimmage to give the Griz the ball on the Hornet 35-yard line. Bergquist moved the team to the 26-yard line on the first three plays and then gained the first down on a scramble on fourth down to preserve the drive. On the next play, senior linebacker Tony DeMonaco intercepted a Bergquist pass for his first career interception.

After a Hornet punt, Swogger re-entered the game at quarterback and drove Montana to the Hornet 35-yard line before being intercepted by Brent Webber to end the first half.

Montana took the opening kickoff of the second half and methodically drove 73 yards on six plays for another touchdown. Green ended the drive with a 15-yard powerful run up the middle of the field for his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Special teams hurt the Hornets again as Lively had his punt blocked and recovered by Montana at the Sacramento State 27. Swogger found Ryan Bagley on a post route in the end zone on the next play to make the score, 38-7, with 8:37 left in the third period.

The Griz added another score three minutes later, when Craig Chambers caught a wide receiver screen and worked his way around two Hornets for a 24-yard touchdown. The drive was setup by a 25-yard punt return from Harris which UM the ball at the Sacramento State 25-yard line.

The Hornets answered back with an 8-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in a 60-yard pass from Marquez to Jason Barnes. On the play, Barnes began on the right side of the formation, came across the middle of the field to catch the pass and then stiff-armed the defensive back for the final 15 yards for his first career touchdown.

The scoring barrage continued just three plays later as Montana added another score. The Griz returned the kickoff to their own 40. Swogger then found Chambers for a 40-yard strike down the right side before hitting Allen for a 19-yard score in the left corner of the end zone.

Following an interception and a personal foul against the Hornets, Montana tacked on a eighth touchdown on a 3-yard rush from Andrew Schmidt. The Griz faced 4th-and-1 from the 6-yard line but an offsides call against the defense kept the drive alive.

As a team, the Hornets finished with 220 total yards while Montana compiled 413. Daniels rushed for a team-high 42 yards on 12 carries before leaving the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Marquez was 11-for-20 through the air for 126 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

Barnes became the first Hornet to have over 100 receiving yards since Fred Amey had 143 against Eastern Washington in 2004. Barnes, who has emerged as Marquez’s favorite target, had four grabs for 104 yards.

Green led the Montana rushing attack with 66 yards. Swogger was 14-of-18 for 221 yards, an interception and three touchdowns.

Defensively, Cyrus Mulitalo paced the Hornets with 10 tackles. Dustin Dlouhy had 12 for Montana to lead all players.

Sacramento State will next travel to Eastern Washington to take on the Eagles on Saturday, Sept. 30.

---30---