Bearkats thrive in bad weather
If you're thinking the all-Texas roster of Sam Houston State, taken from the balmy climes of the Gulf Coast and dropped into the wintry Missoula Valley, is going to be shivering on the sidelines Saturday longing for a cup of hot cocoa and rendered inert, you'd probably better think again.
"It was snowy, wet, cold and at night in Cheney last week and they didn't seem to suffer any ill effects from it," Griz coach Bobby Hauck said.
The Bearkats scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a touchdown and extra point with no time left on the clock, to defeat Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals last Saturday.
This is an explosive Sam Houston State team that outplayed the Griz on both sides of the ball on Sept. 18, a 41-29 SHS win in Huntsville. Since then, the Bearkats have lost only once - to Northwestern State, Montana's opening round foe.
"They (Northwestern State) were faster than Sam Houston on both sides of the ball," Hauck said. "That was they're advantage."
The Griz had no trouble handling the Demons two weeks ago, but injuries keep piling up for Montana and health, particularly on the offensive line, could end up being the deciding factor.
"It's kind of like we're put together with duct tape," Hauck said. "We need to see if we can do it it again."
For the first time all year, Hauck seemed less than 100 percent confident about an upcoming game. Either he's sandbagging in the great tradition of the recently retired Lou Holtz, or the spate of injuries has finally come to a breaking point.
- RECORD WATCH: Levander Segars is closing in on the Division I-AA career record for punt return yards, needing just 57 to pass former James Madison returner Delvon Joyce, who had 1,488 yards. Segars holds the record for most returns with 140.
The senior from Colorado Springs downplayed his individual accomplishment in favor of team goals.
"That's something I'll have to put on the back burner," he said. "If I don't get it, oh well. If I do get it, oh well too."
Segars seemed like a lock to break the record at the start of the year, but opponents have kept him pretty well wrapped up. That is, until he broke off a 52-yard return against New Hampshire to bring the record back into play.
- ANOTHER BENCHMARK: With the win over New Hampshire, the Griz reached 11 wins for the eighth time in the last 16 years. Montana had no 11-win seasons before 1989.
- BLOCK THAT KICK: In an odd coincidence, both Montana and Sam Houston State defeated Eastern Washington thanks to blocked field goals.
In the Grizzlies' case, it was Shane MacIntyre's block of Sheldon Weddle's 28-yard attempt with 18 seconds to play that would have tied the game.
For the Bearkats, Vincent Cartwright blocked a kick that would have given the Eagles a nine-point lead with less than a minute remaining. Sam Houston got the ball and drove for the winning touchdown.
- MILESTONES: Quarterback Craig Ochs passed the 3,000-yard mark for the season against New Hampshire. Ochs has 4,841 yards in his Montana career, and will likely break 5,000 yards this week.
Lex Hilliard now has 908 yards on the season despite missing almost two full games. Should the former Flathead standout turn in another performance this week like he has the last two, he will crack 1,000 yards for the year.