Griz swat Hornets
MISSOULA - Whatever suspense there might have been over the ninth-ranked Montana Grizzlies looking past Sacramento State to the 'Cat-Griz game next week was quickly dispelled Saturday.
The Griz scored on the first drive of the game, forced turnovers from Sacramento State on its first two possessions and moved down the field at will, building a 38-7 halftime lead and cruising to a 52-21 win on a cold November afternoon in front of the smallest crowd to watch a game at Washington Grizzly Stadium, 21,097, in four years.
It was easily the most complete defensive effort of the season for Montana, despite the 21 points - 14 of which came in garbage time - and 176 yards rushing from freshman phenom Ryan Mole. The beleaguered Griz secondary, with help from the defensive line, shut down Sacramento State's passing game to the tune of 128 yards.
"I've said this ad nauseam throughout the year - our defense should improve every game," UM coach Bobby Hauck said.
Defensive end Mike Murphy had three tackles and two sacks of Hornets quarterback Ryan Leadingham, one of 28 players to record tackles.
"I felt really good at the beginning of the game," said Murphy. "The whole defensive line was able to get pressure and get in his face, and our secondary is getting better every week.
"We've really been working on it the last three or four weeks."
While the defense was taking care of business in the first half, Craig Ochs and the Griz offense was having its way, taking advantage of a dinged up and shorthanded Sacramento State secondary for an even 300 yards offense.
Ochs was 20-of-23 in the first half for 206 yards and a touchdown, plus he caught a score from Jefferson Heidelberger on a back-breaking play in the first quarter to go up 21-0. He finished the game 26-of-31 for 300 yards and three scores.
"Craig Ochs made some throws that I thought I could have caught at (age) 45," Hornets coach Steve Mooshagian said. "He convinced me he can play at the next level. He is the most improved quarterback (in the league)."
Ochs' touchdown catch came on the Grizzlies' first play after forcing a Sacramento State fumble. Heidelberger lined up in the backfield, Ochs threw him a lateral to the right side, Heidelberger pump faked once then found Ochs wide open back to the left.
What should have been a modest gain turned into a 30-yard catch-and-run thanks to Ochs' ability to elude would-be tacklers.
"That was well-designed," Mooshagian said. "We had two guys in a position to make a play and they didn't."
Said Ochs: "After a turnover, sometimes you can catch a team kind of down. It was a special play just for this week."
So dominant was the total Griz effort in the first quarter that through the first three possessions for each team, Sacramento State's deepest penetration wasn't as good as Montana's starting field position coming back the other way.
The Griz picked off Leadingham three times and Chris Brown once, plus the forced fumble. Montana scored on eight of its first nine drives - the lone exception was a missed 33-yard field goal at the end of the first half.
"You cannot make the mistakes we made on somebody else's turf and expect to win," Mooshagian said.
Not helping matters were injuries to the Hornets secondary, preventing them from using their nickel defensive package, which in turn left Montana's talented receivers locked up in less-than-adequate coverage.
Aside from all that, both head coaches, Ochs and running back Justin Green heaped praise on the Montana offensive line. The Hornets came into the game leading the league in sacks, and Montana allowed just two on the day. At least one of those came in confirmed garbage time with subs playing.
"If I were to give a game ball as an opposing coach, it would be to their offensive line," Mooshagian said.
Ochs credited the tackles for containing the Hornets defensive ends.
"Cory Procter and Brad Rhoades really neutralized their best players," he said. "The offensive line was awesome."
Green, who had 66 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, and J.R. Waller combined for over 100 yards. Kalispell's Lex Hilliard didn't play much after missing practice all week - he was bit by a spider and had a reaction - and then hurt a leg during the game and did not return.
"We just had a good day on our offensive line," Green said. "The holes were open from the get-go."
Montana finished with 421 yards passing among three quarterbacks and nine receivers. Six runners netted 144 yards for a total of 565.
The lone bright spot for the Hornets was receiver Fred Amey. The senior standout had eight catches for 106 yards, and broke the Big Sky career record for yards. He has 3,806 in four seasons.
Griz 52, Hornets 21
Sacramento St. 0 7 7 7 -21
Montana 28 10 14 0 -52
First Quarter
UM-Green 1 run (Carpenter kick), 12:25
UM-Green 2 run (Carpenter kick), 9:44
UM-Ochs 30 pass from Heidelberger (Carpenter kick), 7:27
UM-Green 1 run (Carpenter kick), 1:49
Second Quarter
SAC-Mole 2 run (Lively kick), 12:15
UM-Talmage 19 pass from Ochs (Carpenter kick), 11:54
UM-FG Carpenter 36, 6:24
Third Quarter
UM-Talmage 13 pass from Ochs (Cahill kick), 9:45
UM-Talmage 38 pass from Ochs (Cahill kick), 6:38
SAC-Perry 7 pass from Leadingham (Lively kick), 5:27
Fourth Quarter
SAC-Amey 11 pass from Leadingham (Lively kick), 9:18
A-21,097.
SAC Mont
First downs 16 33
Rushes-yards 33-191 44-144
Passing 128 421
Comp-Att-Int 12-27-4 30-38-0
Return Yards 50 46
Punts-Avg. 4-34 1-55
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 3-1
Penalties-Yards 10-102 9-101
Time of Possession 27:56 32:04
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Sacramento, Mole 23-176, Leadingham 9-19, Team 1-(minus 4). Montana, J. Green 16-66, Waller 9-48, B. Green 14-33, Hilliard 3-10, Ochs 1-(minus 6), Disney 1-(minus 7).
PASSING-Sacramento, Leadingham 12-26-3-128, Brown 0-1-1-0. Montana, Ochs 26-31-0-300, Disney 3-5-0-91, Team 0-1-0-0, Heidelberger 1-1-0-30.
RECEIVING-Sacramento, Amey 8-106, Mole 2-5, Fleurinord 1-10, Perry 1-7. Montana, Hancock 7-58, Talmage 5-85, Heidelberger 5-67, Segars 4-27, J. Green 3-36, Simpson 2-56, Walden 2-27, Costanzo 1-35, Ochs 1-30.