Punching bag ISU up next for Griz
Griz have won 21 of last 23
The Griz have had four good games in the past five weeks. Now it's time to take on their punching bag.
The third-ranked University of Montana football team travels to Pocatello, Idaho, for Saturday's 3:05 p.m. kickoff against the Idaho State Bengals.
The Grizzlies have won 21 of the last 23 meetings against the Bengals and held them to just 92 yards of total offense last year.
A different wrinkle in this year's contest is ISU's first-year head coach John Zamberlin, who has led the Bengals to a 3-6 record this year. Zamberlin was the head coach at Central Washington for 10 years, which included a jaw-dropping victory in Bozeman a few years ago, and brings a 66-47 career record into this game.
ISU's victories this year are over Portland State, 38-20; Northern Colorado, 26-14; and Southern Oregon, 37-11.
While the Bengals are giving up 36 points per game on defense, big plays are becoming the norm on offense. In the last two weeks, Idaho State and its opponent have combined to score 13 touchdowns from outside the red zone. The Bengals have had touchdowns of 65 yards or more in all six ways to score a touchdown this year.
Even though the Bengals are starting a redshirt freshman at quarterback, three familiar names man their skill positions.
Senior running back Josh Barnett needs 121 yards to become the all-time leading rusher at ISU. Junior receiver Eddie Thompson has a career-high 68 catches for 758 yards, plus he's scored six touchdowns in the last five games. Junior running back Ken Cornist has 18 career rushing touchdowns. Senior center George Yarno was a preseason All-American.
"It seems like those guys have been there for eight years," UM coach Bobby Hauck said.
Quarterback Russell Hill has thrown for 1,727 yards and completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 12 touchdowns.
Barnett has 860 yards and two touchdowns on the season. His best game against the Griz came in his freshman year, when he rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns and had four catches for another 41 yards. His sophomore year, the Griz held him to 40 yards and a touchdown. Last year, he had just 22 yards and a touchdown.
Barnett is second in the Big Sky Conference in rushing this year. Thompson is second in the Big Sky in punt returns.
The Bengals have been vulnerable in the second quarter this season. They have been outscored by 98 points total this year and 94 of that point differential has come in the second quarter.