Bison rumble over Griz, 49-26
Keelan White (6) of the Montana Grizzlies scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Oscar Benson (42) of the North Dakota State Bison looks to make a tackle at the Fargodome on Dec. 3, in Fargo, North Dakota. (Tommy Martino/UM Athletics)
FARGO, N.D. — Lucas Johnson couldn’t finish and North Dakota State, as usual, could.
Kobe Johnson ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns, quarterback Cam Miller also ran for two scores and third-seeded North Dakota State ran away from Montana 49-26 in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday at the Fargodome.
The defending and nine-time champion Bison (10-2) piled up 453 rushing yards and turned three turnovers by the Grizzlies (8-5) into 21 points in front of 12,929 fans. North Dakota State is home against sixth-seeded Samford in the quarterfinals next weekend.
Montana cut a 14-0 deficit to 14-10 behind Johnson, who ran for a score late in the first quarter. But in the final minute of the first half Johnson was sacked — and pretty clearly facemasked — and fumbled.
NDSU’s Cole Wisniewski recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown and a 21-10 Bison lead. A review of whether the Griz quarterback was down when the ball came out confirmed the Bison TD.
Montana battled: Backup Daniel Britt drove Montana to a Nico Ramos field goal at the end of the half, and the Griz drew to 21-20 on Corin Walker’s 58-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
Twelve seconds later — on their next offensive snap — the Bison got a 75-yard scoring run from Kobe Johnson to push the lead back to 28-20. Soon it was 42-20 after long TDs from TaMerik Williams and Johnson, the latter with 13:17 left in the game.
“When we got it to 21-20 I felt good. Really good," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. "Then we gave up the two big runs and let it get back to a 15-point game. We fought out of that hole early but then we put ourselves right back into it.”
It was another rough day for the Grizzlies’ 3-3-5 defense, which was gashed for 439 rushing yards by Montana State in a 55-21 loss two weeks ago. A 68-yard touchdown run by Miller at 5:57 of the first quarter marked NDSU’s longest run from scrimmage all season.
The Bison then got TD runs of 75 and 73 yards from Kobe Johnson and 68 by Williams. Williams appeared bottled up and then bounced outside and out of the grasp of two Griz to score.
“They’re a huge, movement-pressure team,” NDSU coach Matt Entz said. “They’re going to play single high (safety). And when you use the quarterback in the run game, (they) can run out of bodies really quick. It was Kobe on the post, it was T-Mac on the post, and I’ll take those guys any day.”
Britt completed 12 of 20 passes for 108 yards and a 22-yard touchdown to Keelan White that capped the scoring with 1:08 left. He was intercepted twice, and NDSU converted both turnovers into TD drives.
Lucas Johnson was 8 of 14 passing for 70 yards and was sacked four times. The San Diego State transfer either missed or left all five of Montana’s 2022 losses with injuries.
Williams ran 11 times for 101 yards for NDSU, and Miller had eight carries for 81 yards while completing 6 of 10 passes for 58.
“We did a good job the first half, running inside zone,” Entz said. “And then we did a real good job the second half running a play we call, ‘Punch.’ About three big plays came off that run scheme.”
TK Marshall had a 7-yard TD run late; Miller started the scoring with a 10-yard burst.
In his final game, Robby Hauck was credited with eight tackles, giving him 482 for his career; he also had a defensive holding call that negated an NDSU fumble that Patrick O’Connell recovered.
O’Connell had one tackle for loss; teammate and fellow Glacier grad Henry Nuce had a sack and three tackles. Punter Patrick Rohrbach (Glacier) averaged 39.6 yards on five punts.
Isiah Childs ran for a season-high 99 yards in place of injured running back Nick Ostmo for the Griz. Aaron Fontes had five catches for 75 yards.
NDSU is making its 13th straight FCS playoff appearance. The record is 17 straight by Montana, 1993-2009.
The Griz have been back in the playoffs the last three fall seasons, but have not advanced past the quarterfinals.
“I love this team. This is my favorite team that I've ever coached,” Bobby Hauck said.
“These guys are special. The work that they put in, their willingness to lay it all on the line for Montana, they are special. I flat told them after the game that the only regret I have on this season is I don't get to coach you guys another game."