Road dogs come up big as Montana Western upsets No. 11 Montana Tech

by Daily Inter Lake
| October 8, 2023 12:00 AM

BUTTE — Montana Western played spoiler on the road Saturday as the Bulldogs took down the Montana Tech Orediggers 38-28 Saturday. The Bulldogs rushing attack played a big factor in the win as Bulldogs racked up 273 yards and three scores on the ground.

Western’s Pete Gibson carried the ball 11 times for team-high 102 yards rushing while Jake Humphrey finished with 100 yards and a score in the run game. Bulldogs quarterback Michael Palandri was 19 of 27 passing for 224 yards and a score while tacking on 83 yards and a touchdown with his legs on 18 carries.

Montana Tech was up 21-17 after a touchdown by Flathead Braves product Ben Counts with 3:10 to play in the second. From there the Bulldogs went on to score 21 unanswered points to run away from the Orediggers.

Counts finished with a team-high 67 rushing yards on 12 carries for Tech. Orediggers quarterback Blake Thelen was 19 of 33 passing for 306 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Eastern Oregon 28, MSU-Northern 3

HAVRE — Eastern Oregon picked up a road win over MSU-Northern as the Mountaineers Quincy Glasper aired it out for three touchdown passes to beat the Lights. Glasper was 18 of 28 for 257 passing yards and connected with Malachi Spurrier for two touchdowns including a 61-yard score at the 13:57 mark of the first quarter to put Eastern Oregon on the board. Spurrier was Glasper’s top target as he hauled in six catches for 116 yards. Glasper also hooked up with Blake Davis for a 70-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter.

MSU-Northern’s Mason Dionne was solid in the run game carrying the rock 31 times for 120 yards for the Lights.

Southern Oregon 20, Rocky Mountain 3

BILLINGS — Avery McCuaig rushed for three scores as Southern Oregon knocked off Rocky Mountain at home. McCuag finished with 71 rushing yards on nine carries and Isaiah Hidalgo added 76 yards rushing on six carries to lead a rushing attack that outgained Rocky Mountain 154 to -10 on the ground. The Raiders defense held the Battlin’ Bears to 110 total yards of offense.