Griz notebook: Montana was too special for TSU

MISSOULA — Tennessee State football coach Eddie George has played and seen a lot of football, and he had the Montana Grizzlies pretty well scouted coming into their first-round FCS playoff game Saturday. 

Yet three things stood out in Montana’s 41-27 win, besides the Tigers' ball-hawking: Eli Gillman, the loudness of a stadium that was less than 50 percent capacity and Junior Bergen.  

Especially, Bergen.  

“Well, we knew he was a problem,” George said. “We were well aware that he was going to be an issue. The plan was to pin the ball to the sideline or kick the ball out of bounds.” 

The Tigers, who ended up 9-4 after their first playoff appearance since 2013, mostly followed that plan. But late in the third quarter, backed up to their one 8-yard line after a penalty and a Noah Kaschmitter sack, they got the kind of punt that George dreaded. 

Bergen took it 52 yards for a 27-6 Griz lead. 

“Ball gets in the middle of the field, I didn’t see a fair catch and I was like, ‘Oh (snap),’ “ George said. “Lo and behold, man. He did it to SEMO two years ago. He opens up the game. You get a guy that’s deadly like that, that’s what happens.” 

“I was hoping to get a chance,” Bergen said. “We were just looking for a line drive and we had a good plan set up for it. Coach dialed it up and the guys blocked it up.” 

He wasn’t done. After Tennessee closed to 27-20, he caught a short boot near the Grizzly sideline — TSU had a different punter on this one — and took it 54 yards. 

“We harped on that and I really emphasized that special teams have to be special,” George said. “Especially in this environment. You have to be the star of the show and it just didn’t happen for us.” 

Record Met 

Bergen’s touchdowns were the seventh and eighth of his career via punt return. That ties the FCS record held by Florida A&M’s LeRoy Vann from 2006-09. 

“That’s a special night,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. “I think that’s three years in a row where we had a playoff game where we returned two kicks of some sort for a touchdown. I don’t know if that’s ever happened in the NCAA either.” 

Against Southeast Missouri State in 2022, Malik Flowers had an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to spark the Griz back from a 24-3 deficit. Bergen got in the act with a 58-yard punt return that tied the game at 24-all. The Griz won 34-24. 

Last season, in a second-round game the Grizzlies eventually won 35-28 in overtime, Bergen burned the Furman Paladins with a 99-yard return of the opening kickoff, then a 59-yard punt return.  

For the record, Washington Huskies return man Dante Pettis (2014-17) had an FBS record nine punt return TDs.  

Feisty Tigers 

Tennessee State did use a special teams as a catalyst. Craig Cunningham’s 58-yard return of a pooched kickoff — the Griz had recovered one at the end of the first half, setting up a Ty Morrison field goal — led to the Tigers’ first touchdown. 

Quickly, helped by a Logan Fife fumble that TSU’s Sanders Ellis returned 27 yards to the UM 11, it was 27-20. 

“Then we got going,” George said of Cunningham’s return. “We got the spark we needed. A couple turnovers, one down at our 1-yard line, gave us some hope. We never quit, you know?” 

“I was impressed with Tennessee State,” Hauck said. “Coach George had them ready to play. They were feisty within the rules and I appreciate the way they played and the way they fought it out. No quit in those lads.” 

Quarterback Draylen Ellis (no relation to Sanders) was sacked five times, but he also threw for 236 of his 290 yards after halftime for TSU. Karate Brenson had 108 of his 122 receiving yards in the same span. 

“We walked out of the tunnel and saw zero (Brenson) and we were like, holy cow. he’s a tall glass of water,” said Montana corner Trevin Gradney, who had an interception late. “We knew they liked to throw the ball. I think we took care of that early and they got to us late, a little bit. I was proud of our guys, especially our front. They got after their guy.” 

Still Loud 

The announced crowd of 12,479 was well below the Washington-Grizzly Stadium capacity of 25,217. Yet the Tigers had five false starts, three by all-Big South/OVC lineman Connor Meadows. 

“Crowd noise was a problem for us, and that’s my fault. I’d heard stories. I played some venues that were loud,” said George, who won the Heisman Trophy as an Ohio State running back in 1995. “Baltimore. That team up north (Michigan), and to Hell with them, they beat us today. Wisconsin. Penn State.  

“This place was just as loud, and it wasn’t even full. I can only imagine what it’s like when it’s a packed house.” 

Special Back 

George also had nice words for Eli Gillman, the Griz running back whose 59-yard touchdown run provided the game’s final points with 1:58 left. 

Suddenly the sophomore had 136 rushing yards.  

“I thought it was going to be a loss of four and was ready to call a timeout,” George said. “I played running back. I know a good one when I see one. He’s very patient. He sets up his blocks well, runs behind his pads, is tough to bring down, especially in cold weather.  

“He’s a special back. And that’s what you have to have in November and December, is a back who can take over a game.” 

The Grizzlies play a second-round game at two-time defending national champion South Dakota State Saturday at noon. The Jackrabbits beat Montana 23-3 in the 2024 FCS title game.