Cat-Griz: Who will be most special

The last three Cat-Griz games have been lopsided affairs won by the home team, and it is easy to find reasons.

Junior Bergen’s big plays in 2021; Montana State’s 439 rushing yards in 2022; Montana quarterback Clifton McDowell’s running and throwing in 2023. 

Behind each win, though, were some special plays by the special teams. 

In 2021, Junior Bergen returned four punts 75 yards, with returns of 21 and 31 yards setting up Kevin Macias field goals as Montana took a 19-3 lead on the way to a 29-10 win. 

2022: MSU’s Jory Choate covered a bad punt snap in Montana’s end zone, putting the Bobcats up 21-7 late in the first quarter. The Cats didn’t look back, winning 55-21.  

2023: Bergen’s 49-yard kickoff return blunted the momentum created by MSU’s touchdown drive to start the second half. Soon, Montana was up 27-7 on Bergen’s 20-yard scoring reception and won 37-7. 

We mention this because last week MSU got a 79-yard punt return from Taco Dowler that turned out to be a huge factor in the No. 2 Bobcats’ 30-28 squeaker over No. 5 UC Davis. 

Which brings us to Saturday in Bobcat Stadium. MSU coach Brent Vigen noted that Montana has a great 1-2 running punch in Nick Ostmo and Eli Gillman, and that the Grizzlies’ 3-3-5 defense is something to solve Saturday at noon. However: 

“Special teams-wise, we’re going to have to find an edge there,” he added, and noted that there were a couple edges in MSU’s favor against the Aggies: “They started seven possessions inside their 20 and we started one,” he said.  

Dowler’s punt return came in the midst of a 30-0 surge by the Cats. It was a spark at the time, and crucial by the end. 

“For him to get a couple opportunities and for him to make the most of the one,” Vigen began. “We had a lot of momentum, but you return a punt I think 77 yards to take the lead we did, that was a significant jolt. He’s been super steady.” 

Gaudy Record

Vigen is 43-9 in his fourth season coaching the Bobcats, who are 11-0 heading into Saturday’s Brawl of the Wild with the 8-3 Grizzlies.  

“Coach Vigen has done a really nice job this season, I have a high regard for the job he’s doing,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said at UM’s weekly press conference. “In fact I cast my ballot this (Monday) morning for him for Regional Coach of the Year. So that’s what I think of the job he’s been doing.” 

And in Missoula...

Montana didn’t seem to be building any momentum through the first half of its 28-17 win over Portland State Saturday, and in fact trailed 3-0 at halftime. 

Then after Montana scored to open the third quarter, quarterback Logan Fife drew a celebration penalty, leading to a sideline confrontation with Hauck that drew the attention of, among others, the British daily newspaper The Guardian. 

The two later made up and Fife played masterfully the rest of the game. 

“It seemed pretty evident they wanted to stop the run,” Fife said of the Vikings. “Their corners were really kind of taking away the stuff we’d been doing, as far as our out-breakers, and we made a couple adjustments in our RPOs, and drop-back, and just kind of polished things up and being able to hit those passes allowed us to run the ball better.” 

As for the sideline conversations, Fife was succinct. 

“Sometimes you get caught in the moment,” he said. “Don’t let the moment get too big and just answer back.” 

Playing in relief of Keali’i Ah Yat, Fife was sacked on his lone snap in the first half; after that he was 9 of 14 for 197 yards and three touchdowns. His passing efficiency was 253.2. 

“Which doesn’t bode well for the next time out,” Hauck joked. “Now I know what triggers him. It’s going to get ugly the first quarter next week.”