Fife, Griz drop Lumberjacks

Grizzlies quarterback Logan Fife (12) scores a touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) catches an 11-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies quarterback Logan Fife (12) celebrates in the end zone after a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) celebrates with teammates after an 11-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies running back Eli Gillman (10) looks for running room in the fourth quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies safety Chrishawn Gordon (9) celebrates after a tackle in the first quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies wide receiver Drew Klumph (89) and cornerback Tanner Huff (29) tackle Northern Arizona kick returner J'Wan Evans (25) in the third quarter at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies wide receiver Sawyer Racanelli (9) picks up yardage on a 10-yard reception in the third quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) stiff-arms Northern Arizona cornerback Zach Lewis (3) on an 11-yard reception in the third quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies quarterback Logan FIfe (12) rolls out and completes a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Sawyer Racanelli (9) in the third quarter against Northern Arizona at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by FRITZ NEIGHBOR
Daily Inter Lake | October 12, 2024 12:00 AM

MISSOULA — The Montana Grizzlies seem to have the big finish figured out for 2024, after rallying again in the second half of a 31-20 victory over Northern Arizona Saturday in their homecoming game.

Junior quarterback Logan Fife ran for three second-half touchdowns as No. 14 Montana (5-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big Sky Conference) erased a 13-3 halftime deficit in front of 26,229 fans at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Playing every snap, the Fresno State transfer shook off a fourth-and-1 fumble that Brandon Wong returned 49 yards for a first-quarter NAU touchdown. The Griz got a bounce-back win despite another slow start.

They have trailed at halftime their last three home games, including 28-17 in last week’s 55-48 overtime loss to Weber State. Saturday, the Lumberjacks led 13-3, in large part on Wong’s TD, which came at the end of a play where a) Fife had to deal with a low snap and b) NAU safety Alex McLaughlin blitzed and knocked the ball loose.

“Three points the first half is not something we’re used to,” Fife said. “It was a little bit of everything — kind of shooting ourselves in the foot, not seeing the stuff that was there early, and obviously my mistake, coughing up the football.

“But we were really optimistic, especially at halftime, that everything we had in the game plan we still had there to make.”

The second half was almost all-Montana. The Griz had six possessions and scored touchdowns on four. Junior Bergen faked a cross and went skinny post to catch the go-ahead TD, an 11-yard strike from Fife that made it 24-20 with 6:13 left in the game.

Fife scored his third rushing TD with 1:57 left. He played sharp, even if his stats were pedestrian: 199 yards on 16 of 27 passing; minus-1 yards rushing despite the TDs.

“I know this is going to be a bombshell to some of you, but most of a football game doesn’t show up on the stat sheet,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. “A lot of things that Logan did today were just spectacular. He just played money all day.”

Meanwhile, a defense that surrendered over 1,000 yards and 104 points over Montana’s first two Big Sky games held up. Northern Arizona quarterback PJ London was making his first start, but was fast, gaining a team-high 67 yards on 13 carries.

“Ran well, managed the game well,” NAU coach Brian Wright said. “We just didn’t help him enough in the end.”

London also threw for 131 yards, though 88 came on a fly sweep out of split formation. Kolbe Katsis went the distance for a 20-10 NAU lead midway through the third quarter.

“Defense was tremendous,” Hauck said. “We give up three on a roughing the punter, we give up the first touchdown on a takeaway from our offense. And they got an 80-some yarder on a Daffy Duck play. That was it. I was proud of our defense; I thought they played great.”

The roughing the punter came after Montana, down 7-3, had seemingly forced a three-and-out; the Lumberjacks continued to drive to Montana’s 1-yard line, but a false start and a Riley Wilson sack made them settle for a 33-yard Marcus Lye field goal and a 10-3 lead.

Another NAU drive got to Montana’s 6-yard line, but again the No. 24 Lumberjacks (3-4, 1-2 in the Big Sky) settled for a field goal with1:59 left in the first half.

Northern Arizona’s had another drive end in a missed 49-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Lumberjacks were out of bullets: A fourth-and-2 pass fell incomplete when two receivers appeared to tangle up at their own 40 with 4:54 remaining.

Set up by a 19-yard, catch, run and leap by Aaron Fontes, Fife got his final TD and NAU’s last possession ended on a fumble by a scrambling London that Jaxon Lee recovered.

Montana has a bye this coming week before heading to Northern Colorado Oct. 26.

“I think our best football is probably ahead of us, if I’m guessing right,” Hauck said. ”We’ve still got work to do so we’ll practice this week.”