Griz grind down Eagles

Grizzlies running back Nick Ostmo (26) scores a touchdown on a 10-yard run in the second quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat (8) celebrates with wide receiver Aaron Fontes (18) after Ah Yat's 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies running back Eli Gillman (10) runs for a 22-yard touchdown in the second quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

The Grizzlies celebrate after running back Nick Ostmo's (26) 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies running back Malae Fonoti (7) picks up yardage on a run in the third quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies defensive lineman Henry Nuce (96) puts pressure on Morehead State quarterback Connor Genal (11) in the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat (8) scores a touchdown on a 2-yard run in the third quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies defenders including Ryan Tirrell (44), Andres Lehrmann (55) and Patrick Hayden (99) stop a run in the second quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies wide receiver Keelan White (6) catches a 2-yard pass for a touchdown in the first quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Grizzlies running back Stevie Rocker Jr. (21) picks up yardage on run in the second quarter against Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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The Montana Grizzlies take the field before the start of the game against Morehead State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by Associated Press and UM Communications
| September 15, 2024 12:00 AM

MISSOULA — Keali'i Ah Yat accounted for three touchdowns, Montana held Morehead State to 45 yards of offense and rolled to a 59-2 victory on Saturday.

Montana (2-1), ranked ninth in the FCS coaches poll, scored on six of its first seven possessions and led 39-0 at halftime.

Ah Yat completed 9 of 11 passes for 79 yards that included a 2-yard touchdown pass and ran for a pair of short-yardage TDs. Eli Gillman had 106 yards rushing on eight carries and scored from 13 and 22 yards in the second quarter.

Freshman Malae Fonoti, playing his first game, carried the ball 24 times for 176 yards and scored on a 5-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter. He and Gillman marked the first time Montana had two 100-yard rushers in the same game since Travon Van and Jordan Canada did it in 2013.

Nick Ostmo added his 22nd career rushing TD, tying him with UM running backs coach Jason Green for eighth in school history.

Montana dominated in the trenches. The Griz ran for 410 yards while holding the Eagles to just 45 total. The defense had 24 different tacklers and gave up just four first downs, while Montana had 35 – the second-most in program history. Of those first downs, 25 came on the ground, tied for the most in UM history dating back to 1974 at Idaho.

The Griz, who squandered a 24-7 halftime lead in a 27-24 loss at North Dakota last week, had their highest rushing total since running for 412 in 2022 in a blowout win over Cal Poly. It’s the third time since 1991 that the Grizzlies have rushed for over 400 yards in a game.

“It’s comfortable and comforting,” Griz coach Bobby Hauck said. “You feel good about it when you don’t have a deficiency in one of the three phases in any game. You’re going to have a good chance to win when those things are going on and I’m certainly pleased with how that went, especially when we just gave it away last week.”

Connor Genal threw for 59 yards for Morehead State (2-1), which made just four first downs and were held to minus-14 yards rushing on 29 carries.

There were 25,808 in attendance at Washington-Grizzly Stadium and a record 12th-straight sellout.

Glacier High product Henry Nuce made two tackles on defense. On special teams, Glacier alum Drew Deck had two punt returns for 20 yards, including a 17-yarder.