SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Verbal jousting set the stage for No. 4-ranked Montana’s visit to Big Sky rival Sacramento State late Friday in their final matchup before the Hornets leave the league to become an FCS independent.
The lesson? Don’t poke the bear.
Griz quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat threw three touchdown passes and Michael Wortham again was an all-purpose star in Montana’s 49-35 victory in a game that began as a back-and-forth affair at Hornet Stadium.
Ah Yat threw TD passes to Brooks Davis, Wortham and Evan Shafer, and Wortham finished with 238 all-purpose yards while scoring three times. Eli Gillman also rushed for a touchdown and is now just 21 yards shy of 3,000 for his career.
Last Saturday, Sacramento State president Dr. Luke Wood appeared on a Hornets telecast and referred to the Grizzlies as the “Montana Pandas” and predicted a home victory while accusing UM of playing a soft schedule. Griz coach Bobby Hauck responded on Monday by calling Wood a “clown.”
The smack talk provided a lot of anticipation for Friday’s nationally televised game, but the competitive nature of the game evaporated as the Grizzlies simply had too much firepower.
THE GAME TURNED WHEN …: A 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Sac State’s Rodney Hammond Jr. was called back on a holding call in the second quarter.
Had it stood, the Hornets would have taken a 21-14 lead. Instead Sac State began its possession on its own 18, and four plays later a completion on a fake punt on fourth down fell well short of the line to gain. Montana then took over on the Hornets’ 33 and scored on Wortham’s second explosive TD of the night, a 27-yard run out of the Wildcat formation.
The Hornets had earlier led by scores of 7-0 and 14-7, but they trailed from that point on.
AH YAT TAKES LICKING, KEEPS TICKING: Griz fans were no doubt holding their collective breath early in the third when Ah Yat took a massive hit from Xavier Williams while finding Shafer for a 35-21 lead.
Ah Yat initially scrambled left, then rolled back to his right — and seemingly didn’t see Williams bearing down. After releasing the ball, Ah Yat was clocked by Williams and both players were slow to get up. Ah Yat had the medical staff attend to him, but he later jumped up and look no worse for wear.
NO STOPPING WORTHAM: It’s becoming redundant, but Wortham’s weekly impact cannot be overstated. On this night, the Eastern Washington transfer had 89 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards and 69 return yards. He scored on runs of 27 and 15 yards and also had a touchdown catch that went for 64 yards.
Wortham is making a strong case for the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the FCS. He continues to lead the nation in all-purpose yards per game and has now accounted for 12 touchdowns — six receiving, five rushing and one passing.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Grizzlies are now 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Sky — a continuation of their best start since 2009. They remain on the road next week when they travel to face Weber State. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. from Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah.
Perhaps surprisingly, Montana has lost three straight in the series with the Wildcats and five of the past six, including a 55-48 overtime defeat last season in Missoula. Weber State is 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the Big Sky heading into a home matchup this Saturday versus Eastern Washington.
