Cat-Griz Report: Cats win a shootout, Griz survive UND

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — The third time was a charm for Montana kicker Daniel Sullivan.

Sullivan, who missed a PAT and a field goal earlier in the game, kicked a 35-yard field goal as time ran out to give No. 7 Montana an 18-15 Big Sky Conference win over North Dakota Saturday.

The kick came just three plays after North Dakota kicker Reid Taubenheim missed a 40-yard field goal with 1:03 to play.

"We gotta play better," said North Dakota coach Bubba Schweigert, whose team showed little on offense. When it did, it didn't capitalize.

Taubenheim's kick was low and hit the back of his line.

"Poor execution," Schweigert said. "We've got to close it out. I'm very disappointed."

Trailing 15-0 after three quarters, Kyle Norberg ran 3 yards for a touchdown and Chris Brown returned an interception 14-yards for a score with 5:49 left. Joe Mollberg's PAT pass to Luke Mathewson for a two-point conversion tied the game at 15.

It took the Grizzlies just two plays to go the length of the field to set up the winning kick. The first was a 46-yard pass from backup quarterback Shay Smithwick-Hahn to Jamaal Jones.

After Jordan Canada lost five yards, the Grizzlies called on Sullivan, who put it away.

"We aren't satisfied getting close," Schweigert said. "I'm very disappointed we didn't close out that game. "If you don't shoot yourself in the foot you have a chance."

Smithwick-Hahn replaced injured Jordan Johnson in the first half and completed 12-of-21 passes for 128 yards. Johnson was 7-for-14 for 109 yards before leaving with an ankle injury.

Jones had seven catches for 114 yards. Canada had 53-yards rushing.

Montana outgained UND 279-241 in total yards.

Leading 2-0 after a safety, Montana's Trayvon Van caught a 10-yard slant pass from Smithwick-Hahn for a score with 2:19 left in the first half. Sullivan missed his second kick of the half and the Grizzlies led 8-0.

Montana (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky) used a 13-play, 51-yard drive to go up 15-0 on Van's 2-yard TD run with 2:57 left in the third quarter.

Mollberg marched UND (2-4, 0-2) into scoring position and Norberg made it a one-score game.

With 5:49 left, Brown intercepted a Smithwick-Hahn pass and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown. It marked the third-straight game that UND's defense had scored. Mollberg then found Mathewson for the two-point conversion.

Mollberg was 15-for-24 for 196 yards. Dev Ferguson caught three passes for 65 yards, but the running game accounted for just 45 yards.

The Griz have a bye this week, then host UC Davis Oct. 18.

Bobcats 59, Sac. State 56

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Dakota Prukop piled up 488 total yards and accounted for eight touchdowns — including a 4-yard scoring pass to Mitchell Herbert with four seconds left — and No. 13 Montana State beat Sacramento State 59-56 late Saturday night.

Prukop completed 23 of 34 passes to 10 different receivers for 348 yards and five scores and added 140 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 16 carries.

The lead changed hands four times in the fourth quarter alone and the teams combined to score 49 points in the final 15 minutes — including 28 by Sacramento State (3-3, 0-2), a school record.

Neither team scored in the second quarter.

Montana State (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky) had at least 600 total yards (619) for the second time this season, as the Cats scored 50-plus points for the second time as well.

Sacramento State's Garrett Safron finished with 609 total yards, breaking his own school record of 596.

MSU stays on the road to face UC Davis this Saturday night.