Cat-Griz Report: Griz beat Idaho State in an OT stunner

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — JR Nelson pounced on a bad snap in overtime and tossed the ball to Eric Johnson, who raced 40 yards for the winning touchdown as Montana escaped Idaho State with a 33-27 win Saturday.

Montana (5-4, 4-2 Big Sky) held a 24-13 lead after three quarters, but Idaho State rallied with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 27-24 lead.

Daniel Sullivan tied the game at 27-27 with 5:43 left with a 26-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.

Moments after Griz quarterback Makena Simis fumbled at the Idaho State 2-yard line on UM's possession to open overtime, what looked like the second-to-last nail in Montana's coffin, the Bengals lined up for a 34-yard field goal on fourth-and-2. Tied 27-27, the three points would have dropped the No. 22 Griz (5-4, 4-2 in Big Sky Conference) below .500 on the year and out of the playoff picture.Idaho State attempted a 27-yard field goal to win the game, but the snap sailed wide right and Nelson won a footrace for the loose ball. And it eventuall ended up in Eric Johnson’s hands, and in the endzone for a Griz’ victory.

Nelson picked off a Tanner Gueller pass and returned it for a touchdown in the second quarter.

The Bengals (2-7, 1-5) struck first a 14-yard TD pass from Gueller to KW Williams, one of two between the pair Saturday before the Griz reeled off three straight TDs.

First came John Nguyen's 28-yard touchdown run on a third-and-12 play, then after the defense forced a three-and-out, Jeremy Calhoun rushed one in from three yards out near the end of the first quarter.

The Bengals outscored Montana 20-3 after Calhoun's dive, though. A Daniel Sullivan 23-yard field goal the only Grizzly points of the stretch coming with 8:33 left in the third quarter that made it 24-13.

Gueller brought it to 24-19 with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Graves on fourth down 1 minute inside the fourth quarter, then Jakori Ford gave ISU its first lead on a 53-yard cutback touchdown. The two-point conversion put the home team up 27-24 with 10 minutes to go.

Montana turned the ball over three times and missed two field goals while also scoring on just 3 of 5 red zone chances. Only one of those was a touchdown. Johnson and Nate Harris also had INTs for the Griz.

"The third quarter is when we gave them an opportunity to hang in there with us because defensively we were becoming ferocious," Bengals head coach Mike Kramer said. "It's a shame it came down to (the overtime field goal). We should have won the game before that."

The Griz will try and string together back-to-back wins for only the second time this season, when they host struggling Eastern Washington Saturday in Missoula.

Southern Utah 34, Bobcats 23

BOZEMAN (AP) — Southern Utah earned a program-defining victory after its second straight trip to Montana's Gallatin Valley.

Malik Brown and Levi Te'o each rushed for two touchdowns and Southern Utah beat No. 24 Montana State 34-23 Saturday to remain undefeated in Big Sky Conference play. The Thunderbirds won for a program-record seventh straight time, including six straight to begin league play.

In SUU's last trip to Bozeman, the Thunderbirds posted a 22-14 win that helped them earn their first berth in the FCS playoffs in program history while ensuring Montana State missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

"The magnitude going down the stretch and having a good run going in conference and what Montana State represents, it's just a huge win," Southern Utah eighth-year head coach Ed Lamb said. "We got their best effort and that is a huge compliment for where they are at and what they are facing."

Southern Utah quarterback Ammon Olsen threw for 243 yards and a 20-yard touchdown to Mike Sharp for a 13-10 lead early in the third quarter. SUU would not trail again.

Te'o and Brown combined to rush for 151 yards and scored three of their four touchdowns after halftime as SUU dropped Montana State to 2-4 in conference play, 4-5 overall.

Southern Utah senior defensive end James Cowser notched a first-quarter sack, giving him the Big Sky Conference and Football Championship Subdivision records for tackles for loss in a career with 73.5. Idaho State standout and NFL All Pro Jared Allen previously held the Big Sky record.

Montana State ran the ball on 11 of 12 plays on its opening drive, a scoring march capped by junior Chad Newell's 10th touchdown of the season to give MSU a 7-0 lead. MSU added a Luke Daly 32-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead into halftime. Newell and tight end Beau Sandland would add touchdowns after halftime for MSU.

"That's a very good football team," MSU ninth-year head coach Rob Ash said. "They are big and strong and they run very well. We battled in the first half but that's a very good football team."

The Cats return to the road for a showdown with Idaho State this Saturday in Pocatello.

Note: Havre Daily News sports editor George Ferguson contributed to this story.