Cat-Griz Report: Cats come back; Griz get spanked

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) - Tommy Mellott was 15-of-19 passing for 217 yards and three touchdowns, Willie Patterson had seven grabs for 148 yards and three scores, and No. 4 Montana State beat Northern Colorado 37-14 Saturday.

Patterson wrestled away the ball from a defender in the end zone to give Montana State a 17-14 lead. On the first possession of the second half, Patterson caught a short pass and cut back two defenders to score from 37 yards out.

Patterson's third TD was thrown by backup Sean Chambers, who also had a rushing touchdown and an interception.

Lane Sumner added 130 yards rushing, reaching 100 in all three games of his injury-riddled season, for Montana State (6-1, 4-0 Big Sky Conference). The Bobcats have won four straight games after a 68-28 loss to Oregon State.

Dylan McCaffrey was 34 of 50 for 278 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Northern Colorado (2-5, 1-3).

The Bobcats come home to face Weber State in a Top 10 FCS showdown Saturday in Bozeman.

Idaho 30, Griz 23

MISSOULA (AP) - Hayden Hatten had nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns and he snagged a high-bouncing onside kick at midfield with 31 seconds left as Idaho upset Montana 30-23 Saturday.

Idaho (4-2, 2-1 Big Sky Conference) ended a seven-game losing streak to the Grizzlies (5-1, 1-1) dating to Nov. 13, 1999, to recapture the Little Brown Stein, the oldest traveling trophy in the conference.

Notre Dame transfer Paul Moala and Tommy McCormick each intercepted Montana quarterback Lucas Johnson in the fourth quarter. Moala's pick came at the Idaho 21 with the Vandals leading 22-16. McCormick picked off Johnson's next pass and returned it 29 yards to the Grizzly 2, setting up the clinching touchdown with 2:14 to play.

Hatten hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Gevani McCoy with 28 seconds left in the first half to pull Idaho within 13-12. His 43 yard score made it 22-13 late in the third quarter.

McCoy was 21 of 27 for 286 yards with an inception. Ricardo Chavez kicked two field goals but his attempt from 53 yards in the second quarter was his first miss of the season. The second field goal came after the Vandals started the second half by surprising the Grizzlies with a successful onside kick they turned into a 15-13 lead.

The Grizzlies, ranked second in the FCS coaches poll, gave up 344 yards and were held to 220.

Johnson was 20 of 37 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, including a 19-yarder that Junior Bergen turned into a spectacular touchdown.

Montana, which lost to Idaho for the first time since 1999, must now go on the road to face Sacramento State in a national TV game this Saturday night.

Editor's Note: Havre Daily sports editor George Ferguson contributed to these stories.