Cats dominate Sac State; Griz fall apart against Davis

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- - Tommy Mellott and Julius Davis both had two of Montana State's seven rushing touchdowns and the Bobcats rolled to a 49-7 victory over Sacramento State on Saturday.

Ty McCullouch raced 64 yards for a score on the third play from scrimmage and Montana State (10-0, 6-0 Big Sky Conference) - ranked No. 2 in the FCS coaches poll - never looked back.

Mellott added a 14-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 first-quarter lead. Davis had a 5-yard scoring run early in the second quarter and Mellott ran it in from the 13 late to put the Bobcats up 28-0 at halftime.

Scottre Humphrey had a short touchdown run and Adam Jones raced 57 yards for a score and a 42-0 lead with 9:56 left in the third quarter.

Davis polished off a 14-play drive with a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.

Jones had a 78-yard run and finished with 159 on only five carries for Montana State. Humphrey rushed 12 times for 129, while Davis totaled 76 yards on 15 carries. The Bobcats finished with 508 yards on the ground. Mellott completed 7 of 10 passes for 89 yards.

Carson Conklin completed 12 of 27 passes for 138 yards with one interception for Sacramento State (3-7, 1-5). The Hornets avoided being shut out on Curron Borders 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

The Bobcats are 10-0 for the first time in school history and have to travel to fourth-ranked UC Davis in what amounts to the Big Sky championship game Saturday night.

Griz rolled by Aggies

MISSOULA, Mont. -- - Miles Hastings threw three touchdown passes and Lan Larison had 144 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown in his eighth consecutive game Saturday night to help UC Davis beat Montana 30-14 in a Big Sky Conference clash between two teams in the Top 10 of the FCS coaches poll.

No. 4 UC Davis (9-1, 6-0) has won nine games in a row since a season-opening 31-13 loss at California of the FBS. The Aggies are tied atop the conference standings with Montana State and play host to the second-ranked Bobcats next Saturday.

No. 7 Montana (7-3, 4-2) had its three-game win streak snapped and fell out of contention for the conference title. The Grizzlies are two games behind UC Davis and in-state rival Montana State in a third-place tie with No. 12 Idaho and Northern Arizona (RV) in a Big Sky that could produce as many a five FCS playoff participants this season.

Hastings was 28-of-38 passing for 227 yards. Larison finished with 97 yards rushing on 24 carries and added six receptions for 48 yards, including a 1-yard TD catch that made it 27-14 with 12:35 to play.

Hunter Ridley kicked field goals of 42 and 41 yards in the second quarter and 40 yards to cap the scoring with 9:52 to play.

Montana alternated between quarterbacks Logan Fife, a redshirt junior transfer from Fresno State, and redshirt freshman Keali'i Ah Yat - whose father, Brian Ah Yat, played quarterback for UM, is a member of the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame and led Montana to the 19 96 1-AA national championship game. Fife was 13-of-23 passing for 147 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass to Junior Bergen that opened the scoring with about 9 minutes left in the first quarter, with an interception. Ah Yah completed 7 of 18 passes for 62 yards with an interception and scored on a 2-yard run that gave the Grizzlies a 14-13 lead with 6:51 left in the third quarter.

Montana is 9-2 all-time against the Aggies, 4-2 at home. The Griz host Portland State in a must-win game this Saturday.