BUTTE (AP) – Senior Corey Warner ran 38 times for 171 yards and three touchdowns, including the game winner with 1:20 remaining, as No. 24 Montana Tech defeated unranked Montana-Western 28-21 on Saturday.
Warner scored on runs of 16, 5 and 12 yards. His last score capped a six-play, 62-yard drive in response to a 2-yard touchdown pass from Kekoa Crowell to Chad Schira, with 3:13 left in the game.
A drive by Western (4-5, 4-4) ended when Jess Johnson broke up a fourth-down pass from the Oredigger 15. Two plays earlier, Western receiver Craigh Cornelius dropped in the end zone what could have been a game-tying pass.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Komac led the Orediggers (6-3, 5-3) by completing 20 of 29 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Komac hooked up with senior Casey Kelly for a 10-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter, tying the game at 7.
Taking advantage of a Tech turnover helped the Bulldogs gain the lead early.
Derrick Pluff scored on a 23-yard run up the middle three plays after Reggie West recovered a fumble at the Oredigger 29-yard line.
After Warner put Tech up 13-6 at half, Michael Guelff handled a 12-yard pass from Kekoa Crowell late in the third quarter, giving Western the advantage at 14-13.
Following Warner’s second touchdown run was an Alex Grevas catch on a 2-point conversion, putting the score at 21-14 in Tech’s favor.
Crowell completed 27 of 52 passes for 252 yards.