MISSOULA (AP) – Cole Bergquist passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns to Mike Ferriter Saturday and Montana’s defense held Portland State’s offense scoreless in the second half for a 34-31 victory.
The teams combined for six second-quarter touchdowns and fourth-ranked Montana (9-0, 6-0 Big Sky) took a 31-24 halftime lead.
The Grizzlies went up 34-24 on a 35-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter with 1:46 left in the third.
Portland State’s only second-half score came on a 24-yard interception return by Condrew Allen with 6:14 remaining. Allen intercepted UM quarterback Cole Bergquist less than a minute after Chris Clark intercepted PSU quarterback Drew Hubel in the end zone.
PSU (2-7, 2-4) scored first on a 30-yard field goal by Danny Urrego and the Grizzlies answered with a 47-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter.
Bergquist connected with Ferriter on a 69-yard pass play to give the Grizzlies a 10-3 lead with 5:20 left in the first quarter.
The second quarter saw two short-yardage touchdowns by PSU’s Olaniyi Sobomehin and a 73-yard touchdown pass from freshman Drew Hubel to Tremayne Kirkland countered by Montana touchdown runs by Lex Hilliard and Greg Coleman and an 18-yard TD pass from Bergquist to Ferriter. Hilliard rushed for 116 yards while Ryan Bagley had eight catches for 138 yards for the Grizzlies.
Hubel, who passed for nine touchdowns last weekend in a 73-68 loss to Weber State, passed for 404 yards and one touchdown. Kirkland had nine catches for 140 yards and Kenneth Mackins finished with seven catches for 105 yards.