Ground Game Lifts Montana Over Bengals

Although the final result was what Montana coach Don Read expected, he didn’t foresee the way his Grizzlies would have to struggle - and run - for a 35-21 victory over Idaho State Saturday.

“We had too many penalties,” Read said. “I can’t remember having 103 yards and 10 penalties.”

And then there were the five turnovers that Idaho State turned into three touchdowns.

To top it all off, the pass-happy Grizzlies actually had a nearly balanced offense, with 292 yards passing and 213 yards rushing.

“The interesting thing was we got more rushing than we normally get, and less passing than we normally get,” Read said. “We were taking what they were giving us.”

Dave Dickenson completed 24 of 36 passes for three touchdowns and rushed for another 52 yards, as Montana (5-2 Big Sky, 7-2 overall) capped off an unbeaten home regular season.

Montana dominated the first quarter, after a 2-yard TD run by Kelly Stensrud and a 14-yard pass from Dickenson to Joe Douglass.

Idaho State (2-4, 5-4), which has lost its last four games, had just 2 yards in total offense in the first.

ISU bounced back to take a 14-13 lead, scoring after a UM fumble on a 6-yard pass from Robb Wetta to Troy Waters. Then they turned a muffed punt return into a 9-yard Wetta pass to Robert McBride.

Montana, ranked tenth in Division I-AA, went up 21-14 with 1:55 left in the half when Dickenson connected with Matt Wells on a 6-yard pass.

Idaho State had a chance to tie the game on the last play of the half, but McBride was tackled by safety Blaine McElmurry inside the 1-yard line and ISU did not have enough time to get off another play.

Montana 35, Idaho St. 21

Idaho St. 0 14 7 0 - 21 Montana 13 8 7 7 - 35

Mont-Stenstud 2 run (Larson kick)

Mont-Douglass 14 pass from Dickenson (kick failed) ISUWaters 6 pass from Wetta (Ferrell kick) ISUMcBride 9 pass from Wetta (Ferrell kick)

Mont-Wells 6 pass from Dickenson (Erhardt from Dickenson) ISUJoseph 8 run (Ferrell kick)

Mont-Erhardt 6 pass from Dickenson (Larson kick)

Mont-Stensrud 1 run (Larson kick)

A-15,490.

ISU Mont First downs 14 25 Rushes-yards 31-54 35-213 Passing 186 292 Return Yards 59 56 Comp-Att-Int 26-42-2 24-36-1 Punts 6-41 4-31 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-4 Penalties-Yards 6-55 10-103 Time of Possession 32:25 27:35

RUSHINGIdaho St., Anderson 16-66, Joseph 3-11, Simmons 5-2, Wetta 5-(-17). Montana, Branen 8-66, Dickenson 11-52, Gales 3-44.

PASSINGIdaho St., Wetta 25-42-2-186. Montana, Dickenson 24-36-1-292.

RECEIVINGIdaho St., Young 6-44, Waters 5-59, McBride 2-15. Montana, Wells 7-74, Pacheco 6-68, Erhardt 4-56, Douglass 3-28.

xxxx