Big Sky roundup: Cal Poly runs past Montana

Chris Brown ran for 226 yards and two touchdowns as the Cal Poly Mustangs (5-3, 4-1) ground out a 41-21 Big Sky conference win over the Montana Grizzlies (5-3, 3-1) in San Luis Obispo, California, on Saturday night.

The win was just the third for the Mustangs in 18 meetings with the Grizzlies. Montana joins Cal Poly and four other teams with one loss in Big Sky play. Idle Montana State is now the lone unbeaten conference team.

Cal Poly rushed 66 times for 421 yards while the defense held Montana to 376 total yards.

Portland State 30, Weber State 17: Kieran McDonagh threw two TD passes and ran for a score to lift the Vikings (3-5, 2-2) over the Wildcats (0-8, 0-4) in Ogden, Utah.

Portland State took the lead for good with a 41-yard field goal from Jonathan Gonzales in the second quarter, and put the game away with McDonagh’s touchdown run from the 8 with 2:25 left.

McDonagh finished 14 of 23 for 172 yards, finding Darnell Adams for a 24-yard TD and Kasey Closs for a 22-yarder. Steven Long had 118 yards on 21 carries for the Vikings, who won their first road game since Nov. 9, 2013.

Idaho State 46, Northern Colorado 12: Justin Arias threw two TD passes and Daniel McSurdy ran for 236 yards and three scores on 22 carries as the Bengals (5-3, 3-1) rolled over the Bears (2-6, 1-4) in Greeley, Colorado.

The Bengals held the Bears to 5 yards rushing in the first half and led 24-0 at halftime.

Arias was 27 of 45 for 253 yards, McSurdy had 11 carries for 92 yards.

The road win is ISU’s first since Oct. 7, 2006, also against Northern Colorado.

Southern Utah 35, North Dakota 17: Ammon Olsen threw for four TDs and ran for another to lead the Thunderbirds (2-7, 2-3) over UND (3-5, 1-3) in Cedar City, Utah.

Olsen was 21 of 23 for 299 yards and gave Southern Utah a 21-3 halftime lead with a 4-yard TD pass to Naia Ursua, a 2-yarder to Mitch Jessop and a 4-yard scoring run.