Montana’s Complete Attack Silences Georgia Southern

Montana’s explosive offense fea turing national passing leader Dave Dickenson shared the spotlight Saturday with a steadily improving defense that has shocked and shutout two national playoff opponents in consecutive games in Missoula.

And the defenders are stepping up for their share of the accolades following a 45-0 drubbing of Georgia Southern in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. A week before, it was 48-0 over Eastern Kentucky.

“To me it feels great, because in Montana the offense gets a lot of publicity,” said UM defensive tackle Marty Duffin. “I don’t think it was so important to get a goose egg as to show we’re capable of playing good defense.”

Dickenson passed for 408 yards and four touchdowns, including more than 100 yards to Matt Wells and Joe Douglass, as the Grizzlies (11-2) had 629 yards in total offense and a I-AA playoff record 41 first downs.

Georgia Southern’s option attack was held to just 91 yards in total offense and just five first downs.

“We stepped it up and played well,” Duffin said. “Our game plan was to stop the middle and force them outside.”

Roderick Russell led Georgia Southern (9-4) with 70 yards rushing and four Montana players recorded sacks for a total loss of 31 yards.

“Montana’s defense was the reason we were unable to move the ball with any great deal of success,” said GSU coach Tim Stowers. “That’s probably our lowest output.”

Meanwhile, Dickenson methodically led Montana to a 31-0 halftime lead and a 38-0 advantage early in the third quarter before backups Brian Ah Yat and Josh Paffhausen took over.

“I think we got what they gave us,” said UM coach Don Read. “They were not going to get beat deep.”

But what Montana got was enough.

“I really think … it would be tough for anybody to come into Montana’s house and beat ‘em,” Stowers said.

Stephen F. Austin will have a chance to find out next Saturday in Missoula. The Lumberjacks rallied in the four quarter to upset Appalachian State 27-17 in another quarterfinal game.

Montana went 77 yards on its first drive, including a 4-yard pass from Dickenson to Douglass, to go up 7-0 with 11:01 left in the first quarter.

Dickenson hit Raul Pacheco for a 19-yard touchdown in the first quarter and Douglass for a 49-yarder early in the second quarter to make it 21-0 before Georgia Southern (9-4) could even get a first down.

Dickenson and Matt Wells connected on a 6-yard TD pass and Andy Larson added an 18-yard field goal just before halftime.

Josh Branen scored on a 1-yard run on Montana’s first possession of the second half and Brian Gales scored on a 16-yard run with 3:18 left in the third quarter to wrap up the scoring.

“I’d like to play a perfect game. That’s what I’m striving for,” said Dickenson, who was intercepted once in completing 37 of 46 passes. “It’s fun when things are working like that because then you just kind of sit back and enjoy your receivers making great plays.”

Wells finished with 119 yards receiving while Douglass had 106.

Georgia Southern had a chance to score, with the ball on Montana’s 1-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, but quarterback Charles Bostick fumbled the snap. Montana’s Eric Buehler recovered to preserve the shutout.

“I really felt like I had the ball initially, but they somehow got it,” Bostick said.

Montana 45, Ga. Southern 0

Georgia Southern 0 0 0 0 - 0

Montana 14 17 14 0 - 45

Mont-Douglass 4 pass from Dickenson (Larson kick)

Mont-Pacheco 17 pass from Dickenson (Larson kick)

Mont-Douglass 49 pass from Dickenson (Larson kick)

Mont-Wells 6 pass from Dickenson (Larson kick)

Mont-FG Larson 18

Mont-Branen 1 run (Larson kick)

Mont-Gales 16 run (Larson kick)

A-18,518.

GSU Mont First downs 5 41 Rushes-yards 42-70 32-183 Passing 21 446 Return Yards 3 21 Comp-Att-Int 3-8-1 42-54-2 Punts 9-39 2-28 Fumbles-Lost 5-3 2-1 Penalties-Yards 7-35 6-57 Time of Possession 23:59 36:01

RUSHING - GSU, Russell 16-70, Bostick 16-32, Warthen 3-17. Montana Gales 10-97, Branen 9-46, Dickenson 4-42.

PASSING - GSU, Bostick 3-8-1-21. Montana, Dickenson 37-46-1-408, Paffhausen 4-6-1-34, AhYat 1-2-0-4.

RECEIVING - GSU, Garland 1-17, Dawson 1-8, Warthen 1-(-4). Montana Wells 11-119, Douglass 6-106, Branen 5-44, Pacheco 5-41.

S. F. Austin 27, Appalachian St. 17

At Boone, N.C., Leonard Harris ran for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, leading the Lumberjacks (11-1) over the previously unbeaten Grizzlies (12-1).

It’s the first time Stephen F. Austin has been to the semifinals since 1989, when it eventually lost to Georgia Southern in the championship game.

Marshall 41, N.Iowa 24

At Huntington, W.Va., Chris Parker ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns and fifth-seeded Marshall (11-2) snagged two key interceptions in the win.

No. 16 Northern Iowa (8-5), trailing 21-14 at halftime, came within 21-17 on a 42-yard field goal by Matt Waller early in the second half. But Marshall scored its next two touchdowns after interceptions.

McNeese St. 52, Delaware 18

At Lake Charles, La., Kerry Joseph passed for five TDs and Donnie Ashley and William Davis each scored on kickoff returns of more than 90 yards as McNeese State pummeled Delaware.

The Cowboys forced six Delaware turnovers and led 31-6 at the half on three touchdown passes by Joseph.

McNeese State defeated Idaho in the first round.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: DIVISION I-AA PLAYOFFS Quarterfinals Marshall 41, Northern Iowa 24 Montana 45, Georgia Southern 0 S.F. Austin 27, Appalachian St. 17 McNeese St. 52, Delaware 18

Semifinals Dec. 9, Sites and times TBD McNeese St. (13-0) vs. Marshall (11-2) Stephen F. Austin (11-1) vs. Montana (11-2)