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Montana turns tables on Weber State, 24-13

Griz quarterback Cole Bergquist runs for a touchdown as Weber’s Erik Stoll gives chase. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Griz quarterback Cole Bergquist runs for a touchdown as Weber’s Erik Stoll gives chase. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

MISSOULA – Cole Bergquist made no bones about it.

“Today was all about revenge,” the Montana quarterback said Saturday.

Bergquist scampered 35 yards on fourth down for the game’s first touchdown and the Grizzlies avenged their lone setback of the season with a 24-13 win over Big Sky Conference co-champion Weber State in an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinal game.

It was a far different outcome from the 49-35 defeat Weber State handed Montana in Ogden, Utah, on Oct. 4.

The victory propelled the fourth-seeded Grizzlies (13-1) into a semifinal game next weekend at top-seeded James Madison of Virginia (12-1), which nipped Villanova 31-27 on Saturday. James Madison beat Montana 31-21 for the 2004 national title.

Montana, making its record 16th straight playoff appearance, won for the ninth time in 10 quarterfinal contests dating back to 1989. The Grizzlies’ only second-round loss was at McNeese State in 2002.

Weber State (8-4), which beat Cal Poly on the road in the first round, was in the playoffs for the first time since 1987.

“It was a good win today over a good football team,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. “We’ve been in these playoffs every year and the team we beat today was as good as anybody we’ve played the last six years – and better than most.”

Chase Reynolds set a school season record for rushing touchdowns with his 18th and 19th, the last one from 12 yards out with 4:02 remaining to expand Montana’s tenuous four-point lead.

Reynolds finished with 185 rushing yards on 33 carries, the seventh consecutive game the sophomore has topped 100 yards. Bergquist rushed for 68 yards and Andrew Schmidt another 61 as the Grizzlies rolled up 314 yards on the ground and outgained Weber State 427-386 overall.

Weber State’s Trevyn Smith, the Big Sky’s leading rusher, ran for 104 yards and a TD and caught seven passes for 129 yards.

Weber State fumbled the ball away in Montana territory on its first two possessions, and the Grizzlies turned both into touchdowns.

Big Sky offensive MVP Cameron Higgins completed 19 of 40 passes for 270 yards but no TDs. In Weber State’s October win over Montana, he passed for four TDs.