Montana
QB Keali'i Ah Yat's nose for the end zone helps No. 9 Montana rally past No. 24 Western Carolina
MISSOULA — Western Carolina quarterback Cole Gonzalez was running around in celebration after his 61-yard touchdown pass to De’Andre Tamarez gave the No. 24-ranked Catamounts a 13-point lead over No. 9 Montana late in the second quarter on Saturday.
PHOTOS: MONTANA FIGHTS BACK, TOPS WESTERN CAROLINA TO FINISH NON-LEAGUE PLAY
It was part of a huge statistical day for Gonzalez and pass-happy WCU. But stats don’t win football games, and the Grizzlies rebounded from a slow start for a 46-35 victory at Washington-Grizzly Stadium to wrap up nonconference play.
Montana’s Keali’i Ah Yat set a single-game school record for quarterbacks by rushing for four touchdowns, and Eli Gillman ran for 175 yards and a TD as Montana came back from what was earlier a 17-point first-half deficit.
Ah Yat’s diving 6-yard TD run in the third quarter put UM ahead for the first time 28-27, then Trevin Gradney intercepted Gonzalez on a tipped screen pass right after that to set up Ah Yat’s fourth touchdown rush, a 1-yarder.
After a Ty Morrison field goal, the Grizzlies led 38-27 early in the fourth, but WCU didn’t go away. A 3-yard TD pass from Gonzalez to A.J. Colombo, followed by a Gonzalez run for a two-point conversion, pulled the Catamounts within three points, 38-35, with 8:22 left.
But a 13-yard pass from Logan Fife to Junior Bergen into the red zone on fourth and 4 kept a late Montana possession alive, leading to a clinching touchdown run by Nick Ostmo, a 12-yard scamper with 1:44 left.
Montana prevailed despite 340 passing yards by Gonzalez and 229 receiving yards from his favorite target, Tamarez. The Griz rushed for 349 yards, and outgained the Catamounts 552 to 477 in total offense.
It was Montana’s 10th consecutive home victory over ranked teams since 2018. The Griz will open Big Sky play next week looking to defend their outright conference title from last season.
Turning point: Despite their slow start, the Grizzlies managed to make it a one-score game going into halftime, which was critical.
After Gonzalez hit Tamarez for that 61-yard TD with 1:47 left in the second quarter, the Grizzlies got a wonderful bit of help on a late hit by WCU’s Jordy Lowery and a subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct call on Catamounts coach Kerwin Bell, which gave UM 25 free yards and set up a 9-yard touchdown run by Ah Yat with 53 seconds left before the break.
That put Montana in position to take the lead in the second half and leave with a victory.
Stat of the game: Ah Yat’s four touchdown runs set a single-game record for a Montana quarterback, and already gives him six rushing TDs in this his redshirt freshman season.
Ah Yat is now only three shy of the total rushing touchdowns his father, former Montana QB Brian Ah Yat, scored from 1995-98. Brian Ah Yat scored four rushing TDs in 1998, two in 1997 and three in 1996.
Grizzly game balls: QB Keali’i Ah Yat (Offense). Ah Yat didn’t flinch while Montana trailed throughout the first half, and made his biggest impact as a runner. Ah Yat finished with 57 rushing yards on 11 attempts, an average of 5.2 per rush and, of course, scored 24 points on his own.
LB Ryan Tirrell (Defense). It was a challenge for UM’s defense to contend with WCU’s passing game, especially with their underneath and intermediate routes. But Tirrell led the Grizzlies’ linebacking corps with 10 tackles and a key breakup on a Catamount possession in the first half.
What’s next: After a four-game non-league schedule, Montana (3-1) opens Big Sky Conference play next week on the road against a familiar rival — Eastern Washington.
The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 30-18-1 but have not won a game on the road against the Eagles since 2008 and have never won atop “The Inferno,” EWU’s signature red turf that was installed for the 2010 season.
The Griz, though, have won the past two matchups (both in Missoula) including a 63-7 drubbing in 2022. Overall, the Eagles have won eight of the past 13. By rule, Montana will be without linebacker Riley Wilson for the first half next week; Wilson was disqualified for targeting in the second half against Western Carolina on Saturday.
BOZEMAN — Montana State will begin spring football practices March 24.
The reigning national champion Bobcats will hold 12 practices, two scrimmages and the Sonny Holland Spring Classic over the course of five weeks. The Sonny Holland Spring Classic is scheduled for Saturday, April 25.
Also on the schedule is the MSU Pro Day, which will be held April 2.
In addition to releasing the spring practice schedule, Montana State confirmed the addition of Nolan Askelson to the coaching staff. Askelson, a Billings Senior High School alum, will be an assistant defensive line coach for Bobby Daly, who is returning as Montana State’s defensive coordinator after spending last season at UTEP.
Askelson was a standout linebacker for the Bobcats, capping his MSU career with first-team All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2023. He played in four games as a true freshman in 2018 before becoming a regular rotation player in 2019. An injury shortened his 2021 season, but he played 11 games in 2022 and finished with 64 tackles.
As a senior in 2023, Askelson wore Montana State’s legacy No. 41 jersey and led the team with 84 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss and two sacks.
In high school, he was a two-time all-state selection for Senior and helped the Broncs win Class AA state championships in 2016 and 2017.
Montana State spring football schedule
Tuesday, March 24 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Thursday, March 26 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Friday, March 27 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Monday, March 30 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Wednesday, April 1 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Thursday, April 2 — Pro Day (no practice)
Friday, April 3 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Saturday, April 4 — Practice, 10:05 a.m.
Tuesday, April 7 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Friday, April 10 — Closed scrimmage, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 14 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Thursday, April 16 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Saturday, April 18 — Closed scrimmage, 10:05 a.m.
Tuesday, April 21 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Thursday, April 23 — Practice, 7:05 a.m.
Saturday, April 25 — Sonny Holland Spring Classic, 1 p.m.
Although newly minted GOP candidates for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have garnered heavyweight endorsements, the Montana Republican Party said Thursday it won’t throw its support behind any candidates for federal office in the primary.
“The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) stands behind its deep bench of qualified candidates seeking to represent Montanans and supports a competitive primary process to let voters pick their preferred candidates,” the Montana GOP said in a news release Thursday.
Monday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke announced he was retiring due to health concerns once his term ends, and he immediately tapped talk-show host Aaron Flint as his preferred successor in Congress.
Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Flathead County Republican Central Committee Chairperson Al Olszewski also filed for the U.S. House as Republicans, as did Ray Curtis of Bonner.
Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew, and in a statement the same night, announced an endorsement of former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who had filed the same day.
In the Senate, Lee Calhoun and Charles Walking Child also filed to run in the Republican primary.
Endorsements for Flint and Alme cascaded. U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed both candidates, and U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Gov. Greg Gianforte threw their weight behind Flint and Alme.
Late on Wednesday, the Montana GOP did not immediately have comment on the news Daines, Montana’s senior U.S. senator, had resigned, but Thursday, the party thanked Zinke and Daines for their service.
A news release said the party would not endorse any candidates in the federal primary and would leave the job in the hands of voters.
“The party hopes every candidate will make their case to the public, contrasting their Republican policies and principles with those of Democrats — as well as phony ‘Independents,’” the news release said.
Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced a run for the U.S. Senate as an independent this week.
A tension within the Republican party has emerged in recent years between hardline conservatives and more moderate members, and some legislative primaries illustrate the split.
This week, the state GOP said the number of primaries for state legislative seats shows a high interest from Montanans who want to serve the state and pass Republican policy, and the MTGOP “is glad to see so many Republicans being called to public service.”
In a brief call, MTGOP spokesperson Ethan Holmes said the party had not ruled out endorsements in legislative primaries.
In the news release, however, the MTGOP offered its view of the larger political debate.
“Montana voters know that beyond the primaries, there is a clear choice between Republican and Democratic governance; one path leads to lower taxes, less crime and stronger families, and the other leads to higher taxes, more crime, and social decay,” MTGOP Chairperson Art Wittich said in a statement.
The news release also said the state GOP is working “tirelessly to deliver a Bright Red Future” at both the state and federal level and looks forward to help candidates whom voters select win in November.
Montana State announces spring football schedule; Nolan Askelson joins coaching staff
Nebraska Baseball Weekend Preview: Michigan State
Nevada ends regular season at home vs Air Force
School health insurance rates are increasing across New Hampshire. There’s more at play than just GLP-1 weight loss drugs
From Belmar to Asbury Park, here’s why NJ goes all-in for St. Patrick’s Day
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Appeals court declares DC ban on certain gun magazines unconstitutional
‘No deal with Iran except unconditional surrender,’ Trump says
A dead woman’s key fob and two grisly crime scenes: How the Utah triple-murder suspect was tracked across state lines | CNN
DOJ continues Biden autopen probe despite former president unlikely to face charges
Fact check: Did French border guards mock influencers returning from Dubai amid Iran war?
-
World1 week agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Wisconsin5 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts4 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Maryland6 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Florida5 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Denver, CO1 week ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Oregon1 week ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling