Montana
'Truly a blessing': Montana's Junior Bergen putting cherry on top of dynamic, record-breaking career
MISSOULA — Junior Bergen was born to play the game of football and, even more, thrive under the bright lights and in the biggest moments.
His career with the Montana Grizzlies has been decorated with unforgettable memories, and it’s something Bergen has built toward his entire life.
James Dobson / MTN Sports
“I really, truly love those moments,” Bergen said. “Some people kind of get a little nervous, and I was always the kid, we’re in the driveway and I’m counting down, 3 … 2 … 1 and buzzer beater, or, I’m running down the sideline, like clock’s running out, my dad’s counting down, like stuff like that, two-minute drills.
“I was always the kid to do that stuff, and that kind of just became who I am.”
Bergen has electrified football fans since he arrived at Montana from Billings Senior High in what’s been a record-breaking career.
It all started in Billings for him, and Bergen remembered picking up a football at the age of 3 and immediately attaching to the game.
“I’m that same kid,” he said. “My mom always says you can always see my face when I was 3 years old in a helmet. Just kind of like just being that same person. It’s just kind of who I’ve always been I guess.”
Like any arriving freshman, Bergen’s eyes were wide when he got to Montana.
That ramped up even more when as a true freshman he spent the season at running back, where he was needed because of injuries to others.
James Dobson/MTN Sports
“And I was like, ‘Holy crap,’” Bergen remembered. “I went right in the locker room and told my dad, and my dad was like, ‘Oh shoot, like, you going to play do you think?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know. I don’t see why they’d moved me over if I wasn’t.’ So it was crazy, but it was super exciting. And, you know, I was just happy to just get on the field really.”
“It flew by, man, it feels like just the other day I was checking into my dorm and, you know, getting everything going in there and getting my locker and all that stuff. Tried to learn everything as quick as I could, because I knew then when that opportunity presented, I wanted to be ready for it.”
From there, Bergen has built a career as a dynamic playmaker, who always comes up clutch when the pressure is on, and all eyes are on him, whether against rival Montana State, or last year’s unforgettable run to Frisco and the FCS national championship game where Bergen returned two punts and a kick for scores in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, and also caught a touchdown in overtime against North Dakota State.
James Dobson / MTN Sports
“Pressure means things are expected of you, so I just had to take that for what it is and just try to go out and do my best,” Bergen said. “Obviously, my coach is trusting me. That means a lot in itself. That gives me a lot of confidence to go out and do whatever it is I’m asked to do.”
This year as a senior, it’s continued, and this past weekend against Cal Poly Bergen set a Big Sky Conference record with his sixth career punt return touchdown, a mark he never thought he’d break when he arrived.
“I remember one of my first punt returns at practice, coach (Brent) Pease threw me back there, and I go running back, and I slipped and fell,” he said with a laugh. “And I was like, dude, I never want to do this again. And, yeah, I just kept catching them, kept catching them. And then after a while, it became so normal. You got so much confidence. And that’s really a big thing in that punt return stuff.
“Obviously, I set high goals for myself, and I try to accomplish those every year. But coming in here, that one, that one wasn’t up there, but my dad always says, try to make sure you leave your mark on the program. And you know that’s something that can’t be taken away until somebody comes and breaks it.”
Bergen’s racked up All-America and all-Big Sky honors in his career and has scored 24 total touchdowns in a variety of ways.
It’s a video game-like stat chart for him, with 575 career rushing yards and four scores, one passing touchdown, the six punt returns plus the one kickoff house call, all wrapped up with his 128 receptions for 1,615 yards and 12 touchdowns he’s had in his time with the Grizzlies.
James Dobson/MTN Sports
Despite missing the first two games of this season, Bergen has amassed 31 catches for 380 yards and two scores in his senior campaign to also go along with his punt return score from last Saturday.
He’s a football junkie at heart and has loved every minute of what the game has presented him. Plus, it’s meant the world to represent his home state and those around him with the Griz, and it’s about enjoying each and every moment as his story continues to write itself out in historic and memorable fashion.
“When I go back home, a lot of people let me know, ‘We’re proud of you around here, you’re doing your thing, good job,’” Bergen said. “It means a lot, people’s eyes are on you, and I’m blessed, really, just blessed. I can’t really say much else.
“I want to soak it all in, every day, just kind of just enjoy it, embrace it, and take it for what it is. We’ll never get these days back. And I just want to be appreciative and show gratitude for that, because it’s been truly a blessing around here.”
Montana
Montana-Montana State’s FCS semifinal get-in ticket prices surpass College Football Playoff games
Montana-Montana State, known as the Brawl of the Wild, is one of the best rivalries in FCS. This year, more than bragging rights are on the line, as the matchup will take place in the FCS semifinals.
The high stakes and relatively smaller seating capacity have made this game the most expensive entry-level ticket in college football this weekend, including the first round of the College Football Playoff.
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The cheapest ticket for the game at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana, is $675 on Gametime Tickets compared to about $350 for the Miami at Texas A&M game, which is the most expensive of the four first-round College Football Playoff matchups. The most expensive ticket for the FCS semifinal is a sideline seat priced at $1,152. The Miami-Texas A&M game has Founder Club tickets listed at $2,484.
The seating capacity for Bobcat Stadium is 20,767, compared to more than 102,000 at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. The other three CFP games this weekend will be hosted by Oklahoma (capacity 80,126), Ole Miss (64,038) and Oregon (60,000).
Next year’s Montana-Montana State matchup starts at $876, with some tickets listed as high as $1,359.
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Montana State is the No. 2 seed in the playoffs at 12-2 after defeating Stephen F. Austin 44-28 in the quarterfinals this past weekend. Third-seeded Montana is 13-1 and beat South Dakota 52-22 in its quarterfinal. Montana leads the all-time rivalry 74-44-5.
Montana State has won the last two matchups between the teams, most recently winning 31-28 at Montana on Nov. 22. At least one of the teams has appeared in the FCS championship game in three of the past four years. Montana’s last national championship came in 2001, while Montana State’s came in 1984.
Montana is led by head coach Bobby Hauck, who is the second-winningest active FCS head coach and one of the top 10 winningest active coaches overall in Division I football at 151-42. Montana’s key players are quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat, running back Eli Gillman and wide receiver Michael Wortham.
Montana State is led by head coach Brent Vigen. Key players for Montana State include quarterback Justin Lamson, running back Julius Davis and wide receiver Taco Dowler.
The first playoff meeting between football rivals Montana and Montana State is set for 2 p.m. Mountain time next Saturday at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman. The game will air nationally on ABC.
The Bobcats and Grizzlies will square off in the semifinal round of the FCS postseason after each team won convincingly in the quarterfinal round. No. 2-seeded Montana State defeated No. 7 Stephen F. Austin 44-28 at home Friday night and No. 3-seeded Montana raced past No. 11 South Dakota 52-22 on Saturday in Missoula.
Next week’s game between the Cats and Griz will be the 125th all-time meeting, and it will be for a berth in the national championship game Jan. 5 at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.
It will also be the first time the schools have faced each other twice in football in the same season since 1913.
The Bobcats are seeking their fourth all-time trip to the FCS/Division I-AA title game and their third visit in the past five years. MSU claims three national championships — 1956 (NAIA), 1976 (NCAA Division II) and 1984 (I-AA). The Bobcats lost to North Dakota State in the championship game in Frisco, Texas, in both 2021 and last season.
The Grizzlies are looking to make their ninth trip to the championship game and their second in the past three seasons. Montana has won two previous titles — in 1995 and 2001. The Griz suffered title-game losses in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2023.
Montana State beat Montana 31-28 in Missoula on Nov. 22 in the regular-season finale to earn the outright Big Sky Conference title and the No. 2 seed for the playoffs. The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 74-44-5 but MSU owns a 12-10 edge since 2002.
Saturday’s other semifinal game pits unseeded Illinois State against No. 12 seed Villanova. Illinois State went on the road and upset No. 8 seed UC Davis 42-31 in the quarterfinals on Saturday while Villanova held on to beat No. 4 seed Tarleton State 26-21.
Illinois State and Villanova will kick off Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time on ESPN2.
Oregon women’s basketball moved to 11-1 following a 69-44 win over Montana State Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena.
Four of Oregon’s starters scored in double figures, led by guard Sofia Bell’s 15 points.
Mia Jacobs added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Katie Fiso and Ari Long each scored 10 points. Fiso added five assists.
Oregon (11-1) struggled shooting, hitting 19 of 58 field goal attempts (32.8%), including 9 of 31 from three-point range (29%). However, those numbers were mainly dragged down in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand.
Oregon, which led 37-14 at halftime, shot just 22.2% from the field in the final quarter and missed all seven of its three-point attempts. MSU won the quarter 16-11.
Bell went 4 of 8 from long distance, Jacobs went 3 of 8 and Long made both of her three-point attempts. The rest of the team went 0-for-13.
Montana State (6-3) received 14 points and four rebounds from Jamison Philip. The Bobcats shot 1 of 19 from three-point range and committed 23 turnovers that the Ducks converted into 25 points.
Next up: The Ducks host Portland (7-4) at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The Pilots defeated Kent State 88-78 on Sunday.
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