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.

“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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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.”

Wisconsin is playing at the Kohl Center as 17.5-point favorites against Montana State on Thursday night but there’s a respectable Badgers analyst who thinks they will lose.

Evan Flood, who covers the Badgers for 247Sports, is picking the Bobcats to upset the Badgers.

“The Bobcats were a NCAA Tournament team a year ago,” Flood reasoned, noting that Montana State returns three starters from last year’s team while also adding Utah State transfer Max Agbonkpolo.

Flood believes that because Montana State “is an experienced group” featuring nine players with four-plus years of college basketball experience, coupled with the fact that Wisconsin is “still gelling defensively and really doesn’t have its rotation ironed out” is a “less than ideal” situation that sets the stage for the upset.

Montana State does indeed have scoring depth and experience. And they aren’t just a team that went to the NCAA Tournament last season. They also made the tournament in 2022-23 and 2021-22, so they’re riding a three-year NCAA Tournament streak as the three-time reigning Big Sky Conference champs.

The Bobcats have size. They run out three guards who are 6-foot-6, 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-2, respectively, while mixing in a 6-foot-7 forward and a 6-foot-10 center. And pretty much everyone on the team can shoot. In fact, Montana State coach Matt Logie recently called this the best shooting team he’s had in his long coaching career.

If the Badgers lose, it cost them more than a loss because it’s a “buy game.”

That means the University of Wisconsin is paying Montana State to travel to Madison and play the game. How much? According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the Badgers are paying Montana State $100,000.

BILLINGS — The Carroll men and Montana Tech women claimed the Frontier Conference cross country championships Wednesday at Amend Park.

It’s the fourth consecutive conference title for the Carroll men, who edged Rocky Mountain by just one point to win Wednesday’s championship. The Fighting Saints finished with 32 points behind Zack Gacnik’s first-place finish. Gacnik clocked a time of 24:54.40 to out-pace teammate Oliver Morris, who placed second with a time of 25:11.70.

Carroll also got an all-conference finish from Connor O’Hara.

Rocky Mountain’s Corbyn Svec rounded out the top three with a time of 25:17.30, as the Battlin’ Bears totaled 33 team points.

Montana Tech, MSU-Northern and Montana Western took third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the men’s team standings. View complete results from the Frontier Conference men’s cross country championships.

For the Tech women, it was the first Frontier Conference cross country championship in program history. The Orediggers, who snapped Carroll’s streak of four consecutive titles, were paced by individual medalist Alyssa Plant and second-place finisher Kamryn Camba. Plant placed first with a time of 22:33.50, while Camba crossed the finish line in 22:56.

As a team, Tech scored 26 points, as Alyssa Jany and Emily See also earned all-conference recognition.

Kallyn Wilkins of Rocky Mountain placed third with a time of 22:56.60.

Following Tech in the team standings were Carroll (47 points), Rocky Mountain (61) and Montana Western (95). View complete results from the Frontier Conference women’s cross country championships.

The Carroll men and Tech women receive the Frontier’s automatic bids to the NAIA national championships, which are scheduled for Nov. 22 at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. The NAIA will announce the at-large bids next week.

2024 FRONTIER MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Zack Gacnik, Carroll — Frontier Conference runner of the year
Oliver Morris, Carroll
Corbyn Svec, Rocky Mountain
Benjamin Zerr, Montana Tech
Connor O’Hara, Carroll
John Spinti, Rocky Mountain
Ashtyn Rask, Rocky Mountain
Zach Zwiesler, Rocky Mountain
Derek Schultz, Montana Tech

2024 FRONTIER MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER

Luke Decker, Carroll
Bryon Fanning, Montana Tech
Kaden Hennessey, Montana Wesern
Jaden Koon, Montana State-Northern
Ciaran Molloy, Providence
Caleb Tomac, Rocky Mountain

2024 FRONTIER MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY COACH OF THE YEAR

Shannon Flynn, Carroll

2024 FRONTIER WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Alyssa Plant, Montana Tech — Frontier Conference runner of the year
Kamryn Comba, Montana Tech
Kallyn Wilkins, Rocky Mountain
Alyssa Jany, Montana Tech
Emily See, Montana Tech
Isabelle Ruff, Carroll
Hannah Geisen, Rocky Mountain
Hannah Sempf, Carroll
Anna Terry, Carroll
Olivia Steadman, Montana Western

2024 FRONTIER WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER

Erika Arthur, Carroll
Alyssa Jany, Montana Tech
Justene Santi, Montana Western
Makaela Kelly, Montana State-Northern
Kallyn Wilkins, Rocky Mountain

2024 FRONTIER WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY COACH OF THE YEAR

Jacob Sundberg, Montana Tech