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Show il<ID 'BIRD SPORTS Top ranked Montana shuts down 'Birds on the road averaging 317.7 yards through the air. The 'Birds held them 127 yards below their average and forced Ah Yat to throw to several different receivers rather than his favorite target Joe Douglas. Douglas, who averages 113.3 yards per game receiving, only caught four passes for 34 yards and no touchdowns. The ground game of the 'Birds kept the Grizzly defense on their feet rushing for 303 yards. The passing game was ineffective as Dupaix completed path of Sean Holifield, who in turn ran up field and fumbled the ball himself, giving the Grizzlies great JOURNAL SPORTS EDITOR field position. Montana would go on to score from there putting the game out of reach. Going up against the 2nd ranked Montana Grizzlies The 'Birds were big underdogs in this game and was more than the 'Birds could handle Saturday in nobody even gave them a chance at winning. The Missoula as SU suffered their third defeat of the 'Birds have yet to win on the road this year. season 44-13. With this being the first meeting between the two Pulling to within three points after a 46-yard field teams, Montana now owns a one-game lead in the goal by Eric Hall with 4:22 left in the half, the 'Birds series. The Grizzlies are part of the Big Sky looked to keep it close. However, Conference and are looking Montana would go on to score two to defend their title after touchdowns in less than four minutes winning the N CAA I-AA heading to the locker' room with a 27championship last year over 10 halftime advantage. Marshall. At times it looked as if the 'Birds The'Birds will now look could keep themselves in the game, forward to playing at home driving int o grizzlie territory seceral this weekend when times with a chance to score. Southwest Texas State T hanks to the Montana defense and comes to town for SU's costly mistakes that led to penalties, Homecoming game. The t he SU offense was shut down and 'Birds arc 3-1 at home and unable to score, helping the grizzlies will be looking at another to build an insurmountable lead that · tough game as they face the the 'Birds wou ld never overcome. 26th-ranked team in the · nation in I-AA. Montana upped its record to 4-0 while SU fell to 3-3 at the midway South west Texas defeated the 'Birds last year in San point of the college season The 'Birds had another great game Marcos, Texas in a landslide on the ground behind the rushing of win, 65-15. That win Brook Madsen and Joe Dupaix. snapped a seven-game losing Madsen ran for over 100 yards for the skid for the Bobcats. This fifth time this season. Dupaix rushed will be the second game for 99 yards on the ground including a between the two schools. The Bobcats have a 3-1 touchdown. The key for Montana was the ability reco rd and have beaten to convert off of mistakes made by Grand Valley State, Hofstra, the 'Birds. The Gnzzlies received and Idaho. Their lone loss great field position that enabled them came at the hands of Eastern to make fast scoring drives and cruise Washington on the road. to a big lead in the first half. T his will be their second Up by three with 3:45 left to play in game on the road this year. the first, Brian Gales found a hole in South west Texas beat Idaho last week 27-2 1 and the middle of the 'Bird defense and did not play on Saturday. rambled 55 yards for the touchdown. The Bobcats are led by Gales finished with 87 yards on the quarterback David Willia ms day and two touchdowns on the · ground. who played the best game of his career against Idaho, Brian Ah Yat finished with 18 passing for 166 yards and a comletions in 28 attempts forl 90 touchdown. yards, picking apart the SU secondary On the ground they are led for four touchdowns through the air. by runningback. Claude Ah Yat found eight different receivers Mathis who has rushed for during t he course of the game, hitting better thanlOO yards in three Josh Paffhausen for three touchdowns. ~ games, and has scored six The Grizzlies ended up with 469 ::i touchdowns already this yards total compared to 323 for SU. Ayear. Mathis has already It was a game of small mistakes and !'.: gained 548 all-purpose missed oportunities that led to the Oyards. blowout by Montana. Several key ~ The Bobca ts will look to plays were not converted and < run it on the ground and air prevented SU from moving the ball _ _ _ _ ____,._-- - - ----- -~it out, much like Montana and getting in the end zone. did against the 'Birds on On the most impressive drive of the Montana Grizzlies' fosh Paffhausen takes a hit in mid air from Chad Huntsman. Paffhausen Saturday. day for the 'Birds, Dupaix engineered a s·cored three firs t half touchdowns against the 'Birds. The 'Birds hope to play s~ -~a~ 46-ya~dr~e thatended wi th~~~~~~--~-~--~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ better defensively and hold a 9-yard touchdown score at the the Bobcats who are averaging 298.5 yards per game. only two passes for 20 yards in the air. beginning of the second quarter. The Bobcats are currently ranked 6th in total offense On several key drives the ' Birds would find The 'Birds moved well in the first half, but stalled in themselves in third-and -long situations, with the pass and 5th in rushing and passing. key situations. With 2; 59 left in the first, Sean This will be the fourth team that SU has played being the only way to get a first down. SU runs the Holifield came up with a big fumble recovery that this season that is ranked. The 'Birds are yet to beat triple-option which focuses on the run and does not gave the ball to the 'Birds at midfield. ·a ranked team this year, but will have their chance have many passing situations involved. T he 'Birds After only moving the ball six yards in three plays this Saturday when they take on the Bobcats at were unable to connect on their passes which made it they were forced to punt the ball away, another home .. really difficult to keep the ball .offensively. missed opportunity. Most of the game ended up that Jim Bob Helduser, Head Coach of the Bobcats, On the defensive side of the ball, SU came up with way for the 'Birds as they were stopped continuously commented on the need to be prepared for the 'Birds. two big fumble recoveries, and an interception that on third down plays. · "They are an improving football team. We will have actually ended up helping Montana out. The defense, although allowing 44 points, did a to be better focused going on the road and will have The Grizzlies we'.re in a third and long situation and realtively good job of containing Montana. The to take. care of business." __ __ __ _ looked to pass. Ah Yat passed the ball right·in the Grizzlies are the top passing team in the nation, By CHAD LAMB I |