The fourth-ranked Montana Grizzlies battle Eastern Washington at Woodward Field beginning at 3 p.m. You can't count out a young, 1-4 Eastern squad that has yet to win at home any more than you can pin first-place ribbons in the 3-1 Griz, who hold the early conference lead with a 2-0 mark.
History won't allow it.
Eastern's six Big Sky wins over Montana is more than any other league team the past 19 seasons. It includes a three-game win streak from 1990-92 and watershed Eastern wins in 1997 and 2002. Four UM wins in the last 10 years have come by four, three, three and three points.
That includes Montana's 31-28 victory in 2004, preserved when Griz linebacker Shane MacIntyre blocked a last-second field-goal attempt.
On Saturday the Grizzlies will be favored, but wearing the usual targets on their chests. Eastern, with its 1-1 league mark, would be in the thick of the Big Sky race with a win.
“Everyone we play in this league gives us their A game. Eastern's no exception,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. “They're a team that's played us well over the last 20 years - better than anybody in our league. This game's always one that people look forward to.”
Hauck figures to see Eastern, which gets center Chris Carlsen back from a knee injury this week, go run-first. He also expects Ryan Cole - recently benched in favor of junior Toke Kefu - to play.
“Certainly they are going to try to pull out all the stops to get a win this weekend,” Hauck said. “I think he's a good back and assume we'll see some of him. We have a high regard for Ryan Cole.”
EWU's throwing game might get less regard because of youthful receivers Tony Davis, Aaron Boyce, Jeffrey Solomon and Brynsen Brown. All are freshmen, and while they have yet to make Eastern fans forget Eric Kimble, Craig McIntyre and Raul Vijil, they could down the road.
“I would compare them to the group that just left when they were young,” Hauck said. “They're young, but there's a reason they're playing ahead of those kids that are juniors and JC guys. They're good.”
Another freshman, 6-foot-3 quarterback Matt Nichols, threw for 329 yards last week in Eastern's stunning 21-20 home loss to Sacramento State.
“I was surprised by how well he runs with the football,” Hauck said. “I didn't think he'd be as nifty. That's the thing that concerns me, is his ability to pull it down and run, a la Erik Meyer.”
And like Meyer, last year's Walter Payton Award winner, Nichols can throw.
“Very accurately,” Hauck added. “And on the run.”
Montana's defense continues to shine, filling the run gaps and getting back to its ball-hawking ways. Corner Quinton Jackson has come off the bench to make interceptions in back-to-back games. Fellow junior Kroy Biermann has become a force at defensive end.
Linebackers Tyler Joyce, Kyle Ryan and Loren Utterback, along with strong safety Colt Anderson, have piled up the tackles.
“They're a well-balanced team,” Wulff said of the Griz. “Their special teams are outstanding. They force turnovers on defense. Offensively they've got great balance.”
UM's offense exploded for 59 points against Sacramento State, then hiccupped at times in the Grizzlies' pivotal 26-20 win at No. 15 Portland State last week. Josh Swogger's play at quarterback has been key, and last week he did as much with his legs as his arm.
Swogger and running backs Reggie Bradshaw and Brady Green helped move UM to the top of the Big Sky rushing column. Junior Eric Allen has led the receivers, though he's been banged up.
Now comes Eastern, which employs five defensive backs and crowds the line of scrimmage.
“We need to make them one-dimensional, and stop the run,” said linebacker David Eneberg, Eastern's leading tackler. “Even though our record isn't very good, we expect a very close and hard-fought game.”
The Eagles' defense could get a boost from linebacker Shae Emry and safeties Bryan Jarrett and Robert Pearson, all of whom are back from injury.
That lends even more to the big-game atmosphere at Woodward Field, where Eastern officials are again bringing in temporary bleachers, a move that swelled the crowd to a record 10,754 in 2004.
One onlooker was Kefu, a true freshman back then.
“From watching that game, I know that it's a physical fistfight,” said Eastern's leading rusher. “That's just how Montana comes to the game and how we come to the game.
“There's a lot of respect on the line and a conference championship on the line, and there's all the fans there. Š. It was great to watch, but now I'm ready to play.”
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