“They're an interesting team,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said of the Northern Colorado Bears, who the No. 8 Grizzlies visit Saturday at 12:05 p.m. MDT in Greeley, Colo. “I think their record belies what kind of team they are. They've had a heart-breaking season, in terms of the way they've lost games.”
Four of the losses have been by a touchdown or less, including a 17-10 verdict at Weber State last weekend. The score is a bit deceiving in that the 16th-ranked Wildcats piled up 571 yards. But the Bears scored with 2:26 left to draw to seven points, then had an onside kick fail.
In between they thumped Idaho State 29-9 in their homecoming game.
“They're scratching at the door,” said Hauck, whose 58-15 record at UM includes a 3-0 mark against Northern Colorado. “They're really close.”
The most glaring difference between the 2007 Bears, who went 1-11, is at quarterback, where Florida transfer Bryan Waggener has thrown for 11 touchdowns. But there are many familiar names.
Linebacker Cristian Sarmento, who shared this week's Big Sky Conference defensive player of the week award; fellow linebacker Joe Kenney; corners Myles Hayes and Quincy Wofford; running backs David Woods and DC Wilson; and tight end Ryan Chesla all played prominent roles last season.
“We're certainly aware that they're a much-improved football team,” said Hauck. “And we're also aware that last year at or near this same weekend, Montana State went down there and was upset by them, on that field.”
That 16-13 win came on Oct. 27 a year ago. It was the Bears' first win in Big Sky play. Idaho State was their second.
Montana quarterback Cole Bergquist was the Big Sky's offensive player of the week for the first time this season. The senior out of San Clemente, Calif., took home the award three times last year, but Saturday's 17-for-19, four-touchdown performance against Sac State eclipsed those.
“I've been talking all along about finally putting together a complete game on offense,” said Bergquist, who now ranks No. 2 in the Football Championship Subdivision in passing efficiency (176.3). “Where we don't have a game with two turnovers or something.
“I think for the most part we played our best game as an offensive unit. I was just happy to see us play to our potential, or where I think we can play.”
Saturday's Griz-Bears battle at Nottingham Field might be overshadowed by Saturday's game between Weber State and No. 15 Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Asked if looking ahead toward Nov. 1, when NAU visits Missoula, was a danger, Hauck was firm.
“I certainly hope our guys are intelligent enough to know we have one game this week, and it's in Greeley, Colo.,” said the sixth-year coach, flanked by juniors Andrew Swink and Steven Pfahler along with Bergquist and Colt Anderson. “I don't think that's an issue for our team.”
Hauck was then asked if he had a winner in the Weber-NAU battle.
“No,” he said, to laughter. “And neither do any of these guys.”
QUICK KICKS: The forecast for Saturday in Greeley calls for 66 degrees with just a slight chance of rain. Š The Grizzlies are ranked No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll. Š UM inched past Weber State among FCS schools in the Sagarin ratings, to No. 4. Weber is No. 5. Northern Colorado is No. 54. Š Montana fell one spot to No. 3 in the Gridiron Power Index, a leading indicator for FCS programs' postseason hopes. Villanova is No. 2, and James Madison is No. 1. Weber State and NAU also each fell a spot, to No. 9 and No. 12Š Weber QB Cameron Higgins is third in the FCS in passing efficiency at 176.2. Cal Poly's Jonathan Dally is first (187.1). Northern Colorado's Waggener is No. 80 with a rating of 114.0. Š UM's Marc Mariani is third in the FCS in all-purpose yardage, at 185.1 per game.
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