NAU vs. Montana Game Stats (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Ninth-ranked Montana scored the winning touchdown with 4:26 left to complete the come-from-behind win over Northern Arizona in front of a Homecoming crowd at the Walkup Skydome Saturday.

"It was a great football game for the fans I am sure but tough one for our football program," said Head Coach Jerome Souers following the game.  "Coming off a tough loss last week, we had to come back and work on everything and all the fundamentals you need to have to be successful. I think our character was checked in how we handle adversity. I am proud my staff for putting together a solid plan and the players' effort for how they played tonight."

After going ahead 24-21 on a 40-yard field goal from Matt Myers with 4:45 left in the game, the Griz got a big return from Peter Nguyen to setup the winning drive on the NAU 46-yard line. Running back Jordan Canada took the next play for a touchdown, scampering 46 yards to give Montana a 28-24 lead.

NAU had a final chance moving into Montana territory. After a four-yard completion to Khalil Paden to the 43-yard line, quarterback Cary Grossart was sacked and threw incomplete pass on third down. Montana closed out the game another sack of Grossart on fourth down.

Grossart finished 19-for-27 for 321 yards with two touchdowns and was sacked six times. Paden had a game-high 167 yards on six receptions with two touchdowns, while running back Zach Bauman rushed for 148 yards on 25 carries. Taylor Julio had a game-high 12 tackles.

"You have to give credit to Montana because they finished the game and we didn't and that is what it comes down to," said Paden

The Lumberjacks opened the game with two scores to start the game and take a 14-point lead early in the contest. Grossart hit Khalil Paden for a 77-yard pass over the middle on the first play of the game. After a Griz three-and-out, NAU went 79 yards on five plays highlighted by a Zach Bauman 37-yard run for a touchdown.

"We were ready all week," said Paden. "We came into the game thinking we could win and were on a mission to win this game. How we came out was showing we were ready to go."

NAU held Montana off the scoreboard until midway into the second quarter. Montana put together an 80-yard drive to cut the lead in half. They added a second score before halftime with a 10-play, 75 yard drive to tie the game.

The teams were scoreless in the third quarter until Montana's Jabin Sambrano got loose on a reverse down the left sideline for an 80-yard score to give Montana a 21-14 advantage.

"That reverse was a huge play for them," said Souers. "We were not able to come back with the kind of production we needed to get the game back going in our favor."

NAU rebounded to tie the game early in the third quarter on a 51-yard strike from Grossart to Paden with 12:40 left to tie the game at 21.

"I am really proud of this team," said Souers. "Our record is not where we want to be but we have a lot of young players that show great promise so we are going to build on that."

NAU has lost to Montana 14 consecutive times, adding to the disappointment in the close loss. The last three games in the series have been decided by 14 points with the Lumberjacks losing in overtime in the last meeting in Flagstaff in 2009 and on a last minute score in Missoula last season.

NAU hits the road this week to play at Sacramento State on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the game can be heard on the Lumberjack Radio Network on 105.1 FM The Big Talker and online on the Big Talker website and via their mobile application.