Cat-Griz Report: EWU soars past Cats, Griz chopped down

BOZEMAN (AP) — Gage Gubrud threw for a school record 520 yards and four touchdowns to different receivers to lead Eastern Washington to a 41-17 win over Montana State Saturday.

Gubrud was 37 for 51, hitting Shaq Hill, Cooper Kupp, Jayce Gilder and Zach Wemberly for scores as keep the Eagles (6-1, 4-0) unbeaten in the Big Sky Conference.

The Bobcats led from the opening drive until 2:27 was remaining in the half. MSU fumbled on its own 16 and the Eagles were in the end zone two plays later on a 9-yard TD run by Antoine Custer Jr. to take a 21-17 advantage. EWU would tack on a 49-yard field goal by Roldan Alcobendas on the final play of the half, only their second halftime lead of the season, to go up 24-17.

MSU quarterback Chris Murray contributed a pair of big first quarter plays, but was held in check after that. He threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Conner Sullivan, then ran 70 yards for a score on the next possession giving the Bobcats (2-6, 0-5) a 14-7 lead.

The Bobcats had the ball deep in EWU territory twice in the third quarter, but came away empty both times as they failed to keep pace with the Eagles. Murray fumbled on the first drive and backup quarterback Tyler Bruggman was intercepted the second.

Kupp and Hill both went over 100 yards receiving for EWU as the Eagles amassed 596 yards of total offense. Kupp tied the FCS record for consecutive games with a reception at 45.

Nick LaSane ran for 85 yards on just five carries for MSU, while Murray ran for 74. Murray was just 5 for 12 passing for 71 yards and two interceptions to go along with two lost fumbles.

“What I’m most frustrated about is those turnovers. … Those two or three bad plays a game have got to stop, and that doesn’t give us a chance,” remarked MSU head coach Jeff Choate. “Against a very, very good football team your margin for error is nothing, and when you give them the ball, that ain’t good.

“We’re not a mature enough team to be able to finish drives on offense or defense right now,” Choate added. “We’ve got a week to work on it, and I think we’ve got winnable games coming up and we’ve got to do a really good job of developing some momentum for ourselves.”

Montana State has a bye this week before returning to the road to face Southern Utah.

N. Arizona 45, Griz 34

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Blake Kemp threw touchdown passes to four different receivers in the first half and Corbin Jountti ran for two in the second and Northern Arizona defeated Montana 45-34 on Saturday night.

Kemp, who was 11 of 19 for 200 yards in the first half, connected with William Morehand for 74 yards and Delshawn McClellon for 10 on the first two possessions for the Lumberjacks (4-4, 3-2 Big Sky). In the second it was Kendyl Taylor for 19 yards and Jake Thomas for 3 as the Lumberjacks opened a 28-20 lead.

Jountti had TD runs of 1 and 13 yards in the third quarter as NAU pushed the lead to 45-20.

Brady Gustafson, who was 34 of 59 for 394 yards, had two of his four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter for the No. 10 Grizzlies (5-2, 2-2). James Homan and Justin Calhoun combined for 17 catches and each had 133 yards and a touchdown.

Joe Logan ran for 114 yards for Northern Arizona and Morehand had five receptions for a career-high 125.

Montana also had three turnovers, as it has now lost its last three games played at NAU’s Walkup Skydome.

"We felt really good (at halftime), ... but they come out with the big return right out of the chute," Griz head coach Bob Stitt said. "Defense holds and we get the ball out of it and we fumble it. And on top of the fumble we get a personal foul. Just a really undisciplined football game."

The Griz have another monstrous road game when they travel to rival Eastern Washington this Saturday. Montana returns home to play Idaho State Nov. 5.

Note: Havre Daily News sports editor George Ferguson contributed to this story.