Chase Reynolds ran for three touchdowns, Cole Bergquist threw for three and the No. 6-ranked Montana Grizzlies made short work of No. 19 Northern Arizona Saturday, swamping the Lumberjacks 45-10 in a key Big Sky Conference game.
Reynolds had runs of 6 and 37 yards in the first half, as Montana (4-1 in the Big Sky, 8-1 overall) took advantage of two interceptions by Colt Anderson and two NAU fumbles to build a 31-3 lead.
The sophomore tailback out of Drummond added a 67-yard scoring run as the lead grew to 38-3 early in the third quarter. Reynolds finished with 157 yards on 12 carries as the Griz overpowered NAU's vaunted run defense.
"We knew our O-line, what they're capable of and what our whole offense was capable of, and I think we just strived for perfection today," said Reynolds, who has nine TDs this season. "They opened up huge holes, and all I had to do was run through them."
Northern Arizona, 4-2 and 6-3, fell off the pace in the Big Sky with the second straight lopsided loss. The Lumberjacks were allowing 18.8 rushing yards a game, but surrendered more to the Griz, 223, than they had the entire season.
"I think I can speak on behalf of everybody in our program on how disappointed we are in our performance today," said NAU coach Jerome Souers, now 0-11 against UM, where he was defensive coordinator from 1989-97. "We credit our opponent; Coach Hauck and his staff had his team prepared very well. They out-executed us, outplayed us."
Bergquist was 14-for-23 passing for 186 yards, including scoring strikes of 5 and 9 yards to Mike Ferriter, and 11 yards to Marc Mariani. A 40-yard pass to Mariani set up the Ferriter's 5-yard TD, putting the Grizzlies ahead 45-3 with 13:10 left in the game.
Freshman Deonte Williams ran for 105 yards and a touchdown for the Lumberjacks, but the running back also fumbled on a hit by UM's Mike Stadnyk in the second quarter. That set up Ferriter's first TD, which made it 28-0 at the 11:49 mark.
Austin Mullins set up Reynolds' 37-yard TD with a fumble recovery off a missed exchange between Williams and NAU quarterback Lance Kriesien.That made it 21-0 early in the second period.
"We got a lot of good push today on their line," said Mullins, a sophomore out of Great Falls Russell. "That really hurts, especially with a zone team like they are. We had everybody back and everybody was excited to play a ranked opponent"
Anderson, a senior safety from Butte, had seven tackles to two pass deflections to go with his interceptions. His first interception came at the NAU 32, and set up Mariani's touchdown.His second, which he returned 80 yards to the NAU 10, resulted in a Brody McKnight field goal from 21 yards.
Montana heads to Portland State for another Big Sky battle Saturday. NAU returns home to host Montana State.
