The Montana Grizzlies lead the Big Sky Conference in turnover margin, a fact of which Weber State is now well aware, giving up six turnovers in their Saturday November 16 42-6 loss at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Giving up three fumbles and three interceptions, the Wildcats just couldn't keep the ball out of the greedy hands of Montana defenders. Interceptions by Jordan Tripp, J.P. Kanongata'a and Alex Bienemann, and fumble recoveries by Tripp, Kendrick Van Ackeren, and Justin Whitted all helped lead to a dominating performance by the Montana defense, which held Weber State to just 202 total yards on offense, resulting in only two Shaun McClain field goals.

Montana's offense put up 338 yards rushing, behind the 189 yards by Jordan Canada, including an 80-yard touchdown burst in the third quarter.

Jordan Canada touchdown

Grizzly quarterback Jordan Johnson went out of the game with what were later described as "flu-like symptoms," but back-up quarterback Shay Smithwich-Hann performed ably, handing the ball off to Canada, freshman John Nguyen and senior Marlon Miles, who scored the only touchdown of his career late in the game, thrilling the crowd and the team who swarmed the perennial scout team player after he scampered in for a four-yard score.

Smithwick-Hann also scored on a bootleg play that had the Weber State defense wondering which way the ball was moving, and by the time they spotted the fake, Smithwick-Hann was running into the end-zone.

Smithwick-Hann Touchdown

The Grizzlies, now 9-2 for the season, and virtually assured of a playoff berth, must now travel to Bozeman to take-on the shell-shocked Montana State Bobcats who were defeated at home Saturday evening by a surprising Southern Utah team, 22-14.

The public is invited to the Townsquare Media 'Rally in the Valley' free broadcast of the 'Brawl of the Wild', on Saturday, November 23 inside the pavilion at Caras Park, which will be heated for the event.

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