MISSOULA, Mont. — In a significant clash within the FCS landscape, Miles Hastings led UC Davis to victory over Montana with three touchdown passes, while Lan Larison amassed 144 yards from scrimmage in his eighth consecutive game with a score, contributing to a 30-14 triumph on Saturday night. This matchup featured two highly ranked squads from the Big Sky Conference, both of which held spots in the Top 10 of the coaches’ poll.
No. 4 UC Davis improved its record to 9-1 overall and 6-0 in conference play, marking their ninth consecutive win after an opening-game setback against California. With this victory, the Aggies are now tied at the top of the conference standings with Montana State, setting the stage for a crucial showdown next Saturday, where they will host the second-ranked Bobcats.
On the other hand, No. 7 Montana, now holding a 7-3 record and 4-2 in the conference, saw its three-game winning streak come to an end and its hopes for the conference title dashed. The Grizzlies find themselves two games behind UC Davis and tied for third place along with No. 12 Idaho and Northern Arizona, in a Big Sky conference that may see up to five teams participate in the FCS playoffs this season.
Hastings performed well, completing 28 of 38 passes for 227 yards throughout the game. Larison’s performance included 97 yards on the ground from 24 carries, plus six catches for 48 yards, highlighted by a 1-yard touchdown reception that extended UC Davis’s lead to 27-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Hunter Ridley proved crucial for the Aggies’ scoring plan as he nailed field goals from 42 and 41 yards in the second quarter, and finished off the scoring with a 40-yard kick in the fourth quarter with just under ten minutes remaining in the game.
Montana utilized a combination of quarterbacks for their offensive plays, with Logan Fife transferring from Fresno State, and Keali’i Ah Yat, a redshirt freshman whose father, Brian, was a former quarterback for Montana and part of the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame. In the contest, Fife completed 13 passes from 23 attempts for 147 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass to Junior Bergen that opened the scoring. However, he also had an interception that marred his performance. Ah Yat was 7-of-18 on passes for 62 yards, also throwing an interception but made a notable 2-yard touchdown run, briefly giving the Grizzlies a 14-13 lead in the third quarter.
Historically, Montana has had the upper hand against UC Davis, holding a 9-2 all-time record over them, including 4-2 when playing at home.