By DAVE GUFFEY for GoGriz.com
THE GAME: The 6th/7th-ranked University of Montana Grizzlies (2-2/0-0 BSC) open their Big Sky Conference season and play their annual Homecoming Game against the University of Northern Colorado Bears (1-2/0-0 BSC), Saturday, Sept. 27 in Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,217). Kickoff is slated for 1:40 p.m. (Mountain).
SERIES/LAST MEETING: The Griz lead the series 12-1 and have won 12 in a row. The last meeting was a 40-17 win by Montana in Greeley in 2012. The Bears beat the Grizzlies 27-19 in Greeley in the teams’ first meeting in 1976. (See adds 12 & 14 for more information).
GRIZ IN HOMECOMING GAMES IN WGS: Montana is 23-4 in Homecoming games since 1987 in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Griz and Bears have played in one Homecoming contest, UM winning 55-28 in 2011. UM has won 20 of its past 21 Homecoming games.
LAST WEEK: ( At NDSU 22, Montana 10): Senior kicker Adam Keller connected on a school-record five field goals to lead the number-one ranked Bison to the win over the fourth-ranked Grizzlies in front of a loud and partisan crowd of 18,890 fans in NDSU’s Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.
POW NOMINEES vs. NDSU: Offense: No nominee. Defense: Junior linebacker Jeremiah Kose (16 tackles, 10 unassisted). Special Teams: Junior punter Stephen Shaw (6 punts for a 44.0-yard average).
JOHNSON UPDATE: Senior QB Jordan Johnson is seventh in career passing yards with 6,331; fourth in career TD passes with 56; and he’s tied for sixth in TDs responsible for with 60.
CANADA UPDATE: Senior halfback Jordan Canada’s 2,496 career rushing yards rank him fourth on the career list. He is also ranked fourth with 30 career scoring runs.
HENDERSON UPDATE: Junior wide receiver Ellis Henderson is now 23rd in career receiving yards with 1,478, and he remains 10th in career receiving TDs with 16.
WAGENMANN UPDATE: Senior defensive end Zack Wagenmann is ranked fifth in career sacks with 26, and he is sixth in career tackles for loss with 36.
HERMANSON UPDATE: Senior free safety Matt Hermanson has moved up to 15th in the career tackles list with 274.
JOHNSON PAYTON WATCH LIST UPDATE: Johnson, a 6-1, 195-pound senior from Eugene, Ore., and Walter Payton Award candidate, is 55-of-101-1 for 500 yards and 3 TDs so far this season.
WAGENMANN BUCHANAN WATCH LIST UPDATE: Wagenmann, a 6-3 ½, 255-pound senior defensive end and Buck Buchanan Award candidate from Missoula, Mont., has 25 tackles and 6.0 sacks this season. His 1.5 sacks a game ranks him eighth in the nation.
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MEDIA COVERAGE
GRIZ RADIO: Mick Holien is in his 22nd season as the voice of Griz football and his 30th year overall. Scott Gurnsey is in his 17th year serving as the in-booth analyst, while Greg Sundberg is the sideline reporter for his fourth season. (FB Radio Network is on add 6).
TELEVISION/STREAMING: The game is on ROOT Sports, with Tom Glasgow calling the play-by-play, Jason Stiles is the analyst, and Jen Mueller is the sideline reporter. It can been seen on DirecTV channel 687; Dish channel 426; and Bresnan channels 560/60. The game will not be streamed.
GAME SPONSOR: The Griz-Bears game is sponsored by the Missoula Federal Credit Union.
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