By DAVE GUFFEY for GoGriz.com
THE GAME: The 9th/11th-ranked (The Sports Network & FCS Coaches’ polls) University of Montana Grizzlies (2-0/0-0 Big Sky Conference) host the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies (1-2) in a non-league contest in UM’s annual “Hall of Fame” game, Saturday, Sept. 21, in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, with kick-off at 1:00 p.m.
HALL OF FAME: This year’s inductees into the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame are UM’s 1972 Big Sky champion men’s track team, and former (1994-97) women’s soccer standout Courtney (Mathieson) Jenkins. They will be formally inducted at a banquet Friday, Sept. 20, and will be introduced on the field prior to this Saturday’s game.
GRIZ RADIO: Veteran Mick Holien is now in his 21st season as the “Voice of the Grizzlies.” Former Griz (1991-94) wide receiver Scott Gurnsey provides in-booth color, while Greg Sundberg serves as the sideline reporter. UM’s flagship station is KGVO Radio, 1290 AM/KVWE 101.5 FM. (Grizzly Football Radio Network listed on add 2-2-2 of the weekly release).
STREAMING & LIVE STATS: Video & Audio Streaming: gogriz.com/all-access.
RADIO SHOW: The “Mick Delaney Radio Show” hosted by the “Voice of the Grizzlies,” Mick Holien, airs every Tuesday at 6:00 pm on Montana’s statewide Grizzly Football Radio Network. It is broadcasted live from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in downtown Missoula.
TV SHOW: The Grizzly Sports Report weekly television show airs on ABC-FOX Montana. The half-hour show airs every Monday during the season, and begins at 9:35 on FOX Montana after the local news in Missoula, Kalispell, Butte, Bozeman, Helena, and Great Falls. It is hosted by ABC-FOX Sports Director Dominic Shelden, and features interviews with A different player every week, and of course Head Coach Mick Delaney. The Coach’s Show also airs every Friday at 4:30 pm MT on Altitude.
TV: The UM-OPSU game will be televised by Max Media of Montana. Ron Davis calls the play-by-play, John Edwards provides in-booth color, and Shaun Rainey is the sideline reporter. It will be aired on KTMF-FOX 23 & 42 in Missoula/Kalispell; KWYB-FOX 18 & 28 in Butte/ Bozeman; KFBB-FOX 5 in Great Falls; KHBB-FOX 5 in Helena; KULR-NBC 8 in Billings; and KXGN-NBC in Glendive.
LAST GAME: The Griz had a dominant 55-17 victory at North Dakota. Trailing 7-0 early, UM scored on its first five possessions to take a commanding 33-7 lead en route to the victory.
JOHNSON SETS BIG SKY RECORD: Junior quarterback Jordan Johnson was 15-19-1 (78.9%) passing for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns, setting a Big Sky Conference record in passing efficiency in a game at 322.3. The old record of 310.4 (10-14-0 for 265 yards and 4 TDs) was held by Eastern Washington’s Mark Tenneson against Sonoma State and set in 1992.
JOHNSON HAS CAREER NIGHT AT UND & PASSES MILESTONE: Johnson’s 354 passing yards against UND was a career-high for him. He now has 3,049 career passing yards, becoming the 12th player in school history to pass for more than 3,000 yards.
CANADA HITS CENTURY MARK AGAIN: Junior running back Jordan Canada rushed for 104 yards in the UND win — his second 100-yard game this season and the fourth in his career.
D STELLAR: UM’s defense held UND to 336 total yards and picked off two passes. Junior defensive end Zack Wagenmann had 6 tackles, 3 TFLs and 2 sacks. LB Brock Coyle had a game-high 9 tackles, while junior safety Matt Hermanson and LB Jordan Tripp had 7 stops apiece. Tripp and cornerback Nate Harris each had an interception. The Griz had five sacks and 11 stops for loss in the game.
TALK ABOUT EFFICIENCY!: UM converted on 9-of-10 third downs at UND. On the season Montana has converted on 72% (18-of-25) of their third down attempts, which leads the nation.
JOHNSON NAMED POW: Johnson was named the Big Sky “Player of the Week” on offense for his performance last Saturday. Wagenmann was UM’s nominee on defense.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: OPSU is a Division II Independent team located in Goodwell, Oklahoma, and has an enrollment of 1,400. The Aggies are currently 1-2 overall, with a 75-0 loss at Lamar, a 35-13 win over Sterling College, and a 26-10 loss to Adams State. OPSU returns 11 starters from a 4-6 team of a year ago. Head coach Russell Gaskamp (Texas, 1999) is in his second season as the head coach there. SERIES: This is the first meeting between the teams.
NEXT WEEK: Montana begins its Big Sky schedule at Northern Arizona in a game which will be televised by ROOT Sports. Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. in Flagstaff.
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