The 2018 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Grizzlies were led by first-year coach Bobby Hauck, 8th overall as he previously was head coach from 2003–2009, and played their home games on campus at Washington–Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana as a charter member of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 6–5, 4–4 in Big Sky play to finish in a tie for sixth place.
Preseason
Polls
On July 16, 2018 during the Big Sky Kickoff in Spokane, Washington, the Grizzlies were predicted to finish in seventh place in the coaches poll and fourth place in the media poll.[1]
Coaches poll
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1
|
Eastern Washington
|
134 (6)
|
2
|
Weber State
|
124 (3)
|
3
|
Northern Arizona
|
121 (3)
|
4
|
Idaho
|
101 (1)
|
5
|
Sacramento State
|
94
|
6
|
Southern Utah
|
91
|
7
|
Montana
|
82
|
8
|
Montana State
|
76
|
9
|
UC Davis
|
64
|
10
|
Cal Poly
|
40
|
11
|
Northern Colorado
|
30
|
12
|
Idaho State
|
29
|
13
|
Portland State
|
21
|
Media poll
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1
|
Eastern Washington
|
651 (27)
|
2
|
Weber State
|
636 (19)
|
3
|
Northern Arizona
|
535 (1)
|
4
|
Montana
|
496 (2)
|
5
|
Idaho
|
483 (3)
|
6
|
Southern Utah
|
449 (1)
|
7
|
Sacramento State
|
415
|
8
|
Montana State
|
391 (1)
|
9
|
UC Davis
|
331 (1)
|
10
|
Idaho State
|
170
|
11
|
Cal Poly
|
169
|
12
|
Northern Colorado
|
166
|
13
|
Portland State
|
103
|
Preseason All-Conference Team
The Grizzlies had one player selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team.[2]
Josh Buss – Sr. LB. Also selected as the preseason defensive player of the year.
Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 13 Northern Iowa* | No. 24 | | SWX | W 26–23 | 25,018 |
September 8 | 1:00 p.m. | Drake* | No. 14 | - Washington–Grizzly Stadium
- Missoula, MT
| SWX | W 48–16 | 23,132 |
September 15 | 2:00 p.m. | at Western Illinois* | No. 15 | | ESPN+ | L 27–31 | 4,011 |
September 22 | 1:00 p.m. | Sacramento State | No. 19 | - Washington–Grizzly Stadium
- Missoula, MT
| RTNW | W 41–34 | 24,060 |
September 29 | 5:00 p.m. | at Cal Poly | No. 17 | | ELVN | W 48–28 | 7,157 |
October 6 | 2:00 p.m. | Portland State | No. 14 | - Washington–Grizzly Stadium
- Missoula, MT
| SWX | L 20–22 | 25,205 |
October 13 | 12:00 p.m. | at North Dakota | No. 22 | | SWX | L 14–41 | 10,497 |
October 27 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 6 UC Davis | | - Washington–Grizzly Stadium
- Missoula, MT
| SWX | L 21–49 | 24,141 |
November 3 | 1:00 p.m. | at Southern Utah | | | RTNW | W 57–14 | 7,162 |
November 10 | 4:30 p.m. | at Idaho | | | RTNW | W 46–27 | 14,571 |
November 17 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 25 Montana State | | - Washington–Grizzly Stadium
- Missoula, MT (rivalry)
| RTNW | L 25–29 | 26,508 |
|
Game summaries
Northern Iowa
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
No. 13 Panthers
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
16 |
23 |
No. 24 Grizzlies
|
16
|
10
|
0
|
0 |
26 |
Drake
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Bulldogs
|
0
|
3
|
7
|
6 |
16 |
No. 14 Grizzlies
|
3
|
7
|
21
|
17 |
48 |
At Western Illinois
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
No. 15 Grizzlies
|
18
|
0
|
3
|
6 |
27 |
Leathernecks
|
14
|
3
|
0
|
14 |
31 |
Sacramento State
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Hornets
|
14
|
14
|
3
|
3 |
34 |
No. 19 Grizzlies
|
14
|
10
|
7
|
10 |
41 |
At Cal Poly
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
No. 17 Grizzlies
|
17
|
14
|
10
|
7 |
48 |
Mustangs
|
0
|
7
|
14
|
7 |
28 |
Portland State
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Vikings
|
10
|
3
|
0
|
9 |
22 |
No. 14 Grizzlies
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
6 |
20 |
At North Dakota
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
No. 22 Grizzlies
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
14 |
14 |
Fighting Hawks
|
21
|
13
|
0
|
7 |
41 |
UC Davis
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
No. 6 Aggies
|
3
|
0
|
10
|
36 |
49 |
Grizzlies
|
7
|
14
|
0
|
0 |
21 |
At Southern Utah
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Grizzlies
|
20
|
10
|
21
|
6 |
57 |
Thunderbirds
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
14 |
At Idaho
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Grizzlies
|
14
|
22
|
7
|
3 |
46 |
Vandals
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
14 |
27 |
Montana State
Game information
|
First quarter
- UM – Gabe Sulser 1-yard pass from Dalton Sneed (Tim Semenza kick), 12:31. Montana 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 2:29.
Second quarter
- UM – Adam Eastwood 1-yard run (Tim Semenza kick), 13:30. Montana 14–0. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 3:41.
- UM – Samuel Akem 37-yard pass from Dalton Sneed (run good), 8:15. Montana 22–0. Drive: 2 plays, 39 yards, 0:40.
- MSU – Troy Andersen 3-yard run (Tristan Bailey kick), 0:23. Montana 22–7. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 2:43.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- MSU – Troy Andersen 1-yard run (run good), 14:24. Montana 22–15. Drive: 9 plays, 87 yards, 3:15.
- UM – Tim Semenza 34-yard field goal, 7:46. Montana 25–15. Drive: 14 plays, 58 yards, 6:32.
- MSU – Troy Andersen 1-yard run (Tristan Bailey kick), 6:01. Montana 25–22. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 1:45.
- MSU – Logan Jones 13-yard run (Tristan Bailey kick), 2:19. Montana St 29–25. Drive: 7 plays, 35 yards, 2:57.
|
- Top passers
- MSU – Troy Andersen – 15/24, 158 yards
- UM – Dalton Sneed – 22/34, 354 yards, 2 TD
- Top rushers
- MSU – Troy Andersen – 23 rushes, 107 yards, 3 TD
- UM – Jerry Louie-McGee – 4 rushes, 43 yards
- Top receivers
- MSU – Travis Jonsen – 11 receptions, 101 yards
- UM – Samuel Akem – 6 receptions, 147 yards, TD
|
|
Ranking movements
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
---|
STATS FCS | 24 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 22 | RV | RV | — | RV | RV | RV | |
---|
Coaches | 25 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 23 | RV | — | — | — | RV | RV | |
---|
References
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture and lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |