Fife throws 3 TDs, runs for another, Montana rallies past Portland State 28-17
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Logan Fife threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score, all in the second half, and Montana defeated Portland State 28-17 in a game delayed by a campus-wide power outage in Missoula on Saturday.
Jacke Klucewich had an interception in the end zone that he returned 40 yards and then the power went out with 6:48 to play. After play resumed Tyson Rostad ended the Vikings’ last chance with another end zone interception of Dante Chachere.
Fife was 9 of 14 for 197 yards with Racanelli picked up 102 yards on four receptions. Eli Gillman had 134 yards on 14 carries.
Montana (8-3, 5-2 Big Sky Conference), the 10th-ranked team in the FCS coaches’ poll, trailed 3-0 at halftime.
The Grizzlies quickly marched downfield, scoring on Fife’s 1-yard sneak on the fifth play but Portland State took five plays to regain the lead, the last a 17-yard run by Quincy Craig.
The Grizzlies had an apparent lost fumble on the ensuing kickoff return overturned as well an apparent interception overturned on the next snap. Fife threw a quick slant to Sawyre Racanelli, who turned that into an 81-yard touchdown.
The Vikings (2-8, 2-5) responded with a six-play drive, capped by Delon Thompson’s 3-yard run, making it 27-14 just 8 1/2 minutes into the third quarter.
It took Montana 11 plays to go 70 yards to take the lead for good when Fife hit Erik Barker for an 11-yard score.
The Grizzlies made it four touchdowns in four possessions when Fife found Aaron Fontes for a 35-yard score one play after Andres Lehrmann strip-sacked Chachere and Jayden Harris recovered.
Klucewich also picked off Craig in the red zone in the first quarter.
Thompson finished with 117 yards on 22 carries for the Vikings.
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