MISSOULA, Mont. — Backup quarterback Gerald Kemp threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more Saturday to lead Montana to a 55-28 win over Northern Colorado.
Kemp did most of his damage in the third quarter scoring on a pair of 7-yard runs and connecting with Peter Nguyen on a 19-yard scoring pass. Kemp also tossed a 32-yard scoring strike to Antwan Moutra in the second quarter.
“I think we got the football in the hands of our playmakers today,” Montana coach Robin Pflugrad said. “Both quarterbacks did a good job.”
The Grizzlies’ other quarterback, Nate Montana, was 7-for-10 for 138 yards and a touchdown.
After the Grizzlies’ opening score, the Bears (0-5, 0-3 Big Sky) tied the game on a 7-yard pass from Seth Lobato to Patrick Walker with 5:55 to play in the first quarter. Montana capped off the first quarter with a 47-yard field goal from Brody McKnight.
The second quarter saw both teams trade long touchdowns on returns. Montana’s Jabin Sambrano scored on a 43-yard punt return, and Northern Colorado’s Dominic Gunn then took the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for the score.
Montana than ran off 28 straight points to seal the game. A 1-yard touchdown run by Brett Kirschner capped the Montana scoring binge and left the Grizzlies with a 55-14 lead at the end of the third quarter.
“We need to get it all together from the first quarter to the fourth quarter,” Northern Colorado coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. “We’ve got to figure out a way for our kids to fight through adversity.”
