MISSOULA – As Peter Christian’s golden pipes resonated through Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Michael Wortham blew a kiss to the Griz faithful.
My, what a spectacle Wortham has become. And after Saturday, he can consider himself a record-setter, perhaps even a Griz great.
Following Montana’s second consecutive resounding playoff win, now the collision course is complete for a second time in less than a month. Wortham and the Grizzlies head to Bozeman to take on archrival Montana State with a bid to the FCS national title game on the line following Montana’s 52-22 win over South Dakota on Saturday in Missoula.
Wortham has established himself in a single season as one of the most electrifying and beloved players in the University of Montana’s proud football history. On Saturday, he broke a record held by Griz icon Marc Mariani and helped boost the Griz into the semifinals of the playoffs for the 12th time in school history.
This semifinal, though, will be like no other. No. 3 Montana has outscored its last two opponents 102-51 to set up the rematch of the century. For the first time in a rivalry that dates back to 1897, the Griz will take on archrival Montana State with a bid to the FCS national title game on the line.
And Wortham, who went bananas against USD, scoring three touchdowns and rolling up 269 yards of total offense, set the pace again for the Griz to set up a matchup sure to have as much build up as any sporting event in the history of the state of Montana.
“It means the world to me,” Wortham said when asked about the trust Montana’s coaches have in him. “Coming in here, just doing it with these guys, I couldn’t do it without them. It’s multiple positions I was in.
“Blessed that they gave me the opportunity to do that type of stuff. I got the record, but my teammates deserve all the praise as well. They help me so much and they’re so happy for me as well.”
The Bobcats will certainly have to account for the all-purpose star while also trying to find the form that helped them win 31-28 in Missoula on November 22.
Friday night in Bozeman, Montana State overcame committing 12 penalties for more than 100 yards to dissect Stephen F. Austin with a precise yet explosive offense in a 44-28 win on Friday night in Bozeman. The Bobcats punted just once and manufactured eight plays of more than 20 yards on the way to head coach Brent Vigen’s 10th playoff win. MSU is into the semifinals of the playoffs for the fifth time since 2019 and looking for its third trip to the title game since 2021, including its second in as many years.
Montana has looked like the No. 1 contender for the title since losing to Montana State in Missoula last month. The Bobcats powered through a slugfest that resulted in a 21-13 decision against Yale while Montana ousted South Dakota State 50-29 in the second round.
Friday night, Montana State looked sharp on offense but held itself back with a plethora of penalties both standard and unsolicited.
Like MSU, the Griz jolted to a 24-0 lead only to see the Yotes rally a bit after halftime in a weird third quarter where the visitors possessed the ball for almost the entire frame other than Drew Deck’s FCS playoffs record-long 93-yard punt return for a touchdown.
USD manufactured a few scoring drives after a pair of 50+ yard touchdowns by Wortham helped the Griz push the lead to 38-7. A pair of TD drives allowed USD to have a glimmer of hope when the Yotes cut the lead to 38-22. But then Hauck and the Griz went for the jugular, punching in two more touchdowns for emphasis as UM ensured the Treasure State will get its first rivalry rematch and its first rivalry playoff game in the storied, historic rivalry.
Right out of the gates on Saturday, the Griz looked like a team possessed. Montana marched down the field methodically, eating up the first six minute of game clock and resulting in Deck’s second touchdown catch in as many weeks. The senior scored no touchdowns his first four at Montana but now has five during his senior year, including three in the last two weeks.
The Griz promptly forced UDS All-American candidate running back LJ Phillips Jr., to fumble just four plays into USD’s first possession, resulting in a short field. And although UM settled for a Joe Silver field goal, the Griz had the upper hand.
A 13-play, 77-yard drive capped by Eli Gillman’s 20th rushing and 22nd overall touchdown during his All-American junior year gave UM a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and the contest was never in question again despite USD’s best efforts late in the third quarter.
“I think it spoke volumes to our preparation,” Hauck said of the fast start. “The plan ended up being right on the money on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game. So, everything was working.”
That dominant start helped Montana establish control. Then Wortham helped the Griz break the game open. And that inspired Deck, too, as Montana used big plays to bury the Yotes.
Wortham’s 269 all-purpose yards and his three total touchdowns helped break the game open after Montana exerted its authority. And when he raced for a 22-yard gain to give UM an important first down, Christian bellowed “with that catch, Michael Wortham has broken Marc Mariani’s single-season record for all-purpose yards in a season by a Griz”, the former Eastern Washington transfer made sure to blow a kiss to the crowd.
“I prayed to just even be a part of a winning program, just at least win one year,” Wortham said. “If you look at my resume, it hasn’t been too many. Good guys, good teams, but season hasn’t gone the way we anted it to on those previous teams.”
Wortham’s first long touchdown catch, a 53-yard catch and run where he roasted South Dakota’s Cover 2 and exploited a broken coverage, helped the hosts establish a three-score lead. His 51-yard reception early in the fourth quarter stretched the lead to 38-7. And his 22-yard reception later in the final frame earned him a standing ovation when it was announced he’d broken one of Griz Nation’s favorite players.
Wortham has become one of Griz Nation’s favorite players in less than a calendar year of being on campus. He went over 1,000 yards receiving with his 10-catch, 201-yard effort. And he also lead Montana in rushing yards with 43 and a touchdown.
“He’s a good player, a really explosive player,” South Dakota head coach Travis Johansen said after his team finished 10-5. “Obviously, we busted there on the two explosive touchdowns. One check, we didn’t get on the same page with with the 52-yarder and the last one, frankly, was a fundamental error into the boundary for the second touchdown.
“He’s a good player and obviously, we knew he would be highly targeted…those two plays in particular were more on us than a talented player.”
Perhaps the most iconic moment of the game came when Montana faced 3rd & 20 up 38-22 but with South Dakota trying to hang on to their only piece of momentum the Yotes’ had forged all day. UM ran a quick slant where Keali’i Ah Yat found Wortham over the middle. Like a world-class rugby player, the former JC quarterback caught the ball in stride, then threw a perfect overhand lateral to Gillman on the USD sideline and Gillman did the rest, rumbling for 32 yards and a first down. UM scored on a Wortham rush a few plays later to essentially put the game away.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Wortham said. “We’ve probably practiced it tons of times throughout the year. Shout out coach (Brent) Pease for calling that. It was awesome. I’m glad it was executed in a big moment in the game.”
Now Montana’s attention turns to revenge. The Grizzliesfell at home to the Bobcats for the first time since 2018, marking just the 38th time Montana has lost at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, ever. Now MSU goes into Bobcat Stadium, a place Montana State has lost just twice in since 2019 and just once in the playoffs under Vigen.
“We’re going to enjoy this one certainly,” Hauck said. “This was a big win for us. We’ll be excited to play (MSU). I’ll guarantee that.”
