MISSOULA — The Montana Grizzlies are coming off their open Week 7 with a tough Week 8 opponent in Sacramento State.
Last year the Grizzlies took down a Sac State team that ended the season at 2-8, but the Hornets are a different squad in 2019. This season they are 4-2 overall, with their only two loses coming against FBS schools Arizona State and Fresno State.
In the FCS, however, they've been unstoppable. They're 4-0 and 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference, tied with No. 5 Montana and No. 4 Weber State for the top spot. The Hornets have also crept into the FCS national rankings . After their Week 7 win over then-No. 6 Montana State, the Hornets sit now at 15.
In 2018, Montana took down Sacramento State in the Big Sky opener, 41-34. Although Montana eked out that win, both programs are much better in 2019 and Montana head coach Bobby Hauck knows the Hornets have a lot of momentum.
"I thought they were a really good team -- the injury bug bit them and they were decimated by it frankly (in 2018). A lot of those guys are back. They are a good, young football team. I was scared to death a year ago when we played them. You know, they are just doing a lot of good things, they get after you on defense, they aren't afraid to man you -- in fact, I think that's actually their preference probably. It's a team that's playing with a lot of confidence and they should be," said Hauck.
The fifth-ranked Grizzlies and 15th-ranked Hornets kick off at 7 p.m. (MDT) Saturday in Sacramento.
