Keali’i Ah Yat, Michael Wortham propel Montana to 49-35 victory over Sacramento State

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Keali’i Ah Yat threw three touchdown passes, Michael Wortham caught a touchdown pass and ran for two scores and Montana remained unbeaten with a 49-35 victory over Sacramento State on Friday night.

Ah Yat completed 16 of 24 passes for 196 yards with an interception for Montana (8-0, 4-0 Big Sky Conference) — ranked No. 4 in the FCS coaches poll. Wortham totaled 89 yards on just seven rushes.

Sacramento State (4-4, 2-2) took a 7-0 lead when Rodney Hammond Jr. capped a 13-play drive with a 7-yard touchdown run.

Montana answered with Ah Yat’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Brooks Davis to knot the score after one quarter.

Cardell Williams fired a 63-yard scoring strike to freshman Ernest Campbell and the Hornets moved back in front 14-7 just 10 seconds into the second quarter.

Ah Yat and Wortham teamed up for a 64-yard touchdown and Wortham added a 27-yard scoring run as Montana regained the lead 21-14.

Hammond pulled the Hornets even with a 6-yard touchdown run, but Jaxon Fresques muffed a Montana punt that Tanner Huff recovered at the Sac State 21-yard line. Eli Gillman’s 13-yard touchdown run three plays later gave the Grizzlies a 28-21 lead at halftime.

Ah Yat threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Evan Shafer at the end of a nine-play 90-yard drive to begin the second half. It was the only score of the third quarter as Montana upped its lead to 35-21.

Wortham scored on a 15-yard run just 1:48 into the final quarter for a 21-point advantage. Malae Fonoti capped the Grizzlies’ scoring with 1:45 left on a 4-yard touchdown run on the first play after an interception by Caleb Otlewski.

Williams totaled 332 yards on 25-for-32 passing with an interception for Sac State. He added 17- and 18-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. Campbell had nine receptions for 206 yards.

The Grizzlies had a season-high six sacks, including a career-high three by Peyton Wing.

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