missoulacurrent
In a season already filled with historic moments, the Montana Grizzlies added another chapter on Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, overwhelming Portland State 57-24 behind a record-setting performance from senior running back Eli Gillman.
Gillman needed only eight carries to amass 196 rushing yards and four touchdowns, breaking NFL All-Pro Cooper Kupp's Big Sky Conference record for career total touchdowns. The senior's 78th career touchdown surpassed Kupp's decade-old mark and brought his career point total to 468.
The standout back also became just the fifth running back in Big Sky history to eclipse 5,000 career rushing yards, finishing the afternoon with 5,034 to move past Weber State's Trevyn Smith (5,029) and into fourth place all-time in conference history. His four-touchdown outing also lifted him into fourth place in FCS history in both career total touchdowns and career rushing touchdowns.
Gillman tied Montana's single-season total touchdown record with 25, matching Marcus Knight's 2019 mark. He now owns the two longest rushing touchdowns in program history: an 85-yard run at UC Davis and an 84-yard score on Saturday. He averaged 24.5 yards per carry and added a 48-yard reception to finish with 244 yards of total offense. The four rushing touchdowns tied his career high, and his 22nd career game with at least 100 rushing yards further solidified his place among the most productive running backs in Big Sky history.
The Grizzlies' offense was dominant throughout, piling up 644 yards of total offense while outscoring the Vikings 43-17 through three quarters. Montana finished with 363 yards on the ground and 281 through the air, marking the fifth-most yards in a single game in program history. The Grizzlies were especially efficient on third down, converting 10 of 12 opportunities.
Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat threw for 259 yards and a touchdown while adding 44 rushing yards and a score. The afternoon also featured two first career touchdowns for Montana: Chase Cook hauled in a one-yard scoring pass from Ah Yat, and Cody Schweikert broke free for a 35-yard rushing touchdown.
The defense held Portland State to 24 points and 357 total yards, a significant improvement from previous games. "A lot of guys on the offense produced, but I told the defense I was really proud of them," said head coach Bobby Kennedy. "All they do every week is work to improve no matter the situation."
Key Analysis
Gillman's record-breaking day further establishes him as one of the most dynamic scorers in college football. He now holds five school records and three Big Sky records, and is the NCAA's active career leader in rushing and all-purpose yards across all divisions. The magnitude of his accomplishments was underscored when officials called a timeout so Kennedy could present him with the game ball, allowing the Grizzly faithful to celebrate with a standing ovation.
"He's got a great smile. He's always positive with the guys. They love him, and for everyone to be able to celebrate with him and share that experience is something really special," Kennedy said. "To break Cooper Kupp's record in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, that's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him, for me, and maybe the people in this stadium. It was planned earlier in the week. We thought about it because he's such a dynamic guy and it's an incredible accomplishment."
Kennedy also praised the overall effort of his team. "It was special. What Eli did today was special. When you look at what the offensive line has helped him do, our quarterback and the guys on the offense, I was really proud of them all," he said. "I told the guys before the game that there has not been one time this year that I've been disappointed with them. We've had great effort across the board. We've had some unforeseen circumstances, but we've risen to the occasion the last couple of weeks. To be around a group of guys like that is really special because all they do every week is come and fight for Montana."
Originally reported by missoulacurrent.