Game 3 - Aggies 45 - Montana State 0

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Quarterback Jon Grant threw for 324 yards and a career-best five touchdowns Saturday - including three to receiver Tony Kays - while the UC Davis defense recorded its first shutout since 2004 as the No. 21 Aggies rolled to a 45-0 win over No. 20 Montana State before 12,087 fans at Bobcat Stadium.

UC Davis improved to 2-1 overall while Montana State fell to to 1-2 in the first-ever matchup between the two programs. The game was a matchup of teams that have provided college football two of its biggest upsets in recent years. The Aggies stunned Division I-A Stanford last season while the Bobcats opened the 2005 campaign two weeks ago with a 19-10 win at I-A Colorado.

Kays, who caught a school-record 93 passes for 1,213 yards last season, was hampered the first two games this season with injury. However, he came back strong on Saturday, catching 10 passes for 143 yards and touchdown catches of 2, 22 and 21 yards. It was his first multi-touchdown game, his sixth career game with at least 10 catches and his ninth with at least 100 receiving yards.

The defense, meanwhile, held Montana State to just 194 total yards, including just two yards on the ground while also picking off two passes and recovering a fumble. The Aggies also didn't let Montana State get any closer than the UC Davis 38.

UC Davis dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage, outgaining the Bobcats in first downs 29-8, outgaining them in total offense 496-194 and holding the ball for more than 36 minutes.

Grant posted his seventh career 300-yard passing game for the Aggies, who had 393 yards through the air overall. Besides Kays, Chris Carter had five catches for 84 yards as nine players made grabs.

"I couldn't be happier. I thought we played very strong in all phases of the game," said UC Davis head coach Bob Biggs. "I'm happy for the defense to get the shutout. It's nice for the offense to be explosive. It's something we've really strived for this year... It was a complete game and as a coach that's what you look for."

Montana State quarterback Cory Carpenter threw for 119 yards but was intercepted by cornerback Nevan Bergan and linebacker Mike Morales. UC Davis also had three sacks on the day, include one by Chris Buck and a shared sack by end Andy Rice and Morales.

UC Davis controlled both sides of the ball in the first half, outgaining the Bobcats in total yards, 252-63 while gaining 14 first downs to just one by Montana State. The Aggies, who ran 48 plays before halftime, had the ball for nearly 21 of the first 30 minutes.

UC Davis grabbed the first score of the game, putting together a 9-play, 65-yard drive midway through the first quarter which was highlighted by a 32-yard pass from Grant to Carter, a 12-yard completion to Kays and a 15-yard passing play to Garfio. Those plays helped set up the Aggies' first touchdown, a two-yard TD pass to the right side of the goal line to Kays.

Grant completed 17 of 30 passes for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half with Kays catching eight for 97 yards. Carter had four grabs for 75 yards. UC Davis rushed for just 40 yards with Garfio leading the way with 17.

The defense, meanwhile, was stifling Montana State by giving up just a single first down in the first half; that coming on a 26-yard passing play from Carpenter to receiver Donnell Wheaton in the first quarter. The Bobcats were held to three-and-outs during the first two possession of the second quarter with the second one ending with a blocked punt by linebacker Michael Healey that gave UC Davis a first-down at Montana State's 10.

Emmanuel Benjamin made it 10-0 four plays later with a 25-yard field goal with 2 minutes 11 seconds to play in the half. Cornerback Nevan Bergan then helped the Aggies added another touchdown on the Bobcats' next series, picking up his eighth career interception which he returned to the Montana State 21. Grant then hit Kays for their second TD connection, a 22-yard strike that made it 17-0 with 35 seconds to go.

UC Davis picked up in the third quarter where it left off at halftime, as Grant threw a trio of touchdown passes in the period as the Aggies extended the lead to 38-0. He hit Kays for a 21- yard scoring strike and followed that with a 15-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman tight end Luke McDonough and finished with a 25-yarder to running back Marcus Nolan.

The Aggies completed the scoring in the fourth quarter when backup quarterback Tim Plough found receiver Kale Turner on a 33-yard touchdown pass that made it 45-0 with 9:47 left.

UC Davis also played well on third down, converting 12 of 18 chances.

UC Davis returns to action with its fourth consecutive road game when it travels to face No. 6 Youngstown State next Saturday.

Recap courtesy UC Davis ICA/Media Relations

Montana State Game: Players Of The Week

• Offense - Jon Grant (QB)
• Defense - Nevan Bergan (CB)
• Special Teams - Mike Healey
• Offensive Scout - Ricky Vitallo (OL)
• Defensive Scout - Eric Sobotka (LB)

Return to 2006 Game Summaries