CHENEY, Wash. –The No. 8 Grizzlies begin regular season play against Eastern Washington on Saturday at 6:00 PM MT at Roos Field in Cheney, Washington. They enter with a 3-1 record in non-conference play, while the Eagles enter with a 1-3 mark.

This marks the second year in a row that the Griz have opened their Big Sky slate with a road game. They lost their opener at Northern Arizona last year, but have been tested more this season with a tougher non-conference schedule.

The Griz are 0-1 on the road this season with a loss at North Dakota. The Eagles are 1-1 at home, beating Monmouth, which defeated FBS Florida International, and losing to unlisted Drake. UM opened as betting favorite with 13.5 points.

Montana has never won on Eastern’s red grass and has gone 0-6 since being installed in 2010. The Grizzlies’ last victory in Cheney came in 2008. It is their longest-standing drought in road games against current Big Sky teams.

I don’t see quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat, safety Ryder Meyer, defenseman Noah Kaschmitter and safety Jace Klucewich during warmups. This would be the third straight game Meyer has missed and the second straight game for Kaschmitter.

Montana will be without linebacker Riley Wilson for the first half. He was sent off last week for targeting in the second half.

Eastern Washington wins the toss and advances to the second half. Montana gets the opening kickoff.

Logan Fife starts at QB for Montana. Aaron Fontes back from WR. Griz ran it three times with Eli Gillman. He goes for 2, 6 and minus-1 yards on the three-and-out. A punt from 26 yards puts Eastern Washington at its own 41-yard line.

TJ Rausch gets his first career start at safety with Ryder Meyer out. Hayden Harris collects a sack on first down, but Montana called for the passer on third-and-6. Griz holds Eastern Washington to a 40-yard FG from Soren McKee, who misses the ball wide right. It is his first miss of the year.

Montana’s second drive starts with Logan Fife hitting Junior Bergen for a 55-yard catch-and-run. Fife missing Keelan White on the first goal, dismissed on the second and incomplete on the third. Griz settles for a 29-yard FG from Ty Morrison, who hits from the right hash. 7 plays, 65 yards, 2:14.

SCORE: Griz 3, EWU 0, 8:44 left 1Q

Montana sends the subsequent kickoff out of bounds. Eastern starts at its own 35-yard line. True freshman CB Kyon Loud here for the first time today. Tirrell, Kaho and Otlewski at LB with Wilson out of the first half. Griz jumped offside on third and fourth. TJ Rausch hit out of bounds late.

Montana trails for the first time today after giving up a 2-yard TD run by QB Kekoa Visperas. 9 plays, 65 yards in 3:43. Griz was penalized twice for 16 yards that drive, three times for 31 yards in the first 10 minutes of the game.

SCORE: EWU 7, Griz 3, 5:01 left 1Q

Logan Fife hits TE Evan Shafer 20 yards on third-and-6, followed by 17 yards to Junior Bergen.

Fife finds TE Erik Barker for a 29-yard touchdown. Second career TD catch for Barker, first since September 11, 2021. Drive goes 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:38.

SCORE: Griz 10, EWU 7, 2:23 left 1Q

End of first quarter: Montana 10, Eastern Washington 7

Jared Taylor, one of three Eastern Washington QBs so far, hits Efton Chism III for a 23-yard pass on third-and-3 on his first pass attempt of the game. Two plays later, Kekoa Visperas finds Chism for a 7-yard TD pass. 9 plays, 69 yards, 3:02.

SCORE: EWU 14, Griz 10, 2:15pm left 2Q

Nick Ostmo with a 16-yard run on the second play of the drive and finishes it with an 8-yard TD run.

After an illegal man-down fielding penalty, Griz had a pass of 13 yards to Bergen, 11 yards to White and 11 yards to Barker. 8 plays, 75 yards in 4:19.

SCORE: Griz 17, EWU 14, 9:56 left 2Q

Eastern Washington takes the ball out of the end zone and Michael Wortham only gets 12 yards. Eagles run the ball into Montana territory, but Griz holds on, forcing EWU to punt for the first time in four drives. True freshman CB Kyon Loud breaks up a deep shot on third down.

Logan Fife hits Keelan White for 7 yards on third-and-3. Eli Gillman gets his first run since the third round of play and goes for 10 yards. On fourth-and-1 at the EWU 47-yard line, Fife throws deep to Junior Bergen for a 47-yard TD. 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:45.

SCORE: Griz 24, EWU 14, 3:13 left 2Q

Montana forces Eastern Washington into back-to-back punts. Jaxon Lee gets the QB rush on third down and Trevin Gradney comes up with the pass breakup. Griz ball on their own 11-yard line with 1:47 left in the half and all three timeouts.

Lucas Freitas at RG, Journey Grimsrud at LG. 13-yard pass to White on 3rd and 5. 27-yard catch by Ostmo. 37-foot pass to White on 3rd and 7. Fife runs for 15 yards. Griz skips the timeout and Fife hits Barker for a 5-yard touchdown. 11 plays 89 yards, 1:35

SCORE: Griz 31, EWU 14, 0:12 left 2Q

End of second quarter: Montana 31, Eastern Washington 14

Montana LB Riley Wilson back on the field after sitting out the first half. Griz forces Eastern Washington into a three-and-out and punt. The Eagles’ last four drives have gone point, point, half, point, as the Grizzlies’ lead has increased from 17-14 to 31-14.

Logan Fife hits Keelan White on third-and-7 for 17 yards. Fife was then incomplete on the next third under pressure. Griz point. They are 5 of 9 in third place today and 1 of 1 in fourth place.

Eastern Washington QB Jared Taylor with a 48-yard TD run on third-and-10. He breaks several tackles, appears to fumble the ball for a moment, but regains it and keeps running. 8 plays 70 yards, 2:21.

SCORE: Griz 31, EWU 21, 8:42 left 3Q

Montana answers right back as Eli Gillman shows off his speed by ripping off a 69-yard TD. He now has 99 yards on eight carries, adding to his FCS-leading 10.13 yards per carry this season. 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:55.

SCORE: Griz 38, Eastern Washington 21, 7:42 left 3Q

Eastern Washington’s Michael Wortham returns the ensuing kickoff 40 yards. The Eagles do a good job of moving the ball into the red zone. They go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Montana 18-yard line and Kekoa Visperas throws a low pass that is incomplete.

After Logan Fife is sacked on third-and-6, Ty Morrison misses a 46-yard field goal. Montana remains up 38-21 late in the third quarter. That was the Griz’s first sack of the game.

End of third quarter: Montana 38, Eastern Washington 21

It’s back to a two-score game as Eastern Washington scores just three times this quarter. Kekoa Vispera’s 24-yard pass to Michael Wortham, a 41-yard pass to Austin York and a 6-yard TD pass to Efton Chism III. 4 plays, 71 yards, 1:22

SCORE: Griz 38, EWU 28, 1:57 PM left 4Q

Eastern Washington goes with the surprise onside kick and Eagles kicker Jackson Cleaver recovers the ball himself. EWU takes over at its own 47-yard line with Montana trailing 38-28 with 13:54 left in the game.

This story will be updated.