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Fife throws three TDs and runs for another as Montana rallies past Portland State
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Fife throws three TDs and runs for another as Montana rallies past Portland State

MISSOULA, Mont. – Logan Fife threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score, all in the second half, and Montana defeated Portland State 28-17 in a game postponed Saturday by a campus-wide power outage in Missoula.

Jacke Klucewich had an interception in the end zone that he returned 40 yards before the power went out with 6:48 to play. After play resumed, Tyson Rostad ended the Vikings’ last chance with another interception of Dante Chachere in the end zone.

Fife was 9 of 14 for 197 yards, while Racanelli picked up 102 yards on four receptions. Eli Gillman had 134 yards on 14 carries.

Montana (8-3, 5-2 Big Sky Conference), the 10th-ranked team in the FCS coaching poll, trailed 3-0 at halftime.

The Grizzlies quickly marched down the field and scored on Fife’s 1-yard sneak on the fifth play, but Portland State took five plays to regain the lead, the last a 17-yard run by Quincy Craig.

The Grizzlies had an apparent lost fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, as well as an apparent interception that was negated on the next snap. Fife threw a rush to Sawyre Racanelli, who turned it into an 81-yard touchdown.

The Vikings (2-8, 2-5) responded with a six-play drive, capped by Delon Thompson’s three-yard run, making it 27-14 just 8 1/2 minutes into the third quarter.

It took Montana 11 plays to go 70 yards to take the lead for good when Fife hit Erik Barker for an 11-yard score.

The Grizzlies made it four touchdowns in four possessions when Fife found Aaron Fontes for a 35-yard score on one play after Andres Lehrmann sacked Chachere and Jayden Harris recovered.

Klucewich also picked off Craig in the red zone in the first quarter.

Thompson finished with 117 yards on 22 carries for the Vikings.

Next: Portland State will face Northern Colorado next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hillsboro Stadium (ESPN+) in the Vikings’ season finale.

— The Associated Press