MISSOULA — The 20th anniversary celebration of Montana’s 2001 national championship was this weekend, and the festivities included then-head coach Joe Glenn and dozens of players taking to the Washington-Grizzly Stadium turf before the game.

Not present? Andy Thompson. The Walla Walla product was busy being the Hornets’ defensive coordinator.

His club then handled the Montana offense in Sac State’s 28-21 victory.

“As I’ve said since I’ve known him — and I just met him when I hired him (in 2019) — he’s the smartest football guy I”ve been around,” said Hornets head coach Troy Taylor. “And I’ve been around some really, really smart guys.

“The plan he put together, his composure, the way he takes care of his guys… He’s as valuable as they get.”

Thompson played linebacker for the 2001 Griz, making 28 tackles. The year before that he was a backup quarterback, which put him on the sideline when Sacramento State probably should have had its first win at Washington-Grizzly Stadium — but the Grizzlies’ Damon Parker improbably picked off a last-minute option pitch and returned it for a touchdown to give the Griz a 24-20 win.

When Sac State’s Marcus Fulcher muffed a punt to start the fourth quarter Saturday, giving Montana the ball at the Hornet 16, fans probably thought a similar minor miracle was in order. But then Marcus Hawkins picked off a Griz pass on the next play.

“Every time we take the field we just plan on getting the ball back for our offense,” Hawkins said. “We had a great play call. We read our keys, and knew what to expect. We were able to execute the play and get the ball back.”

Thompson wasn’t the only UM connection on the Sac State staff — Kraig Paulson, who started the No. 37 tradition at Montana and before that was UM coach Bobby Hauck’s roommate there — is the Hornet defensive line coach.

Sac State is now 3-20 all-time against the Griz, and 1-12 in Wa-Griz.

No rest for defense

Safety Gavin Robertson, out three weeks with “illness,” made two tackles Saturday for a defense that could use some depth. Linemen Justin Belknap, Joe Babros and Eli Alford left the game (and returned) at various times.

Defensive end Patrick O’Connell, a wrap on his injured hand, had another big game with nine tackles, another sack and two fumbles forced. The Glacier High product now has seven sacks on the year.

Eureka’s Garrett Graves had seven tackles; fellow safety Robby Hauck had 13.

Omar Hicks Onu came up with a fumble recovery.

When it was all said, the group had trouble with the tandem-QB, here’s-a-different-look Sac State offense.

“They gave us a higher percentage of two-back offense,” UM coach Bobby Hauck said. “It skewed the other way from what the breakdown was.”

The Hornets also ran some speed option that found room, piled up 144 rushing yards total and held the ball a long time.

“I think this will be the comment across the board,” Hauck said. “I think our inexperience shows at times when the picture changes on us.”

Linebacker Jace Lewis, current holder of the No. 37 jersey, had nine stops. He also whiffed on a sack attempt of Jake Dunniway before the Hornet QB found Jared Gipson for his second 24-yard TD reception.

“Like Coach said in the locker room, we lick our wounds today and we come back Sunday and Monday ready to regroup,” Lewis said. “Get going for Idaho.”

Graves had a 41-yard kickoff return, and then found a lane on an apparent 67-yard punt return for a touchdown — only to have it called back by penalty.

From there, Sac State squibbed all of its kickoffs, content to give UM decent field position.

Not that it mattered at the end. The Griz traded touchdowns for field goals twice, and its two clock drives ended with a field goal (last play of the first half) and a sack (:49 left in the game).

Having a freshman quarterback at the controls isn’t usually optimal, though Hauck added: “We practice that a lot. We should be good at it. The one we had at the end of the first half was pretty good.

“Shoot, if I had the answers to some of these questions I’d be happy right now.”

QUICK KICKS: Henry Nuce, a freshman defensive end from Glacier, had two tackles … Sac State had four quarterback sacks to one (O’Connell) for Montana. … Keelan White had a 31-yard punt return for the Griz. … UM’s two longest offensive plays Saturday were runs: Kris Brown’s 23-yard touchdown run and a 20-yard run by Junior Bergen.