MISSOULA, Mont. - Tyler Johnson, J.R. Waller and Lex Hilliard scored touchdowns as No. 9 Montana outscored No. 3 Cal Poly 19-3 in the final 27 minutes en route to a 36-27 victory in a non-conference Division I-AA football game Saturday afternoon at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Hilliard rushed for a career-high 237 yards on 34 carries, scoring the clinching touchdown on a 21-yard run with 33 seconds to play, as Montana improved to 5-2 on the season. Cal Poly, which had a five-game winning streak snapped, fell to 5-2.
Cal Poly built a 24-17 lead in the third quarter, scoring the first 10 points of the period to overcome a 17-14 halftime deficit.
Nick Coromelas tied the game with a 40-yard field goal and Anthony Garnett gave Cal Poly a seven-point lead with a 39-yard scoring pass to Ramses Barden with 12:16 to go in the third quarter.
But the Mustangs were held to just three points the rest of the way -- a 41-yard field goal by Coromelas with 12:26 to go in the game.
That gave Cal Poly a 27-24 advantage, but Montana answered with a six-yard run by Waller and Hilliard's clinching 21-yard run.
Mustang freshman running back James Noble garnered his fourth career 100-yard game, rushing for 144 yards on 22 carries. Garnett completed 15 of 23 passes for 210 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both to Barden. Barden finished with five catches for 125 yards.
Cal Poly jumped to a 7-0 lead on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Garnett to Barden. A 10-yard reverse run around left end by Jonah Russell enabled Cal Poly to tie the game at 14-14 shortly before halftime.
The game was marred by nine turnovers -- five by Montana -- and Cal Poly, which averaged less than four penalties a game, was penalized 12 times for 104 yards.
Cal Poly is 0-10 in its series with Montana and Mustang coach Rich Ellerson suffered his first loss after a bye week (6-1).
Next Saturday, Cal Poly plays the final game of a stretch of four of five games on the road, visiting UC Davis for a 1:07 p.m. kickoff at Toomey Field. The Aggies (4-3) defeated North Dakota State 20-14 in a Great West Football Conference game Saturday in Fargo, N.D.
