Dixie State closed out its three-game road gauntlet with a hard-fought 31-14 loss at No. 6 Montana on Saturday afternoon at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The loss, DSU's fourth-straight against a top-15 ranked opponent, dropped the Trailblazers to 0-5 on the season, while the Grizzlies improved to 4-1.

Defense was the order of the day through the first 30 minutes, with the Trailblazer defense standing toe-to-toe with its nationally-ranked counterparts from the opening kick, and it was the DSU side that came up with the first big play on that side of the ball.  

After forcing DSU to punt on the first possession of the game, the Grizzlies were on the march down the field, that was until cornerback Tyrell Grayson got around the end on a blitz and strip-sacked UM quarterback Kris Brown on a first down play at the DSU 18. Blazer defensive lineman Syrus Webster fell on the loose ball at the 26-yard line to set up the DSU offense with its second possession.
 
Blazer running back Drew Kannely-Robles opened that drive with 11 quick yards on a pair runs, while sophomore QB Kenyon Oblad found Rickie Johnson over the middle for 10 more yards as Dixie State used 12 plays to get the ball to the Montana 4-yard line.
 
However the drive would stall one play later when on 2^nd and 4, Oblad threw a quick slant to the goal line, but the Blazer receiver slipped on the pattern, which allowed UM defender Justin Ford to slip in to the targeted spot and pick off the throw for the touchback. 
 
After both sides swapped a combined six punts, the Trailblazers forced Montana's second miscue of the half when linebacker Will Leota intercepted Brown at the Grizzlies' 30 yard line.
 
DSU wound up going three-and-out after the turnover, but a crucial false start penalty on third down backed the Blazers up to the Montana 33. Connor Brooksby came on to attempt a 50-yard field goal try after an Oblad incompletion, but the kick came up just short of the cross bar.
 
Montana managed to put the first points on the scoreboard on its ensuing possession when Kevin Macias drilled a 27-yard field goal after the Trailblazers held on 3^rd and 8 at the DSU 10-yard line. The kick capped the Grizzlies' 11-play, 57-yard drive.
 
The Grizzlies had one more chance for points in the final moments of the half as Macias lined up for a 22-yard try. However the kicker took the pitch from the holder and tried to go up the middle, but Livingston Paogofie met the kicker at the line of scrimmage to snuff out the trick play. DSU then took a knee to allow the final four seconds on the clock to expire and the Trailblazers headed to the locker room trailing by just the three points.

After a missed Montana field goal and a DSU three-and-out began the third quarter, the Grizzlies mounted their best drive the game, a seven-play, 51-yard drive that culminated with a Junior Bergen 6-yard scamper around the right side that put UM up by a 10-0 count.
 
Then following another Trailblazer punt, the Grizzlies made it a 17-0 game when Brown found tight end Cole Grossman, who won the race to the pylon on an 8-yard catch and run to with just under four minutes to play in the period. 
 
Trailing 24-0 midway through the fourth, Dixie State finally got the spark it had been waiting for all game, and it came from the defense. Facing 3^rd and 3 from near midfield, Brown dropped back to pass and was strip sacked for the second time in the game, this one was credited to freshman defensive lineman Syrus Webster.
 
Junior corner Devin Chandler then scooped the ball up and raced 38 yards to the house for the Blazers' first points of the day. DSU went for a two-point conversion, but Oblad's pass fell incomplete, leaving the Blazers trailing 24-6 with 7:37 to play.
 
Chandler's fumble return was the DSU's first in nearly four years, with the last instance coming during the 2017 season when Remington Kelly (46 yards) took one back against at home against Adams State (10/28/17).
 
DSU's newly found momentum was quickly quelled, however, as Montana struck for a dagger touchdown nearly three minutes later on a Brown 1-yard keeper.
 
Dixie State's offense did manage to get in the end zone on its final drive when Oblad found Cade Veach from 3 yards out. DSU successfully went for two to close out the scoring. 
 
Oblad finished with 208 yards on 16-of-30 passing, while Kannely-Robles carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards. Johnson led DSU's receiving corps with five receptions for a career-high 92 yards, including a highlight reel 47-yard diving grab in the fourth quarter.

DSU tallied 261 yards of total offense on 66 plays, though the Blazers were held to just 35 net rushing yards overall. 
 
Dixie State did win the turnover battle by a 4-2 count, while three Trailblazer defenders racked up double-digit tackles, led by junior Malaki Malaki with a game-high 17, including eight solo stops. 
 
Meanwhile Grayson finished with 14 tackles (eight solo) to go with his first sack of the year, which marked the third time in five starts this season the freshman had posted double figures in tackles, and Leota wound up with a career-high 11 stops to complement his first collegiate interception.
 
Montana recorded 191 of its 440 total yards on the ground, with Xavier Harris accounting for a game-high 119 of those yards on 29 carries. Brown threw for 241 yards on 20-of-30 passing. 
 
After four weeks between home dates, Dixie State returns to Greater Zion Stadium for its first-ever WAC football game next Saturday, Oct. 16, when the Trailblazers play host to Tarleton State. Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m. (MT).