Coastal Carolina at Montana 2013 FCS Playoffs 2nd Round Game Breakdown
Coastal Carolina at Montana, Saturday, 2:00
The Coastal Carolina offensive juggernaut continued to roll last week, defeating Bethune-Cookman 48-24. Quarterback Alex Ross closed out a ridiculously efficient day by completing 13-of-18 passes for 256 yards and four touchdowns. Two of three catches by receiver Matt Hazel found the end zone. Ross also notched 32 rushing yards on seven attempts. Not to be outdone, Chanticleer running back Lorenzo Taliaferro rushed 19 times for 85 yards and a touchdown. Coastal Carolina suffered a 15-plus minute deficit in time of possession, as B-CU kept the Chanticleer defense on the field for a staggering 89 plays. Coastal converted on 8-of-12 third downs, punting just four times in the contest.
The trip from Conway, South Carolina to Missoula, Montana is circuitous, and facing one of the long-time heavyweights in the FCS doesn’t make things any easier. Montana owns 19 playoff appearances in school history, along with national titles in 1995 and 2001. The Griz also features a veteran head coach in 71-year-old Mick Delaney. Montana’s offense is certainly up to the task of trading punches with Joe Moglia’s Coastal Carolina group. Montana averages 444.4 yards per game (21st in total offense). The Grizzlies are also a top-fifteen scoring offense, averaging almost 38 points per game. Junior quarterback Jordan Johnson has completed 196-of-340 passes this season, throwing for 28 touchdowns. Johnson has been intercepted just four times. Running back Jordan Canada has found the end zone 16 times of his own, rushing for 958 yards. As effective as Montana’s offense has been, they also shine on defense. The Grizzlies rank 18th in scoring defense, allowing just 21.3 points per game. The lone spot for exploitation in the Montana defense is through the air. The Grizzlies rank 91st in pass defense, allowing almost 241 yards per game. With Ross finding his stride, this may be the eventual answer for Coastal Carolina if they want to leave Big Sky country with a victory.
Projected Score: Coastal Carolina 28, Montana 24
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