MISSOULA, Mont. – โThe University of Montana football team will host Sacred Heart University this Saturday in a non-conference matchup carrying the largest guaranteed payout in program history. No. 4 Montana (6-0) welcomes โขthe Pioneers (5-2) for theโค first-ever โคmeeting between the twoโ schools.
Montana opted to move โขits originally scheduled bye week toโข earlier in the season, allowing them to fill the date with a home game. The university is paying Sacred Heart $290,000 to play in Missoula.
“I imagine they’re thinking that they can getโข an at-large playoff bid if they continue to win at the rate they’re winning,” UM head coachโ Bobbyโ Hauck said. “And I’m sure that they’re looking to make a statement win โฃby coming โin here and getting us, so we better โคbe ready on Saturday.”
The Pioneers are traveling over 2,400 miles from Fairfield, Conn.,โฃ and are preparingโข to join the Coastal Athletic Association next season. Montana’s offense showed betterment in the secondโ half โof last Saturday’s game against Cal Poly after a slow start.
“it just shows for us, no game’s too big or too small,”โ UM running back Stevie Rocker Jr. said. “Just shows offensively we have what we need and what we can do,but we โjust haveโค to put it โขallโค together in all four โขquarters of the game.”
UM safety Diezel Wilkinson added, “just like any other team, โขthe more games we play, the more we’reโฃ going to start โclicking together. Definitely going through spring ball and fall camp together has helped a lot. โฃSo now โฃthat we have some games under our โฃbelt, I feel like it’s only going to go up fromโ here.”
The game marks the beginning of the secondโ half of Montana’s season as the team aims to refine itsโฃ performance.