By Kelvin Ang

kang@journalnet.com

Immediately after Montana's last-second field goal wobbled through the uprights, A.J. Storms ripped off his helmet to reveal a tortured expression on his face. Idaho State's sophomore linebacker squatted on the Holt Arena turf and refused to budge.

Defensive tackle Demetrius Amos lurched toward the Bengals' sideline but didn't make it there. The 317-pound senior collapsed face-first on the field and sobbed loudly.

Even 10 minutes after No. 2 Montana had shakily staved off what would have been a monumental upset by Idaho State and eked out a 12-10 win, Bengals running back Clint Knickrehm was still choking backs tears as he walked into the post-game interview room.

"That's just the worst loss I've had since I've been a Bengal," Knickrehm said between sobs. "You have them on the ropes. You have the win in your sights. You give up one play, one mistake, and that's how you go down. That game meant more to me than anything I've played since I've been here."

The Bengals couldn't grasp it right then and there, but some day - hopefully some day soon - they will understand just what a glorious effort they mustered Saturday before a deafening crowd of 6,461.

Consider the backdrop behind the contest. Unbeaten Montana (9-0, 6-0 Big Sky), which clinched its 12th straight conference title with the win, led the league in points scored and allowed. Winless Idaho State (0-10, 0-7) was dead last in each of those categories and hadn't even led in the second half all year. What's more, injuries had decimated the Bengals so badly they practiced all week without pads on and didn't run a single full-contact drill.

Yet somehow, the Bengals withstood every blow the Grizzlies leveled at them and slugged back just as ferociously. Idaho State's defense forced three consecutive turnovers in the second half and kept the game close. The maligned offensive unit, spearheaded by Knickrehm's career day and quarterback Russel Hill's gutsy playmaking, capitalized with a go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

Montana survived only because of a brilliant final drive that ended in a 33-yard field goal. But even that was tipped by Idaho State cornerback Michael Wright and barely fluttered over the goal post.

"John Zamberlin out-coached Bob Hauck badly today," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. "He had his team fired up. They played inspired football. They should be proud of their efforts. I'm proud of their guys.

"Coach Z was the best coach on the field tonight, and we were lucky to get out of here with the win."

Montana began its fateful drive with 1:25 remaining on the clock and on its own 17-yard line. Quarterback Andrew Selle completed two short passes before firing a 39-yarder to receiver Marc Mariani to get the ball to Idaho State's 15.

Montana's first try at the end zone ended with safety Chris Holmesly stuffing running back Chase Reynolds on the 1-yard line. A pass interference call eventually backed up the Grizzlies to the 16 with 4 seconds remaining, and Idaho State called two timeouts to freeze Montana kicker Brody McKnight.

"Very stressful, very tense," Idaho State punter Jon Vanderwielen said of the team's mood on the sideline. "We all wanted the ball back. We all wanted for him to miss the kick. The emotions were running really high."

With the Bengals waving their arms in the air to fire up the crowd, Wright, who had already blocked an extra-point attempt earlier, zoomed around the left corner and dived for McKnight's feet. Here's how close Wright came to blocking the kick: McKnight actually kicked Wright's hand on his follow-through. But Wright didn't get enough of the ball, and it had enough velocity to float over the crossbar.

"It didn't look good when it was gone," Zamberlin said. "I was like, 'Eh, it's going wide.' But then I'm like, 'No, it's not.'"

That ending ruined what could have been redemption for Idaho State's difficult season.

Its offense, for so long the scapegoat of the team, surprised Montana with fresh and innovative play calls. With an assortment of naked bootlegs, run fakes and pass fakes, the Bengals kept finding ways to move the chains.

The offensive line "blew the D-line 3 yards off the ball every time," Knichrehm said, allowing him to rush for a career-high 102 yards.

Hill was just as much of a pleasure to watch, aside from his foolish third-quarter interception that he shot-putted while being tackled. The junior completed seven of his 12 passes in the fourth quarter for 85 yards and a go-ahead score to receiver Kelvin Krosch.

On that drive, which gave Idaho State a 10-9 lead with 10:24 left in the game, Hill got first downs on consecutive third-and-10s before finally rocketing a 21-yarder to Krosch on a post route. Hill finished 23-for-36 for 198 yards.

"A lot of people are out for his head, but he's a great guy," Knickrehm said. "He's a great quaterback, and if he gets time, he's going to execute."

With the way Idaho State's defense had played all game, it appeared that lead just might have been enough.

Reynolds entered the game with a 17-game touchdown streak, but the Bengals snapped that. Selle hadn't thrown an interception since his fifth pass of the season, but Bengals cornerback Keith McGowen halted that run as well in the fourth quarter.

Montana took a 9-3 lead into halftime when it punched in a 1-yard run after a questionable pass interference call on McGowen. But the Bengals even had a response for that score, with Wright flying in to block the point-after.

They didn't let up in the second half, forcing the Grizzlies into the following sequence: punt, punt, turnover on downs, fumble, McGowen's pick, fumble, punt.

"The coaches preached that this was a big opportunity for us," Wright said. "There's no such thing as luck. Luck is just preparing for the situation and capitalizing on the opportunity. That's what we did."

But on Montana's final drive, the clock finally struck midnight on the defense's magical run.

The Grizzlies are the league's 12-time defending champion for a reason. Selle and Mariani, who had eight catches for 192 yards, hooked up on a pinpoint pass to get into field-goal range. McKnight stayed calm through Idaho State's two timeouts and imparted enough force on his kick to withstand Wright's tip.

The fairy-tale ending was not to be.

"I know they're hurting, and it's good they're hurting," Zamberlin said. "There are a lot of people that sit in the stands that never have the courage to step in the arena and play and put it on the line. They did, so they have nothing to feel bad about."

In time, what transpired at Holt Arena on Saturday will grow in Idaho State lore. Fans will remember as the time the brave Bengals almost willed themselves to one of the biggest upsets in Big Sky history.

But on Saturday evening, that story gave Knickrehm and his teammates no consolation. Instead, it stung them sharply and unbearably.

"That's why it's so hard right now: We played a hell of a game," Knickrehm said. "We played hard. We played just like they asked us to. Coach Z couldn't be more proud of us, I don't think. We came out, and we laid our hearts on the line and did everything we could."