BUTTE — In a game that featured plenty of defensive highlights, it was No. 21 Montana Tech's offense that sealed a 29-22 win over No. 3-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) on Thursday at Bob Green Field.
After Georgetown took a 22-21 lead on a 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion with less than two minutes remaining, Tech quarterback Blake Thelen connected with Wyatt Alexander for a 31-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play drive that covered 75 yards.
It was Alexander's lone catch of the game, and it helped sealed what should go down as one of the biggest wins in program history.
"I ran the route, saw Blake looking my way, he threw it up and my job as a receiver it to go and get it," said Alexander. "That's what happened. I couldn't have a better quarterback throwing it to me. See the ball, go up and grab it and make sure it's tucked and fall in the end zone."
Thelen completed three passes on the drive for 64 yards. He finished the game 13-of-26 passing for 134 yards and one TD, as Tech relied heavily on its ground game.
Landers Smith carried the ball a staggering 34 times for the Orediggers, racking up 201 yards and two touchdowns — a 2-yard score in the first quarter that tied the game at 7-7 and a 1-yard plunge in the third quarter to give Tech a 21-7 lead.
But Smith also had two fumbles in the game, as the defenses were the story for much of the way.
The Orediggers intercepted Georgetown quarterback Gehrig Slunaker four times, with Jadyn Downs snagging three picks, including one in the second quarter he returned 42 yards for a touchdown that propelled Tech to a 14-7 halftime lead.
Georgetown got back within 21-14 late in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Slunaker, and the Tigers then took the lead late in the fourth quarter.
As the Diggers were trying to ice the game and driving in for what looked like it would be the game-clinching touchdown, Georgetown's Justin Richards scooped up a Smith fumble at the 5-yard line and took it back the other way for the score. The two-point conversion made it 22-21 Georgetown with 1:42 to play.
That left plenty of time for Thelen and the Tech offense, which quickly moved down the field and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 12 seconds remaining.
"The fight that the guys showed, the ability to respond to adversity, what a crazy game," said Tech head coach Kyle Samson. "Back and forth some unfortunate mistakes that happened. But in a critical situation our guys stepped up and made the plays. I think that's the sign of a really close team and a really well-coached team.
"Our big players stepped up and made plays when we needed it."
Tech (1-0) will play at Frontier Conference rival Carroll College (0-0) next week.
