BUTTE, Mont. – Griff Amies hit a 45-yard field goal as time expired to cap an exciting fourth quarter as Rocky Mountain College upset No. 11 Montana Tech, 30-27, on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Coliseum.
 
The game was tied at 13-13 entering the fourth quarter despite Rocky (5-4, 5-3 Frontier) holding a 324-195 edge in total offense. Montana Tech (6-2, 6-2 Frontier) had 160 yards in the final quarter as the team's combined for 330 yards of offense in the final 15 minutes.
 
The Battlin' Bears took their first lead of the game at 10:36 of the quarter when Drew Korf hit Lucas Overton on an 8-yard fade to the corner to cap a 6-play, 47-yard drive.
 
The Orediggers answered with a 12-play, 85-yard drive that was capped with a 14-yard run by Jed Fike to tie the game at 20-20 with 5:55 remaining. Mason Melby responded with a 64-yard scoring run – his third touchdown of 60-plus yards this season – just two plays later that had Rocky back in front 27-20 with 5:16 on the clock.
 
Again, Montana Tech had a response. The home team went 75 yards in 11 plays and tied the game with 1:28 on the clock when Quinn McQueary found Dion Williams on an 11-yard pass.
 
Starting at their own 24 with 1:22 to play, Korf led Rocky on a 48-yard drive to setup the heroics from Amies. The freshman QB hit all four of his passes for 43 yards on the drive. Melby then had a 4-yard carry to get the ball in the middle of the field.
 
After Rocky called a timeout, Amies delivered from 45 – his longest kick of the season – to snap Tech's 15-game home winning streak.
 
Korf finished the afternoon 23 of 36 for 257 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Melby ended the game with a career-high 158 yards rushing on 16 carries and the one score. This is his three 100-yard rushing game of the season, but first since September 9.
 
Overton ended with seven catches for 96 yards and Darneail Jenkins added five grabs for 41 yards and a touchdown.
 
Rocky's defense played a huge part in the win as they held the high powered Oredigger offense to just 355 yards, playing without leading tackler Chase Beterlsen. The Battlin' Bears intercepted McQueary three times. Keenan Fagan had two of those picks – including one in the end zone – and he now leads the NAIA with seven on the season.
 
The Battlin' Bears finished with 494 yards of offense and they possessed the ball for over 36 minutes. They went 10 of 18 on third down and recorded 26 first downs.
 
Billy Williams led Rocky with 12 tackles and Dallas Mack added eight. Ryder Rice had a sack and forced fumble to halt a drive in the first quarter.
 
Amies had three field goals in the game and converted three PAT attempts.
 
The win puts Rocky alone in third place in the Frontier standings with two games to play. They are home for the final time of the season on November 4 when they host Eastern Oregon. Kickoff from Herb Klindt Field in scheduled for noon.