Montana storms past North Dakota, 55-17

Published Sep. 14, 2013 11:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

Jordan Johnson threw five touchdown passes as Montana erased an early North Dakota lead to defeat the Bison 55-17 on Saturday night.

The Griz (2-0) reeled off 33 unanswered points after falling behind 7-0 just minutes after the opening kickoff. Johnson, who completed 15 of 19 passes for 354 yards, threw 3 TDs in the first quarter and two more late in the game.

North Dakota (1-2) scored first on a Joe Mollberg pass to Blair Townsend, but didn't get on the board again until a Zeb Miller field goal 51 seconds before the half. The Bison had torched Montana's secondary last year, Greg Hardin setting a Big Sky single-game receiving record of 333 yards. Hardin was held to 46 yards on five catches Saturday.

Saturday was a nonconference game.

The Griz last won in Grand Forks in 1971. The teams did not play between 1973 and 2010.