MISSOULA — Opposing coaches have gotten wise in 2024 and mostly avoided punting to Junior Bergen.
Montana’s All-America receiver and return man entered Saturday’s game at Cal Poly with only four punt returns this season, and the collective Grizzly faithful itching to see him conjure up more of the magic from last year’s championship run. So when the Mustangs gave him a chance he took full advantage, and made a little history in the process.
With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Bergen ripped off an 84-yard punt return touchdown, making one man miss, streaking down the left sideline and weaving his way through traffic on his way to the end zone.
It was the sixth punt return TD of his illustrious career, officially setting a new Big Sky Conference record after passing Corey Smith of Montana State’s career total of five. He now needs two more to tie the FCS record of eight set by LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M. Bergen had two in last year’s playoffs alone.
You break a conference record, you earn some conference honors. After etching his name in the history books Bergen was named the Big Sky’s special teams player of the week, the league announced on Monday. He was also given an honorable mention for the Stats Perform FCS special teams player of the week.
Surprisingly, it’s the first Big Sky weekly honor of his career.
Bergen totaled 98 all-purpose yards in the win at Cal Poly, adding another short punt return for 2 yards and three catches for 12, but it was the record-breaking punt return that had the biggest impact on the game. Montana found itself in a tussle with the Mustangs late in the third quarter when Bergen broke free, opening the floodgates for the Grizzlies with the first of four touchdowns in the final 18 minutes of the game to run away with a 42-7 win.
Despite having a relatively quiet season due to opposing teams keying on him and missing the season opener to injury, Bergen is etching his name all over Montana’s record books this year.
Not only does the senior from Billings now hold the school and conference punt return touchdown record, he’s also currently on top of UM’s punt return average list at 15.7 yards per attempt, just above hall of famer Marc Mariani’s career average of 15.01.
He’s also currently No. 7 in UM history in career all-purpose yards (4,011), and among Montana’s top 30 all-time points scorers (146) and leaders in receiving yards (1,615). Now with 1,004 to his name, Bergen needs 438 more punt return yards to break fellow Grizzly Levander Segars’ school and Big Sky record of 1,441, as well.
Bergen and the No. 7 Grizzlies return home this week for a primetime showdown against the No. 4 UC Davis Aggies under the lights at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on national TV, with ESPN2 broadcasting to millions of viewers nationwide.
