MISSOULA, Mont. (November 28, 2015)- The Montana Grizzlies are moving on.
In spite of holding a 24-0 lead at halftime, the Grizzlies had to hold on late, as South Dakota State pushed Montana to a narrow advantage in the fourth quarter.
Needing a series of first-downs to put the game away, the Grizzlies answered the bell, picking up a 24-17 win over the Jackrabbits in the opening round of the Division I Football Championship playoffs.
Grizzlies quarterback Brady Gustafson completed 24-of-39 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns, both of them in the first half.
Montana got on the board with 1:34 to go in the first quarter, as Gustafson hit Jamaal Jones on a four-yard score. Gustafson’s other score came on a 26-yard connection to Ellis Henderson, giving Montana a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
However, in the second half, South Dakota State’s defense limited Montana, while also finding scoring opportunities. The Jackrabbits got on the board with 10:02 left in the third quarter, as SDSU kicker Jay Carlson converted on a 34-yard field goal.
South Dakota State would score twice more, cutting the lead to 24-17 with 4:44 after Jackrabbits quarterback Taryn Christion found Dallas Goedert on a 30-yard score.
However, after struggling to maintain drives in the second half, Montana put together a series of first-downs to ice the game, and move on past the Jackrabbits. The last drive was a significant departure from most of the game, as the
Grizzlies were a combined 3-of-14 on third-down conversions.
The playoff win is the first FCS postseason win for Montana coach Bob Stitt.
Montana advances to a rematch with North Dakota State, only this time it will be a road game. The Grizzlies beat the Bison, 38-35, in this season’s “FCS Kickoff.”