FRISCO, Texas- Jerry Rice Award winner Eli Gillman was within inches of 6-points on the Grizzlies game-opening drive. The University of Montana football team never did find paydirt in their 23-3 loss to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Toyota Stadium on Jan. 7, in the football Subdivision National Championship game.
However, that silver lining finish to UM’s magical 2023-24 run was in the back of every grizzly fan’s mind at the conclusion of Montana’s (13-2) season in Frisco.
“After the loss to NAU, they turned things around and played way better football the rest of the year,” said Chris Compton, a senior at Missoula Sentinel. “At moments throughout the season, the offense lacked some spark in the playoffs, and especially in the championship, but at the same time the offense came through in some huge moments that kept the season alive.”
In the chipper, the Grizzlies’ defining rush game was met fiercely from an SDST defense led by All-American linebacker Adam Bock. In front of 19,512 fans, the Grizzlies never got within 20 yards of the endzone past their second drive of the game. Overall, Montana was held to 47 rushing yards, while the Jackrabbits managed 188, and 363 overall, compared to UM’s 259. SDST eventually outscored opponents 146-15 through four rounds of their championship playoff run.
The title game began with a 6:52, 11 play, 75 yard drive capped off by a 6-yard Isaiah Davis rush into the endzone to spot the Jackrabbits with an early 7-0 advantage. Montana then managed the longest drive of the day at 8:14, which resulted in the unsuccessful Gillman rush, and a turnover on downs. The Griz quickly turned around and had their highlight of the day, with a Corbin Walker interception that eventually resulted in a field goal to set the game at 7-3, a score that remained until the half.
“I thought we still had a chance at the half,” said Compton. “But I also thought that we missed a few chances to capitalize and score in the first half which would’ve made it a way different game.”
Montana opened up half two with a fumble, prior to back-to-back punts from each side, before SDST eventually punched in the first score of the half with a five play, 58 yard drive capped off with a Mark Gronowski 10-yard QB rush for six. That proved to be the deciding blow to the Grizzlies, as the Jackrabbits would score on their next two drives, with another touchdown and a field goal to bury Montana with a 23-3 lead that would hold as the final. Montana turned the ball over on three of their last five drives, while the remaining two resulted in punts.
“The stadium and venue itself was really cool, and the environment was good, but didn’t quite match the environment at Wa-Griz. There were a lot of Griz fans there, and they were loud, but even the stadium itself was nothing like Missoula,” said Compton.
This was the first time since 2011 that the University of Montana dueled for a National Championship, and the first time in the history of Montana-SDST clashes that the Jackrabbits managed the upper hand, pulling the all-time record of these two FCS powerhouses to 8-1. Montana looks to begin their 2024 run back to the title game, while SDST looks to stun the college football world with their third straight National Championship.
