A dominant performance! Montana crushed South Dakota with a resounding 52-22 victory on December 13, 2025, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch in the FCS semifinals. This game was a showcase of offensive firepower and strategic brilliance.
Michael Wortham was the star of the show, racking up an impressive 244 all-purpose yards and scoring three touchdowns. Quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat also had a stellar performance, throwing for 305 yards and three touchdowns. This dynamic duo proved unstoppable for South Dakota's defense.
The win propelled third-seeded Montana (with a season record of 13-1) into the semifinals for the 12th time in the program's history. Their next challenge? A rematch against Montana State, who had previously defeated the Grizzlies 31-28 in Missoula on November 28 to claim the Big Sky title. Montana State, seeded second, earned their spot in the semifinals after defeating Stephen F. Austin with a score of 44-28.
Montana’s dominance was evident from the opening drive, marching 75 yards to score. Ah Yat connected with Drew Deck for a 1-yard touchdown pass, setting the tone. Later, a 53-yard touchdown pass from Ah Yat to Wortham extended the lead to 24-0 in the second quarter.
South Dakota, however, showed some fight, with L.J. Phillips Jr.'s 23-yard run narrowing the gap to 24-7 before halftime.
The third quarter saw a stunning play from Deck, who returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, a new FCS playoff record. Ah Yat and Wortham then combined for a 51-yard touchdown, further solidifying Montana's lead at 38-7.
South Dakota attempted a comeback, with Aidan Bouman throwing two touchdown passes – a 69-yard pass to Jack Martens and a 20-yard pass to Tysen Boze, bringing the score to 38-22 with just over 8 minutes remaining.
But here's where it gets controversial... Montana responded with an 82-yard drive, highlighted by a trick play where Wortham threw a backward pass to Eli Gillman for a 20-yard gain. Wortham then finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 45-22 with 2:40 left on the clock.
Hashim Jones added the final touch with a 20-yard run in the final minute, sealing the victory.
Bouman finished with 231 passing yards for South Dakota, and Martens had 93 receiving yards.
What do you think? Did Montana's offensive strategy give them an edge?
