Montana-South Dakota State matchups have produced all-time moments, comebacks
The Montana Grizzlies are set to compete in the FCS football national championship game a week from Sunday, on Jan. 7 against South Dakota State in Frisco, Texas.
The Big Sky Conference champion Grizzlies (13-1) are the No. 2 seed in the FCS playoffs and have won 10 straight games since an early season loss to Northern Arizona. Montana topped North Dakota State 31-29 in a double-overtime, national semifinal thriller on Dec. 16 in Missoula to earn its first trip to the title round since 2009.
South Dakota State (14-0) is the reigning FCS national champion and has won 28-straight games, defeating Albany 59-0 in its semifinal game on Dec. 15.
Here are some quick facts about the national championship game on Jan. 7 and history between the Griz and Jackrabbits.
How to watch No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 2 Montana
When: Jan. 7, Noon (MT)
Where: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
Watch: ABC/ESPN+
Montana Grizzlies (13-1)
Head coach: Bobby Hauck
All-Americans: Alex Gubner (DT/Big Sky Defensive MVP); Braxton Hill (LB/Buchanan Award Finalist); Junior Bergen (Punt returner); Eli Gillman (RB/Freshman All-American/Jerry Rice Award Winner)
National Championships: 1995, 2001
National Championship Appearances: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009
South Dakota State (14-0)
Head coach: Jimmy Rogers
All-Americans: Mark Gronowski (QB/Co-Missouri Valley Football Conference MVP); Isaiah Davis (RB/Co-MVFC MVP); Garret Greenfield (OT); Mason McCormick (OG)
National Championships: 2022
National Championship Appearances: 2020
Notable Griz vs. Jackrabbits matchups
Sept. 4, 1993: Montana trailed South Dakota State 38-7 in the third quarter of an early season contest in Missoula, and sophomore quarterback Dave Dickenson was briefly benched following a pair of first-half fumbles.
The C.M. Russell High legend returned to the field to throw four touchdowns after halftime, including a 42-yard score to receiver Scott Gurnsey with 21 seconds left. The 52-48 win was the largest comeback in program history.
Nov. 28, 2009: Montana also dug itself a huge hole in this first-round FCS playoff contest against the Jackrabbits, trailing by 27 points at two points in the third quarter.
Marc Mariani sparked what would be the second-largest comeback in Griz history with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with five minutes left in the third in addition to two fourth quarter scoring catches from Billings West-product Andrew Selle.
The Havre native set the school record for all-purpose yards in a game with 389, 218 coming on kick returns and another 171 receiving.
Defensive end Severin Campbell added a pick-six with 45 seconds left to ice the game, while star running back Chase Reynolds punched in three rushing touchdowns.
Nov. 28, 2015: The Griz mounted a 24-0 lead on a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Brady Gustafson and a rushing score from running back Jeremy Calhoun, but this time the Jackrabbits were the ones looking to make a comeback in the first-round playoff game in Missoula.
South Dakota State’s defense pitched a shutout in the second half and quarterback Taryn Christion accounted for a pair of touchdowns, including a 30-yard pass to current Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert with 4:44 to go to cut it to a one-score game.
Montana managed to kill the clock, however, and never give the Jackrabbits another chance as tailback John Nguyen picked up key yards in the final minutes to help earn the 24-17 postseason win.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Montana-South Dakota State history with FCS title game on Jan. 7
