Overview
- No. 2 Montana State beat No. 7 Stephen F. Austin 44-28, rolling up 227 rushing yards as Adam Jones ran for 114 and two touchdowns while Justin Lamson totaled three scores with 246 yards passing.
- Bobcat standouts Kenneth Eiden IV forced two strip-sack fumbles and Caden Dowler extended his interception streak to five straight games, as MSU turned three SFA turnovers into 21 points.
- No. 3 Montana routed No. 11 South Dakota 52-22 behind Keali'i Ah Yat’s 305 yards and three touchdown passes and Michael Wortham’s 201 receiving yards, two TDs and a rushing score.
- Drew Deck’s 93-yard punt return touchdown early in the third quarter broke the game open for the Grizzlies; South Dakota finished 10-5, with L.J. Phillips Jr. exiting in the third quarter.
- ESPN reported a 2 p.m. kickoff at Bobcat Stadium for the semifinal, the 125th meeting between the rivals and a rematch of MSU’s 31-28 win on Nov. 22; the other semifinal is Illinois State at Villanova.