There’s a team in the FCS championship game that’s seeking history behind its numerous offensive playmakers, stout defense and excellent special teams.
Why, yes, it sounds like defending national champion South Dakota State, but the description also fits Montana heading into their No. 1 vs. No. 2 title game on Sunday in Frisco, Texas (2 p.m. ET, ABC).
The UM program is accustomed to playing in the season’s final game – it’s about to do so for the eighth time to tie for the second-most championship appearances in FCS history, and it marks the fourth time under Bobby Hauck over his two coaching stints with the Grizzlies.
For Montana (13-1) to spring an upset and become a three-time national champion, here are five important statistics to know:
6
Ball security has helped lift the Grizzlies’ season. They turned the ball over six times in their first four games, when their overall play was viewed as less than inspiring. But they’ve had only six more turnovers since then while winning 10 straight games – their longest streak since a 14-0 start in 2009.
28.6
Getting off the field has been a key defensively. The Grizzlies are third-best among 128 FCS teams with preventing third-down conversions (opponents have converted 59 of 206 attempts, only 28.6 percent). That’s important because South Dakota State’s offense has the FCS’ best third-down conversion rate (54.8).
51/49
That’s the excellent balance of the Grizzly offense, which is averaging 196.8 passing yards and 186.1 rushing yards per game. Wide receivers Keelan White, Junior Bergen and Aaron Fontes are over 40 receptions each, and running backs Eli Gillman and Nick Ostmo and quarterback Clifton McDowell have combined for 2,338 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground.
102.9
The Grizzlies are vastly improved against the run this season, allowing 102.9 yards per game to rank No. 12 in the FCS. They face an SDSU rushing attack that has been below that average only once during the Jackrabbits’ 28-game winning streak (95 versus North Dakota on Oct. 22, 2022)
198.5
That’s how many all-purpose yards Bergen has averaged during Montana’s last two playoff wins, scoring three times on returns (twice on punts and once on a kickoff) and four times overall (once among his 10 receptions in that timeframe).
