By: Holly Malkowski
The Montana Grizzlies defeated the Tennessee State Tigers 41-27 on Saturday night to advance in the FCS playoffs and keep its season alive.
Montana’s last home game was pretty sparse for fans, probably due to combined factors of it being a holiday weekend and a night game in the cold.
The first half was relatively slow, with both teams struggling to get anything started and punting away the first few possessions.
Montana was able to get on the board first with a 39-yard field goal kicked by Ty Morrison. Tennessee State quickly tied the game with a field goal of its own.
Montana was finally able to get its run game moving as Eli Gillman ran the ball in for the first touchdown of the night. He ran for over 1000 yards on the season and passed the 2000-yard career mark in this game as well. He had 136 yards and two touchdowns.
The Griz kicked a 31-yard field goal to put it in the lead 13-3. Tennessee State lost control of the kickoff and fumbled it, giving it back to Montana on its own 40-yard line with a little bit of time left until halftime. With the clock down to just two seconds, Morrison kicked a 50-yard field goal to send the Griz into the locker room up 16-3.
After halftime, the Tigers got a much needed break on a fumble recovery that led to another field goal, putting it down just ten points.
The Griz marched down the field and Morrison sank another field goal, this time from 30 yards, to put Montana up 19-6. After a brief Tiger possession, Junior Bergen popped out with his seventh career punt return for a touchdown. Capped by Fife running it in for the two point conversion, Montana pulled away 27-6. Fife was 11 for 21 on the day, passing for 97 yards.
Tennessee State answered with a long run of its own. A pass from quarterback Draylen Ellis to Karate Brenson was completed in the back of the end zone for the Tigers first touchdown of the day. The extra point was good, bringing the score to 27-13 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter began with a fumble from Fife that the Tigers recovered. Tennessee State ran it in and completed the extra point, making the score 27-20 with nearly the entire fourth quarter left to play.
The Griz switched to redshirt freshman quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat for the next possession. Montana put together a nice drive and made it down to the red zone, but Gillman fumbled the ball and the Tigers recovered it with just under ten minutes to go. Tennessee State was unable to get anything to connect on offense and was forced to punt it away.
Bergen, again, took the punt back for a touchdown, tying the FCS record for most career punt-return touchdowns with eight.
Tennessee State kept their offense moving and scored again, bringing it back to just a touchdown away, 27-34.
Keeping the fourth quarter momentum going, Gillman broke away for a 59-yard rushing touchdown, moving the score to 41-27 Montana.
The Tigers tried to string together some offense, but an interception by Trevin Gradney ended Tennessee State’s hopes. Montana ran the ball and let time run out to finish the contest. Ellis ended the day 29 for 39 with one interception and two touchdowns.
"I said, 'Listen, it's not about the destination of winning a championship in terms of the National Championship, it's about who we became from it,'" Tennessee State head coach Eddie George said.
Montana travels to South Dakota State University on Saturday for the next round of the playoffs.
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