The Montana Grizzlies pulled off a thrilling victory over the Idaho Vandals on Saturday, winning 23-21 in a top 10 FCS matchup. It was a hard-fought battle between two of the top teams in the Big Sky Conference, and it came down to the wire.
The Grizzlies got off to a fast start, scoring the first touchdown of the game early in the first quarter. Montana quarterback Dalton Sneed threw a beautiful pass to wide receiver Jerry Louie-McGee for a 20-yard touchdown. The Grizzlies then added a field goal to take a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.
The Vandals responded with a touchdown of their own in the second quarter, but Montana was able to add another field goal to take a 13-7 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, Idaho scored two touchdowns to take a 21-13 lead. But Montana refused to give up, and they scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to make it 21-20. With just over a minute left in the game, Montana kicker Tristan Bailey nailed a 41-yard field goal to give the Grizzlies the 23-21 victory.
Montana’s defense was key in this victory, as they held Idaho to just 21 points. The Grizzlies also had a balanced offensive attack, with Sneed throwing for two touchdowns and running back Marcus Knight rushing for over 100 yards.
This was an exciting matchup between two of the top teams in the FCS, and it lived up to the hype. Montana’s victory keeps them in contention for the Big Sky title, while Idaho will look to bounce back next week against Weber State.
