MONTANA 52-22 SOUTH DAKOTA (Dec 13, 2025) Game Recap – ESPN
MISSOULA, Mont. — Michael Wortham totaled 244 all-purpose yards and scored three times, while Keali’i Ah Yat threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns as Montana overwhelmed South Dakota 52-22 on Saturday, earning a rematch with Montana State in the FCS semifinals.
Montana, the third seed, advances to the semifinals for the 12th time in program history. Montana State will host the meeting after defeating the Grizzlies 31-28 in Missoula on Nov. 28 to claim the Big Sky crown and secure the No. 2 seed. The Bobcats then beat Stephen F. Austin 44-28 on Friday night.
Wortham finished with 201 receiving yards on 11 catches and added 43 rushing yards on three carries, breaking Montana’s single-season record for all-purpose yards.
Montana took control early, marching 75 yards on the opening drive. Ah Yat found Drew Deck for a 1-yard scoring pass to stake the Grizzlies to a 7-0 lead, and Ah Yat connected with Wortham on a 53-yard strike to push the lead to 24-0 in the second quarter.
South Dakota (10-5) answered with a 24-7 deficit at halftime after L.J. Phillips Jr. scampered in from 23 yards.
Deck’s FCS playoff-record 93-yard punt return for a TD early in the third quarter stretched the margin to 31-7, and Ah Yat hooked up with Wortham again on a 51-yard touchdown to make it 38-7.
The Coyotes mounted a rally with two Bouman touchdown passes — 69 yards to Jack Martens and 20 yards to Tysen Boze — cutting the gap to 38-22 with 8:42 left.
Montana answered with an 82-yard drive highlighted by a mixed-formation trick play: Wortham took a short slant, then lofted a backward pass across the field to Eli Gillman, who gained 20 yards to the South Dakota 29. Wortham finished the possession with an 11-yard rushing score, pushing the lead to 45-22 with 2:40 remaining.
Hashim Jones capped the scoring with a 20-yard TD run in the final minute.
Bouman finished with 231 passing yards, while Martens totaled 93 receiving yards for the Coyotes, who closed at 10-5.
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