Montana
The Griz will win if … : Keys to victory for Montana in title clash vs. South Dakota State
FRISCO, Texas — The prevailing assumption around Toyota Stadium and these parts of suburban Dallas says Montana doesn’t have the horses to beat undefeated reigning champ South Dakota State in their FCS title matchup on Sunday.
The oddsmakers agree, and have the Grizzlies as roughly two-touchdown underdogs in their quest to claim the program’s first national title since 2001.
But what’s the old saying? Ah yes: “That’s why they play the game.”
Following a 28-14 loss at Northern Arizona in their Big Sky Conference opener on Sept. 23, the Griz have been on a heater. They’ve reeled off 10 straight wins including overtime playoff victories over Furman in the quarterfinals and perennial championship contender North Dakota State in the semis.
Griz coach Bobby Hauck has described South Dakota State’s defense as “elite,” but Hauck’s Montana squad is no slouch on that side of the ball either. The Jackrabbits probably have more offensive firepower.
Both squads are stellar on special teams, so whoever can gain that edge will have an advantage. And as always, whoever wins the turnover battle will likely have the better chance of winning the game.
During his press conference on Friday at Toyota Stadium, Hauck said the three weeks of preparation have been beneficial to his group. Now it’s just a matter of going out and executing the game plan … and to do it mistake-free.
“I like our team,” Hauck said. “We’ve done a nice job. We’ve worked hard. I think our guys are looking forward to the game on Sunday. Hopefully we have a good performance because we’re going to need that to compete with South Dakota State.”
Here, then, are a few keys to victory for Montana on Sunday:
The Griz will win if …
… They take a 10-point lead or greater. In their 14 victories this season, South Dakota State’s largest deficit was just three points, and that was during a quarterfinal playoff victory against Villanova. The following week the Jackrabbits annihilated Albany 59-0. The Jacks are not used to playing from behind.
If the Grizzlies can grab a lead, perhaps even a two-possession cushion, it could go a long way.
Let’s say Montana gets the ball first, goes down the field and scores a touchdown, maybe tacks on a field goal later in the first quarter or early in the second and allows its defense to utilize the array of looks it will inevitably throw at SDSU, it could be beneficial.
… Their secondary holds up one more time in man coverage. Defensive analyst and game-plan guru Tim Hauck said as much earlier this week — Montana’s attacking scheme doesn’t put their cornerbacks and safeties in great positions to succeed.
The Grizzlies’ blitzing style often leaves their secondary one-on-one down the field and, according to Tim Hauck, those players — Trevin Gradney, Corbin Walker, Ronald Jackson, TraJon Cotton, Nash Fouch, Garrett Graves, Ryder Meyer et al — “haven’t blinked.” They can’t start blinking now.
They’ll have to stand strong for one more game, as SDSU quarterback Mark Gronowski can beat you down the field with receivers like Jadon and Jaxon Janke and tight end Zach Heins.
… They make a significant play (or two) on special teams. This one seems fairly obvious. The fact is, without the performance of electrifying return man Junior Bergen the Griz probably wouldn’t even be here. Bergen has taken three returns back for touchdowns in the playoffs alone (one kickoff, two punts) and leaves opposing fans screaming, “Why did you kick it to him!”
Clearly, South Dakota State will do everything it can to limit or neutralize Bergen in the return game, but if he gets a chance … look out. And while Bergen is a threat every time he touches it, the Jackrabbits have their own game-breaker in returner Tucker Large, who the Griz must contain.
Montana would also be well served to convert a fake punt or something of that nature at some point during the game to keep a possession alive and put up points.
… They win the physical battle in the trenches. This of course is more subjective, but it goes without saying. What constitutes winning at the line of scrimmage? For the Grizzlies it will mean standing up to South Dakota State’s ground attack, which flourishes with two-time 1,400-yard rusher Isaiah Davis and a plus-one run option in Gronowski behind a whole lot of beef up front.
In Montana’s odd-man stack, lineman Alex Gubner has been a one-man wrecking crew all season. His ability to take on blocks, plug up the middle and allow Griz linebackers Braxton Hill, Levi Janacaro, Riley Wilson and the rest to track the ball will be critical. His stats aren’t eye-popping, but Gubner was the Big Sky Conference defensive player of the year for a reason.
On the other side, the Grizzlies’ offensive line needs to keep QB Clifton McDowell upright. McDowell has shown he can execute just about any pass down the field, but he has a propensity to hold the ball a little too long while scrambling away from pressure and occasionally takes big losses. But he is also a dangerous runner, and his ability to improvise and pick up yards on the ground will obviously be a factor.
How many rushing yards will McDowell, Eli Gillman, Nick Ostmo and the Grizzlies need to stay ahead of the sticks and give themselves manageable third-down plays? Since the end of October they’ve averaged 214.0 yards per game, so that would seem like a great target number to hit.
Can it be done against an SDSU defense that gives up only 92.6 on the ground per game? We’ll know soon enough.
Although newly minted GOP candidates for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have garnered heavyweight endorsements, the Montana Republican Party said Thursday it won’t throw its support behind any candidates for federal office in the primary.
“The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) stands behind its deep bench of qualified candidates seeking to represent Montanans and supports a competitive primary process to let voters pick their preferred candidates,” the Montana GOP said in a news release Thursday.
Monday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke announced he was retiring due to health concerns once his term ends, and he immediately tapped talk-show host Aaron Flint as his preferred successor in Congress.
Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Flathead County Republican Central Committee Chairperson Al Olszewski also filed for the U.S. House as Republicans, as did Ray Curtis of Bonner.
Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew, and in a statement the same night, announced an endorsement of former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who had filed the same day.
In the Senate, Lee Calhoun and Charles Walking Child also filed to run in the Republican primary.
Endorsements for Flint and Alme cascaded. U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed both candidates, and U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Gov. Greg Gianforte threw their weight behind Flint and Alme.
Late on Wednesday, the Montana GOP did not immediately have comment on the news Daines, Montana’s senior U.S. senator, had resigned, but Thursday, the party thanked Zinke and Daines for their service.
A news release said the party would not endorse any candidates in the federal primary and would leave the job in the hands of voters.
“The party hopes every candidate will make their case to the public, contrasting their Republican policies and principles with those of Democrats — as well as phony ‘Independents,’” the news release said.
Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced a run for the U.S. Senate as an independent this week.
A tension within the Republican party has emerged in recent years between hardline conservatives and more moderate members, and some legislative primaries illustrate the split.
This week, the state GOP said the number of primaries for state legislative seats shows a high interest from Montanans who want to serve the state and pass Republican policy, and the MTGOP “is glad to see so many Republicans being called to public service.”
In a brief call, MTGOP spokesperson Ethan Holmes said the party had not ruled out endorsements in legislative primaries.
In the news release, however, the MTGOP offered its view of the larger political debate.
“Montana voters know that beyond the primaries, there is a clear choice between Republican and Democratic governance; one path leads to lower taxes, less crime and stronger families, and the other leads to higher taxes, more crime, and social decay,” MTGOP Chairperson Art Wittich said in a statement.
The news release also said the state GOP is working “tirelessly to deliver a Bright Red Future” at both the state and federal level and looks forward to help candidates whom voters select win in November.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing
07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing
33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing
01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing
05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing
03-04-06-08-10
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing
12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The search for a new University of Montana president has drawn more than 60 applicants, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.
“We do not have an exact count at this time, as several applications are still being completed and additional submissions are expected,” said spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner Galen Hollenbaugh in an email earlier this week.
In January, then-UM-President Seth Bodnar announced his resignation to pursue other public service. Wednesday, the final day of filing, he announced he was running as an independent for the U.S. Senate to try to unseat Republican incumbent Steve Daines.
Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian earlier said that with the advice of AGB Search, a firm that’s helped the Montana University System conduct other executive searches, he would undertake an expedited process to appoint a new president.
Christian has been providing brief updates on a website dedicated to the search. Last week, he said he and AGB Search are reviewing applications, and the pool of candidates was “strong and diverse.”
The commissioner also announced he was convening a small working group to assist in the search, members who “represent a variety of perspectives to assist in vetting and narrowing this field of exceptional candidates.”
In an email this week, Hollenbaugh identified the members of the working group who are assisting Christian with application review as:
- Community member and former Regent Joyce Dombrouski
- Faculty Senate Chairperson Valerie Moody
- Staff Senate President Dominic Beccari
- Administration Representative John DeBoer (Vice President of Academic Affairs)
- ASUM (Associated Students of the University of Montana) President Buddy Wilson
Hollenbaugh declined to comment on the way the rest of the process would unfold or the role the working group members would play.
Christian earlier said he anticipated an appointment within one to three months, or as soon as early this month.
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