MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Eli Gillman ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns and Montana held off Missouri State for a 29-24 victory on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.
Jmariyae Robinson’s 7-yard touchdown run capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive that pulled Missouri State to 26-24 with 4:43 to play. Montana’s Ty Morrison made his third field goal of the game — a 38-yarder— to cap the scoring with 1:38 left.
Back-to-back sacks deep inside Missouri State territory on the Bears’ final possession sealed it for the FCS third-ranked Grizzlies.
Gillman’s 37-yard touchdown run gave the Grizzlies a 7-6 lead late in the first quarter. Morrison’s field goals from 35 and 22 yards stretched the advantage to 12-10 at intermission.
Jayden Becks’ 32-yard run gave the Bears a 17-12 lead early in the third quarter. Montana answered with a Logan Fife 34-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Harris followed by a Gillman 2-yard TD run to take a 26-17 lead with 9:56 to play.
Jacob Clark was 23-of-39 passing for 257 yards with one interception for Missouri State.
Montana advanced to the program’s eighth FCS title game last season but lost to South Dakota State 23-3 and is the reigning Big Sky Conference champions.
Attendance was 26,482, the seventh largest at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
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