8:53 pm, December 18, 2025
Here’s how to watch the 2025 FCS semifinal game between No. 2 Montana State and No. 3 Montana.
8:53 pm, December 18, 2025
Here are some of the top storylines and players to watch entering this year’s FCS semifinals.
Storylines
- Return to the title
- Montana State is looking to make back-to-back FCS title game appearances after a runner-up finish last year
- Montana is looking to return to the FCS title game in two years, losing in 2023.
- Rivalry
- The FCS semifinal is the is the 125th edition of the game.
- Rematch
- Montana State defeated Montana 31-28 in the regular-season ending contest.
- Montana is 3-1 in revenge games where the Griz lost the regular season but won in the FCS playoffs.
Players to Watch
Here are some players to watch from Montana
Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Gillman, RB, Montana
All Americans
- First Team
- RB Eli Gilman (SI)
- AP Michael Wortham (SI, STATS, AP, AFCA)
- Second Team
- QB Keali’l Ah Yat (STATS, SI)
- RB Eli Gilman (STATS, AP, AFCA)
- LB Peyton Wing (SI)
- Third Team
- OL Cannon Panfiloff (SI)
- PR Drew Deck (SI)
All Big Sky
- First Team
- QB Keali’l Ah Yat
- RB Eli Gilman
- TE Evan Shafer
- OL Cannon Panfiloff
- AP Michael Wortham
- DL Hunter Peck
- LB Peyton Wing
- ST Tanner Huff
- WR Michael Wortham
- OL Liam Brown
- LB Solomon Tuliaupupu
- DB TJ Rausch
- PR Drew Deck
- LS Grayson Pibal
Here are some players to watch from Montana State
Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year: Caden Dowler, DB, Montana State
Big Sky Newcomer of the Year: Justin Lamson, QB, Montana State
Big Sky Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State
All Americans
- First Team
- OL Titan Fleischmann (SI, STATS, AP)
- DB Caden Dowler (SI, STATS, AP, AFCA)
- Second Team
- QB Justin Lamson (STATS)
- DL Paul Brot (STATS, AP)
- DL Kenneth Eiden IV (SI)
- Third Team
- DL Kenneth Eiden IV (STATS)
- RB Julius Davis (SI)
- DL Paul Brot (SI)
- Freshman
- OL Braden Zimmer (STATS)
All Big Sky
- First Team
- OL Titan Fleischmann
- DL Paul Brott
- DL Kenneth Eiden IV
- DB Caden Dowler
- PR Taco Dowler
- Second Team
- QB Justin Lamson
- RB Julius Davis
- WR Taco Dowler
- LB Cole Taylor
- DB Tayden Gray
8:53 pm, December 18, 2025
Here’s how Montana and Montana State stack up based on this season’s results.
Montana vs. Montana State
No. 3 Montana
2025 STATs
No. 2 Montana State
13-1 (7-1)
Record (Conf)
12-2 (8-0)
No. 3
Playoff Seed
No. 2
No. 4
FCS Coaches rank
No. 2
No. 3
FCS Stats Perform rank
No. 2
42.3
Points per game
37.4
23.8
Points allowed
17.6
464.9
Yards per game
436.3
287.9
Pass yards per game
202.1
176.9
Rush yards per game
234.1
396.4
Yards allowed per game
218.0
261.3
Pass yards allowed per game
199.9
135.1
Rush yards allowed per game
118.1
QB Keali’i Ah Yat
3,819 yds, 32 TDs, 8 INT
Passing leader
QB Justin Lamson
2,683 yds, 22 TD, 3 INT
RB Eli Gillman
1,434 yds, 20 TDs
Rushing leader
RB Julius Davis
1,044 yds, 8 TD
WR Michael Wortham
1,139 yds, 10 TDs
Receiving leader
WR Taco Dowler
789 yds, 5 TD
S Diezel Wilkinson
70 tkl, 4.5 tfl, 3 sk
Defense
S Caden Dowler
90 tkl, 6.5 tfl, 6 INT
8:53 pm, December 18, 2025
Montana and Montana State have a football rivalry that’s over 120 years old, known as “The Brawl of the Wild.” It’s the fourth-oldest rivalry in the FCS, with the winner receiving The Great Divide Trophy.
The FCS semifinals will mark the first time that the two schools have met in the postseason.
When Montana and Montana State met in 2025 during the regular season, it marked The Brawl of the Wild’s 124th all-time meeting. Montana State escaped Montana 31-28. The Grizzlies hold a 75-44-5 head-to-head edge in the all-time series.
Here’s a look at all of the matchups from the 2020s decade.
Date
Winner
Score
Location
2021
Montana
29–10
Missoula, MT
2022
Montana State
55-21
Bozeman, MT
2023
Montana
37-7
Missoula, MT
2024
Montana State
34-11
Bozeman, MT
2025
Montana State
31-28
Missoula, MT
Click or tap here for more on the Brawl of the Wild
8:53 pm, December 18, 2025
Here’s a look at the past semifinals appearances from Montana and Montana State. Montana last reached the semifinal round in 2023, advancing to the national title game. Montana State last reached the semifinal round in 2024, making it to the national championship game.
Montana FCS semifinal appearances
- 1989 — loss to Georgia Southern
- 1994 — loss to Youngstown State
- 1995 — National Championship winner
- 1996 — National Championship runner-up
- 2000 — National Championship runner-up
- 2001 — National Championship winner
- 2004 — National Championship runner-up
- 2006 — loss to UMass
- 2008 — National Championship runner-up
- 2009 — National Championship runner-up
- 2011 — semifinal appearance vacated
- 2023 — National Championship runner-up
Montana State FCS semifinal appearances
- 1984 — National Championship winner
- 2019 — loss to North Dakota State
- 2021 — National Championship runner-up
- 2022 — loss to South Dakota State
- 2024 — National Championship runner-up
8:53 pm, December 18, 2025
