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Montana Advances in FCS with 24-17 Win Over South Dakota St.

The Grizzlies head to four-time national champion North Dakota State for a quarterfinal game next Saturday

By Dillon Tabish
Brady Gustafson (3) fakes a handoff. Montana defeated Eastern Washington 57-16 on Nov. 14, 2015. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

MISSOULA — Brady Gustafson threw for two touchdowns and Montana held off South Dakota State 24-17 in a Football Championship Subdivision first-round playoff game Saturday.

Gustafson threw for 202 yards to spark the Grizzlies (8-4) to a 24-0 halftime lead.

The Grizzlies head to four-time national champion North Dakota State for a quarterfinal game next Saturday. Montana beat NDSU 38-35 in Missoula in August.

Gustafson had scoring passes of 4 yards to Jamaal Jones and 26 yards to Ellis Henderson as Montana took a 14-0 lead at 10:42 of the second quarter.

Jeremy Calhoun added a short scoring run for the Grizzlies.

South Dakota State (8-4) controlled the pace in the second half, getting a touchdown pass and scoring run from quarterback Taryn Christion.

The Jackrabbits closed to 24-17 when Christion hit Dallas Goedert for 30 yards and the score with 4:44 left in the game. Montana, with John Nguyen pushing his rushing total to 107 yards, then ran out the clock.

FCS Playoffs

First Round

Nov. 28

Chattanooga 50, Fordham 20

Citadel 41, Coastal Carolina 38

UNI 53, Eastern Illinois 17

William & Mary 52, Duquesne 49

Montana 24, South Dakota St. 17

Colgate 27, New Hampshire 20

Sam Houston St. 42, Southern Utah 39

Western Illinois 24, Dayton 7

Second Round

Dec. 5

#1 Jacksonville St. vs. Chattanooga

#8 Charleston So. vs. Citadel

#3 North Dakota St. vs. Montana

#6 Portland St. vs. UNI

#5 James Madison vs. Colgate

#7 Richmond vs. William & Mary

#4 McNeese St. vs. Sam Houston St.

#2 Illinois St. vs. Western Illinois