The 2025 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Grizzlies were led by head coach Bobby Hauck in the eighth season of his current stint and the fifteenth overall, as he was head coach from 2003 to 2009. The team played at Washington–Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana. The Grizzlies were 11–0 heading into the rivalry game with Montana State but were defeated 31–28 at home to close out the regular season. Earning a first round bye, they defeated South Dakota State and South Dakota to reach the Semifinals against Montana State in the first-ever postseason edition of the rivalry (and the first time the rivalry game had been played twice in one year since 1913) but were soundly defeated 43–28 to end their season.

The Montana Grizzlies drew an average home attendance of 26,464, the second-highest of all NCAA Division I FCS football teams.

Schedule

Game summaries

No. 18 (DII) Central Washington

Statistics CWU MONT First downs 21 20 Plays–yards 64–329 60–567 Rushes–yards 44–221 35–310 Passing yards 108 257 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 9–20–2 15–25–2 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 36:08 23:51 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Washington Passing Kennedy McGill 7/16, 76 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Beau Phillips 11 carries, 69 yards, TD Receiving Jalen Grable 3 receptions, 43 yardsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 14/24, 250 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Eli Gillman 15 carries, 198 yards, 3 TD Receiving Michael Wortham 6 receptions, 120 yards, TD

No. 16 North Dakota

Statistics UND MONT First downs 19 18 Plays–yards 82–460 74–368 Rushes–yards 41–202 35–68 Passing yards 258 300 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–41–1 25–39–2 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 30:37 29:23 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota Passing Jerry Kaminski 17/40, 258 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jerry Kaminski 12 carries, 85 yards Receiving B.J. Fleming 5 receptions, 138 yards, TDMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 25/39, 300 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Eli Gillman 16 carries, 82 yards Receiving Brooks Davis 5 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TD

Indiana State

Statistics INST MONT First downs 12 33 Plays–yards 58–387 81–647 Rushes–yards 30–198 51–303 Passing yards 189 344 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–28–1 24–30–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 23:18 38:22 Team Category Player StatisticsIndiana State Passing Keegan Patterson 15/27, 189 yards, TD, INT Rushing Nick Osho 5 carries, 134 yards, 2 TD Receiving Rashad Rochelle 4 receptions, 75 yards, TDMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 22/27, 313 yards, 2 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 13 carries, 120 yards, 3 TD Receiving Michael Wortham 5 receptions, 78 yards

No. 8 Idaho (Little Brown Stein)

Statistics IDHO MONT First downs 15 22 Plays–yards 62–370 67–413 Rushes–yards 34–108 44–190 Passing yards 262 223 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–28–0 17–23–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 26:13 33:47 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Joshua Wood 14/28, 262 yards Rushing Nate Thomas 19 carries, 70 yards Receiving Ryan Jezioro 4 receptions, 102 yardsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 17/23, 223 yards, 1 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 27 carries, 142 yards, 2 TD Receiving Drew Deck 5 receptions, 67 yards

at Idaho State

Statistics MONT IDST First downs 25 28 Plays–yards 78–517 77–497 Rushes–yards 35–118 23–76 Passing yards 399 421 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–43–1 33–54–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:43 30:17 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 23/40, 350 yards, TD, INT Rushing Eli Gillman 16 carries, 48 yards, TD Receiving Michael Wortham 6 receptions, 124 yardsIdaho State Passing Jordan Cooke 33/54, 421 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Dason Brooks 15 carries, 51 yards, 2 TD Receiving Michael Shulikov 8 receptions, 119 yards

Cal Poly

Statistics CP MONT First downs 11 27 Plays–yards 57–336 85–434 Rushes–yards 18–111 44–177 Passing yards 225 257 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–39–4 27–41–1 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 20:06 39:54 Team Category Player StatisticsCal Poly Passing Ty Dieffenbach 15/33, 225 yards, TD, 4 INT Rushing Paul Hoyfield Jr. 8 carries, 53 yards Receiving Alek Marshall 2 receptions, 59 yardsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 27/41, 257 yards, TD, INT Rushing Eli Gillman 18 carries, 123 yards, 2 TD Receiving Michael Wortham 10 receptions, 84 yards, TD

Sacred Heart

Statistics SHU MONT First downs 19 23 Plays–yards 64–340 66–484 Rushes–yards 38–126 33–135 Passing yards 214 349 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–26–0 27–33–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 33:39 26:21 Team Category Player StatisticsSacred Heart Passing Jack Snyder 20/26, 214 yards, 2 TD Rushing Mitchell Summers 18 carries, 87 yards, TD Receiving Payton Rhoades 6 receptions, 72 yardsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 27/33, 349 yards, 5 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 17 carries, 63 yards Receiving Michael Wortham 7 receptions, 132 yards, 2 TD

at Sacramento State

Statistics MONT SAC First downs 18 24 Plays–yards 58–386 76–478 Rushes–yards 33–162 43–141 Passing yards 224 337 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–25–1 26–33–1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 25:55 34:05 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 16/24, 196 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Michael Wortham 7 carries, 89 yards, 2 TD Receiving Michael Wortham 5 receptions, 80 yards, TDSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 25/32, 332 yards, TD, INT Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 12 carries, 54 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ernest Campbell 9 receptions, 206 yards, TD

at Weber State

Statistics MONT WEB First downs 24 21 Plays–yards 70–522 75–327 Rushes–yards 35–193 33–114 Passing yards 329 213 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–35–0 25–42–1 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 25:08 34:52 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 15/27, 296 yards, 2 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 12 carries, 122 yards, TD Receiving Blake Bohannon 3 receptions, 131 yards, TDWeber State Passing Kingston Tisdell 10/21, 116 yards, TD Rushing Colter May 19 carries, 74 yards Receiving Jayleen Record 8 receptions, 107 yards, 2 TD

Eastern Washington (EWU–UM Governors Cup)

Statistics EWU MONT First downs 27 13 Plays–yards 72–479 53–351 Rushes–yards 29–28 23–101 Passing yards 451 250 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 43–63–2 22–30–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 37:48 22:12 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Washington Passing Jake Schakel 43/63, 451 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Kevin Allen III 12 carries, 57 yards, TD Receiving Miles Williams 11 receptions, 136 yardsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 22/30, 250 yards, 2 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 13 carries, 83 yards, TD Receiving Michael Wortham 5 receptions, 81 yards, TD

at Portland State

Statistics MONT PRST First downs 24 15 Plays–yards 73–455 47–361 Rushes–yards 44–208 30–143 Passing yards 247 218 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–29–0 17–34–5 Turnovers 2 5 Time of possession 31:36 28:24 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 14/21, 184 yards, 3 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 10 carries, 81 yards, 2 TD Receiving Drew Deck 3 receptions, 63 yardsPortland State Passing John-Keawe Sagapolutele 12/24, 155 yards, 3 INT Rushing Tyrese Smith 11 carries, 101 yards, 2 TD Receiving Terence Loville 5 receptions, 70 yards

No. 3 Montana State (Brawl of the Wild)

Statistics MTST MONT First downs 23 20 Plays–yards 62–416 60–364 Rushes–yards 42–241 28–178 Passing yards 175 186 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–20–0 26–32–1 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 31:57 28:03 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana State Passing Justin Lamson 18/20, 175 yards, TD Rushing Julius Davis 15 carries, 106 yards Receiving Dane Steel 4 receptions, 54 yards, TDMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 26/32, 186 yards, TD, INT Rushing Eli Gillman 15 carries, 132 yards, TD Receiving Brooks Davis 10 receptions, 113 yards, TD

vs. No. 14 South Dakota State (Division I Second Round)

Statistics SDST MONT First downs 19 32 Plays–yards 60–417 81–552 Rushes–yards 24–61 43–191 Passing yards 356 361 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–36–2 30–38–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 25:16 34:44 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota State Passing Chase Mason 19/36, 356 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Josiah Johnson 10 carries, 44 yards Receiving Grahm Goering 4 receptions, 137 yards, TDMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 29/37, 360 yards, 4 TD Rushing Eli Gillman 24 carries, 135 yards, 2 TD Receiving Michael Wortham 8 receptions, 113 yards, TD

vs. No. 12 South Dakota (Division I Quarterfinal)

Statistics SDAK MONT First downs 15 21 Plays–yards 63–353 63–449 Rushes–yards 31–122 33–144 Passing yards 231 305 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–32–1 21–30–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 30:05 29:55 Team Category Player Statistics South Dakota Passing Aidan Bouman 15/32, 231 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing L.J. Phillips Jr. 15 carries, 74 yards, TD Receiving Jack Martens 3 receptions, 93 yards, TD Montana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 18/39, 148 yards, 4 INT Rushing Michael Wortham 3 carries, 43 yards, TD Receiving Michael Wortham 11 receptions, 201 yards, 2 TD

at No. 2 Montana State (Division I Semifinal)

Statistics MONT MTST First downs 18 23 Plays–yards 67–347 63–449 Rushes–yards 25–96 44–240 Passing yards 251 209 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–42–1 13–19–0 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 28:17 31:43 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 27/42, 251 yards, TD, INT Rushing Eli Gillman 16 carries, 106 yards, TD Receiving Michael Wortham 8 receptions, 85 yardsMontana State Passing Justin Lamson 13/19, 209 yards, 2 TD Rushing Adam Jones 16 carries, 131 yards, 2 TD Receiving Taco Dowler 5 receptions, 125 yards, TD

Ranking movements

References