Griz Roast Rabbits in College Football Playoffs

It wasn't supposed to be that easy. Then it wasn't supposed to be that hard. Definitely a tale of two halves.

But the Montana Grizzlies showed their mettle in the final five minutes of the game and held on to take a 24-17 victory over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in the opening round of the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.

Easy? Montana sure made it look that way from the middle of the first quarter till the end of the second, hanging 24 points on a team that only gave up 17 a game this year. The Griz stroll into the locker room with a 24-0 halftime lead!

Hard? That's all the point the Griz would score, going their first five possessions of the second half without even getting a first down, as the Jackrabbits multiplied: 24-3, 24-10, 24-17. But the Griz got the ball with just under five minutes to go in the game. And even though SDSU had all their timeouts, the Griz never gave the ball back, thanks to a perfectly executed drive that devoured the remaining 4:44.

So it's on to Fargo and a rematch with North Dakota State, the team Montana beat 38-35 in the Kickoff Classic in late August. Seems so very long ago. Scott Gurnsey and I will be on the air at 11:30 with the Statewide Tailgate Show, kickoff at 1:30 on the Voice of the Griz, News/Talk KGVO 101.5 FM and 1290 AM.  See ya then Griz Nation!  DB