There’s a crew within the FCS championship recreation that’s in search of historical past behind its quite a few offensive playmakers, stout protection and glorious particular groups.
Why, sure, it feels like defending nationwide champion South Dakota State, however the description additionally suits Montana heading into their No. 1 vs. No. 2 title recreation on Sunday in Frisco, Texas (2 p.m. ET, ABC).
The UM program is accustomed to taking part in within the season’s last recreation – it’s about to take action for the eighth time to tie for the second-most championship appearances in FCS historical past, and it marks the fourth time underneath Bobby Hauck over his two teaching stints with the Grizzlies.
For Montana (13-1) to spring an upset and develop into a three-time nationwide champion, listed below are 5 essential statistics to know:
6
Ball safety has helped raise the Grizzlies’ season. They turned the ball over six occasions of their first 4 video games, when their general play was considered as lower than inspiring. However they’ve had solely six extra turnovers since then whereas successful 10 straight video games – their longest streak since a 14-0 begin in 2009.
28.6
Getting off the sphere has been a key defensively. The Grizzlies are third-best amongst 128 FCS groups with stopping third-down conversions (opponents have transformed 59 of 206 makes an attempt, solely 28.6 p.c). That’s essential as a result of South Dakota State’s offense has the FCS’ greatest third-down conversion charge (54.8).
51/49
That’s the superb steadiness of the Grizzly offense, which is averaging 196.8 passing yards and 186.1 speeding yards per recreation. Broad receivers Keelan White, Junior Bergen and Aaron Fontes are over 40 receptions every, and operating backs Eli Gillman and Nick Ostmo and quarterback Clifton McDowell have mixed for two,338 yards and 29 touchdowns on the bottom.
102.9
The Grizzlies are vastly improved towards the run this season, permitting 102.9 yards per recreation to rank No. 12 within the FCS. They face an SDSU speeding assault that has been under that common solely as soon as in the course of the Jackrabbits’ 28-game successful streak (95 versus North Dakota on Oct. 22, 2022)
198.5
That’s what number of all-purpose yards Bergen has averaged throughout Montana’s final two playoff wins, scoring 3 times on returns (twice on punts and as soon as on a kickoff) and 4 occasions general (as soon as amongst his 10 receptions in that timeframe).
