Cats-Griz II: Montana routs South Dakota 52-22 to set up FCS semifinal against Montana State

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Michael Wortham had 244 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns, Keali’i Ah Yat threw for 305 yards and three scores and Montana routed South Dakota 52-22 on Saturday to set up a rematch against Montana State in the FCS semifinals.

Third-seeded Montana (13-1) advanced to the semifinals for the 12th time. Montana State will host the game Saturday after beating the Grizzlies 31-28 in Missoula on Nov. 28 to win the Big Sky title and secure the second seed. The Bobcats beat Stephen F. Austin 44-28 on Friday night.

Wortham had 201 yards receiving on 11 catches and 43 yards rushing on three carries to break the Montana record for all-purpose yards in a season.

Montana dominated from the start, driving 75 yards on the opening possession. Ah Yat’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Drew Deck gave the Grizzlies a 7-0 lead and Ah Yat’s 53-yard touchdown pass to Wortham made it 24-0 in the second quarter.

The Coyotes (10-5) made it 24-7 heading to halftime when L.J. Phillips Jr. scored on a 23-yard run.

Deck’s FCS playoff-record 93-yard punt return touchdown early in the third quarter made it 31-7 and Ah Yat and Wortham connected on a 51-yard touchdown to make it 38-7.

South Dakota rallied on two touchdown passes by Aidan Bouman — 69 yards to Jack Martens and 20 yards to Tysen Boze to make it 38-22 with 8:42 remaining.

The Grizzlies responded with an 82-yard drive, highlighted by a unique trick-play in which Wortham caught a pass on a short slant then threw a backward pass across the field to Eli Gillman who took it for a 20-yard gain to the South Dakota 29-yard line. Wortham finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run and a 45-22 lead with 2:40 remaining.

Hashim Jones capped the scoring with a 20-yard run in the final minute.

Bouman had 231 yards passing and Martens had 93 yards receiving for the Coyotes (10-5).

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