The “Super Brawl” fast approaches, marking the second meeting of intrastate rivals Montana and Montana State in four weeks, and you wonder if it might go different.

Montana State won the first meeting 31-28, doing excellent job of covering the Grizzlies’ do-everything Michael Wortham and getting a game-turning defensive touchdown from Caden Dowler.  

The Cats kept UM’s Keali’i Ah Yat from throwing over the top, had a handle on running back Eli Gillman until late and held the Griz under 30 points for the fourth time in 2025.  

With the possible exception of Dowler — the guy’s on a tear — something might have to give when the teams battle for a spot in the Division I Football Championship. 

“I think we did a good job of knowing where he was,” Bobcats coach Brent Vigen said of Wortham, the Eastern Washington transfer with 2,295 all-purpose yards this season. “It’s been clear the last two weeks they’ve continued to get him involved. “In particular this past Saturday; he was a real difference.” 

That’s one of several subplots that will play out in Saturday’s nationally televised (ABC) semifinal, which kicks off at 2 p.m. Saturday inside Bobcat Stadium. 

Montana, for all of its playoff success, has one “true” road playoff win, in the 2008 semifinals at James Madison (two if you count the 1995 national title at host Marshall). The 13-1 Grizzlies will have to break through in a place they haven’t won since 2015, against a 12-2 Bobcat team that hasn’t lost at home to a Big Sky opponent in Vigen’s five seasons. 

Keali’i Ah Yat was limited to 186 passing yards in the first meeting; he’s averaging 273 yards a game and has gone past 300 six times.  

Montana State outgained the Griz 416-364, with a glut of yards and first downs coming after Gillman’s 52-yard TD with 6:59 left. Thanks in part to bruising MSU tailback Julius Davis, Montana never got the ball back. 

Grizzlies coach Bobby Hauck team could be ougher puzzle this time.  

“As we’ve gained experience through the season we’ve improved pretty steadily,” Hauck said. “You don’t win 13 games without being really good everywhere. We have great assistant coaches, we have great players that work hard at it.” 

Montana has scored 50 and 52 points in its two playoff wins (MSU: 21 and 44), cutting Wortham loose and getting balance from a deep receiving corps and of course, Gillman. Wortham’s 201 receiving yards last week against South Dakota popped. 

“As big as anything, you better play with leverage towards that kid,” Vigen said. “Because he can make you miss. If you don’t have proper technique you’re going to be in trouble. That’s what I’ve seen the last couple weeks.” 

First-year starter Justin Lamson has played admirably as MSU’s quarterback. His 18 for 20 passing against the Griz was a key; so were his 80 rushing yards with a highlight-reel, 23-yard TD scramble that put MSU up 31-21. 

Since then Montana has welcomed back Kyon Loud at corner; his presence has firmed up a pass defense that is stretched by the Grizzlies’ myriad blitzes. Montana State’s defense is more straightforward, relying on a stout front four; Montana gambles and, for the most part, wins. 

Montana State statistically is better at stopping people; Montana has scored at an eye-popping rate.  

The winner plays in Nashville on Jan. 5; Hauck’s Griz have gone to the title game four times, the last in 2023, and lost them all. The Bobcats are hunting for their second straight title game appearance and third in five seasons. Their last title came in 1984; for the Griz it was 2001.  

Finally, MSU is favored and playing at home; that is the biggest trend to break. 

“It was really hard to play over in Missoula,” Bobcat running back Adam Jones said. “And I think they’ll see how hard it is to play here.”