Montana Comes From Behind To Beat North Dakota
September 15, 2025
Trailing by nine points with four minutes left to play in the game, No. 7 Montana roared back to beat No. 17 North Dakota, 24-23. The Grizz scored the game’s final 10 points with a field goal from Ty Morrison, then a 28-yard touchdown pass from Keali’i Ah Yat to Brooks Davis in the final moments of the game. The Grizz defense held during the Fighting Hawks ensuing drive to preserve the win. Montana moves to No. 5 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while North Dakota stays at No. 17.
North Dakota State remains the No. 1 team with 25 first-place votes, followed by South Dakota State, who received the other first-place vote. Tarleton State beat Central Arkansas, 56-10, and stays at No. 3. The Texans are followed by Illinois State at No. 4, with Montana State and Rhode Island tied at the sixth spot. Idaho jumps two places to No. 8 while UC Davis remained in the No. 9 spot. Lehigh moves into the top 10 after beating Duquesne, 35-21.
There are three top 25 matchups this coming Saturday with the first being a CAA contest as No. 12t Villanova travels to No. 18 Monmouth (N.J.). The second and third matchups have No. 14 UIW traveling to No. 19 Northern Arizona while No. 15 ACU plays host to No. 20 Austin Peay.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 3 Next Game
1 North Dakota St. (25) 3-0 649 1 D. Southeast Missouri St., 41-14 Sept. 27 vs. No. 21 South Dakota
2 South Dakota St. (1) 3-0 622 2 D. Drake, 37-21 Sept. 27 vs. Mercyhurst
3 Tarleton St. 4-0 601 3 D. Central Arkansas, 56-10 Sept. 20 vs. Chattanooga
4 Illinois St. 2-1 543 4 D. Eastern Illinois, 42-30 Sept. 20 vs. North Alabama
5 Montana 2-0 521 7 D. No. 17 North Dakota, 24-23 Sept. 20 vs. Indiana St.
6t. Montana St. 1-2 519 6 D. San Diego, 41-7 Sept. 20 vs. Mercyhurst
6t. Rhode Island 3-0 519 5 D. Holy Cross, 9-7 Sept. 20 vs. LIU
8 Idaho 2-1 419 10 D. Utah Tech, 20-6 Sept. 20 at San Jose St.
9 UC Davis 1-1 402 9 Idle Sept. 20 vs. Southern Utah
10 Lehigh 3-0 386 12 D. Duquesne, 35-21 Sept. 20 at Bucknell
11 Southern Illinois 2-1 343 14 D. UT Martin, 37-10 Sept. 20 at Southeast Missouri St.
12t. Tennessee Tech 3-0 310 16 D. Davidson, 72-14 Sept. 27 at Tennessee St.
12t. Villanova 1-1 310 11 Lost to Penn St., 52-6 Sept. 20 at No. 18 Monmouth (N.J.)
14 UIW 1-2 267 8 Lost to UTSA, 48-20 Sept. 20 at No. 19 Northern Arizona
15 ACU 1-2 263 13 Lost to TCU, 42-21 Sept. 20 vs. No. 20 Austin Peay
16 Jackson St. 2-1 251 15 D. Tuskegee, 30-0 Sept. 27 at Southern
17 North Dakota 1-2 206 17 Lost to No. 7 Montana, 24-23 Sept. 20 vs. Valparaiso
18 Monmouth (N.J.) 2-1 197 18 Lost to Charlotte, 42-35 Sept. 20 vs. No. 12t Villanova
19 Northern Arizona 2-1 188 19 D. Southern Utah, 50-49 Sept. 20 vs. No. 14 UIW
20 Austin Peay 2-1 166 23 D. Morehead St., 56-7 Sept. 20 at No. 15 ACU
21 South Dakota 1-2 157 20 D. Northern Colorado, 24-17 Sept. 20 vs. Drake
22 Sacramento St. 1-2 91 21 D. Mercyhurst, 49-28 Sept. 20 vs. Central Arkansas
23 New Hampshire 2-1 88 24 Lost to Ball St., 34-29 Sept. 20 at Dartmouth
24 Youngstown St. 2-1 80 25 Lost to Michigan St., 41-24 Sept. 20 at Towson
25 Mercer 1-1 78 22 D. Wofford, 22-21 Sept. 20 at The Citadel
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: West Georgia, 63; Lamar, 43; Presbyterian, 40; Southeastern Louisiana, 28; Bryant, 21; Furman, 16; Lafayette, 11; Dartmouth, 9; Harvard, 9; Stephen F. Austin, 6; Elon, 5; Nicholls, 5; Northern Iowa, 5; Gardner-Webb, 3; South Carolina St., 3; East Tennessee St., 2; Richmond, 2; Southeast Missouri St., 2; Central Arkansas, 1.
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Trailing by nine points with four minutes left to play in the game, No. 7 Montana roared back to beat No. 17 North Dakota, 24-23. The Grizz scored the game’s final 10 points with a field goal from Ty Morrison, then a 28-yard touchdown pass from Keali’i Ah Yat to Brooks Davis in the final moments of the game. The Grizz defense held during the Fighting Hawks ensuing drive to preserve the win. Montana moves to No. 5 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while North Dakota stays at No. 17.
North Dakota State remains the No. 1 team with 25 first-place votes, followed by South Dakota State, who received the other first-place vote. Tarleton State beat Central Arkansas, 56-10, and stays at No. 3. The Texans are followed by Illinois State at No. 4, with Montana State and Rhode Island tied at the sixth spot. Idaho jumps two places to No. 8 while UC Davis remained in the No. 9 spot. Lehigh moves into the top 10 after beating Duquesne, 35-21.
There are three top 25 matchups this coming Saturday with the first being a CAA contest as No. 12t Villanova travels to No. 18 Monmouth (N.J.). The second and third matchups have No. 14 UIW traveling to No. 19 Northern Arizona while No. 15 ACU plays host to No. 20 Austin Peay.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota St. (25) | 3-0 | 649 | 1 | D. Southeast Missouri St., 41-14 | Sept. 27 vs. No. 21 South Dakota | |
| 2 | South Dakota St. (1) | 3-0 | 622 | 2 | D. Drake, 37-21 | Sept. 27 vs. Mercyhurst | |
| 3 | Tarleton St. | 4-0 | 601 | 3 | D. Central Arkansas, 56-10 | Sept. 20 vs. Chattanooga | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 2-1 | 543 | 4 | D. Eastern Illinois, 42-30 | Sept. 20 vs. North Alabama | |
| 5 | Montana | 2-0 | 521 | 7 | D. No. 17 North Dakota, 24-23 | Sept. 20 vs. Indiana St. | |
| 6t. | Montana St. | 1-2 | 519 | 6 | D. San Diego, 41-7 | Sept. 20 vs. Mercyhurst | |
| 6t. | Rhode Island | 3-0 | 519 | 5 | D. Holy Cross, 9-7 | Sept. 20 vs. LIU | |
| 8 | Idaho | 2-1 | 419 | 10 | D. Utah Tech, 20-6 | Sept. 20 at San Jose St. | |
| 9 | UC Davis | 1-1 | 402 | 9 | Idle | Sept. 20 vs. Southern Utah | |
| 10 | Lehigh | 3-0 | 386 | 12 | D. Duquesne, 35-21 | Sept. 20 at Bucknell | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois | 2-1 | 343 | 14 | D. UT Martin, 37-10 | Sept. 20 at Southeast Missouri St. | |
| 12t. | Tennessee Tech | 3-0 | 310 | 16 | D. Davidson, 72-14 | Sept. 27 at Tennessee St. | |
| 12t. | Villanova | 1-1 | 310 | 11 | Lost to Penn St., 52-6 | Sept. 20 at No. 18 Monmouth (N.J.) | |
| 14 | UIW | 1-2 | 267 | 8 | Lost to UTSA, 48-20 | Sept. 20 at No. 19 Northern Arizona | |
| 15 | ACU | 1-2 | 263 | 13 | Lost to TCU, 42-21 | Sept. 20 vs. No. 20 Austin Peay | |
| 16 | Jackson St. | 2-1 | 251 | 15 | D. Tuskegee, 30-0 | Sept. 27 at Southern | |
| 17 | North Dakota | 1-2 | 206 | 17 | Lost to No. 7 Montana, 24-23 | Sept. 20 vs. Valparaiso | |
| 18 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 2-1 | 197 | 18 | Lost to Charlotte, 42-35 | Sept. 20 vs. No. 12t Villanova | |
| 19 | Northern Arizona | 2-1 | 188 | 19 | D. Southern Utah, 50-49 | Sept. 20 vs. No. 14 UIW | |
| 20 | Austin Peay | 2-1 | 166 | 23 | D. Morehead St., 56-7 | Sept. 20 at No. 15 ACU | |
| 21 | South Dakota | 1-2 | 157 | 20 | D. Northern Colorado, 24-17 | Sept. 20 vs. Drake | |
| 22 | Sacramento St. | 1-2 | 91 | 21 | D. Mercyhurst, 49-28 | Sept. 20 vs. Central Arkansas | |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 2-1 | 88 | 24 | Lost to Ball St., 34-29 | Sept. 20 at Dartmouth | |
| 24 | Youngstown St. | 2-1 | 80 | 25 | Lost to Michigan St., 41-24 | Sept. 20 at Towson | |
| 25 | Mercer | 1-1 | 78 | 22 | D. Wofford, 22-21 | Sept. 20 at The Citadel | |
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: West Georgia, 63; Lamar, 43; Presbyterian, 40; Southeastern Louisiana, 28; Bryant, 21; Furman, 16; Lafayette, 11; Dartmouth, 9; Harvard, 9; Stephen F. Austin, 6; Elon, 5; Nicholls, 5; Northern Iowa, 5; Gardner-Webb, 3; South Carolina St., 3; East Tennessee St., 2; Richmond, 2; Southeast Missouri St., 2; Central Arkansas, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
