No. 5 Montana Grizzlies Prep for Indiana State Showdown

MISSOULA, Montana — The No. 5 Montana Grizzlies are set to face Indiana State on Saturday in their final non-conference game of the season. The matchup kicks off at 1 p.m. at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

This will be the second meeting between the two teams, with Montana winning the first matchup in 2022 by a score of 49-14 in Terre Haute, Indiana. In that game, the Grizzlies established an early lead and maintained control throughout.

Indiana State comes into this game with a 2-1 record under head coach Curt Mallory. Hauck described the Sycamores as a “tough-minded team” that emphasizes defense and special teams. “They try to be good in all three phases of the game, and that’s kind of who they are,” said Hauck.

The Grizzlies have been strong against Missouri Valley Football Conference rivals, winning seven of their last eight games against MVFC teams since 2019. This includes notable wins over North Dakota State, South Dakota, and Indiana State.

Indiana State began the season with wins against NCAA Division II McKendree University and FCS Eastern Illinois, but they suffered a heavy loss to FBS Indiana, 73-0, last week.

After a thrilling comeback victory against ranked North Dakota last week, Montana is eager to focus on the present and improve to 3-0. “I just like playing football at the end of the day,” said UM safety Micah Harper. “It doesn’t matter what conference they’re from… we do respect everybody,” he added, acknowledging Missouri Valley’s reputation for sending teams to the national championship.