LA GRANDE, Ore. – For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs take down Eastern Oregon to cap the season and win the outright Frontier Conference championship to earn the FC's automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series.
The no. 4 ranked Montana Western Bulldogs (9-1) held Eastern Oregon scoreless in the first half on their way to finishing off the regular season on a six-game win streak heading into the postseason.
How It Happened
Montana Western was first to receive the ball in the matchup, knocking eight minutes off the clock before
John Mears banged in a field goal from 19 yards out to put UMW on the board.
Montana Western didn't do much with its next pair of opportunities, but the Bulldogs' defense kept EOU at bay to give the UMW offense life heading into the second quarter. Montana Western would cash in for points as the Bulldogs used seven plays to punch it in off the 11-yard on a pass from
Michael Palandri to
Jon Kirkley to take a 10-0 lead.
After an unsuccessful next Bulldog drive, UMW punter
Eddie Dewart pinned the Mounties on their own 1-yard line to start their next drive. The following play saw the Bulldog defense force a safety to give Western a pair of points.
Mears went on to hit his second field goal of the game prior to the half, this time from 40-yards out to send Western into the half up 15-0.
Eastern Oregon opened the half with a 16-play, 63-yard drive that was stopped by the Bulldog defense after forcing a turnover on downs on Western's 24-yard line. This would fuel the offense on their following drive to score on a Palandri 39-yard pass to
D'on Williams for his first career touchdown reception.
Eastern Oregon would answer on their next drive, closing the gap to 22-7 after a 10-play 67 yard drive that was capped by a pass from Glasper to Lijewski.
With a drive starting at 3:15 left in the third quarter, Montana Western worked its way downfield in no time, scoring just two plays later after Palandri hit
Dylan Shipley in the end zone on a 51-yard touchdown pass.
Western would go scoreless for the remainder of the game, but was able to hang on after a pair of scores from Eastern Oregon to finish the game up 29-19 to close out the regular season.
Notables
- Western has won five straight games over EOU in the series and is 7-3 in the last ten matchups.
- Palandri led the Bulldogs with 253 passing yards after going 18-25 on the day and totaling three touchdowns.
- Pete Gibson led Western on the ground, racking up 75 net rushing yards.
- Shipley led Bulldog receivers with 97 yards and a touchdown.
- The Bulldog defense totaled an impressive seven tackles for loss with four being sacks. Landon Charlton and Jace Fitzgerald led Western's defense with nine tackles apiece.
Up Next
The Bulldogs receive the Frontier Conference automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series and will await selection for the playoffs. The selection show is set for Sunday Nov. 17 at 5pm MT.
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