Football October 24, 2025 Claire Gay

#20 Montana Western Football Travels to Simpson Saturday

DILLON, Mont. – The #20 Montana Western football team (4-3, 1-2 FC West) travels to Redding, Calif., Saturday to take on new FC football foe Simpson (0-7, 0-3 FC West). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. PT/ 2 p.m. MT

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday at Southern Oregon – Watch Live, Live Stats

#ICYMI
Western fell to College of Idaho 28-21 in Caldwell Oct. 18. The Bulldogs tallied 244 yards of total offense, 16 first downs, and three touchdowns.

Individually, Michael Palandri threw for 183 yards and one passing touchdown while also running one in himself.

On the ground, Aidan Lammers ran for 51 total yards and a touchdown, including a long of 49. Eli Nourse caught eight passes for 71 yards while Seth Shook tallies three receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. Colton Cornwell also got in on the action with a 38-yard catch.

Jace Fitzgerald led UMW on the defensive side of the ball with a game-high 16 tackles while Tyler Walker was also in double figures with 11. Reece Stanish recorded a game-best four solo efforts.

Manuel Variz IV earned game highs in both tackles for loss (1.5) and sacks (1.5). Connor Dunlea snagged his third interception in as many games and gained 19 yards on the play.

FROM THE DAWG HOUSE
Montana Western is averaging 35.7 points and 417.9 yards per game in 2025. They have amassed 2,925 total yards of offense, including 2,266 passing yards. The Bulldogs have earned 157 first downs and converted on 47 third-down tries. They have scored on 25-of-27 red-zone attempts, posting TDs in 21 of those. Defensively, they have totaled 497 tackles including 211 solos. They have recorded 46 tackles for loss for 203 yards and 22 sacks for 147 yards. UMW has forced three fumbles and tallied seven interceptions.

BULLDOGS IN THE RANKINGS
UMW is ranked in the top 10 nationally in multiple categories. The Bulldogs sit tied for second in completions (164), fifth in both passing yards per game (323.7) and total passing yards (2,266), and tied for fifth in both passing touchdowns (21) and third-down conversion percentage (50.0 percent). They also rank seventh in sacks (22), eighth in punt average (42.0), and ninth in kickoff average (61.3)

Individually, six Bulldogs are putting up numbers that rank them in the top 25 in the NAIA.

Michael Palandri ranks second in the nation in completions (157), fourth in completion percentage (65.7), passing yards (2220), passing yards per game (317.1), and sixth in passing touchdowns (21).

Eli Nourse leads the NAIA in both total receiving yards (885) and total receptions (62) while sitting second in receiving yards per game (126.4) and tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns.

Seth Shook is tied for second in the nation in receiving TDs (10), 16th in total receiving yards (618), and 23rd in receiving yards per game (88.3).

Tyler Walker is tied for second in the nation in sacks (7.5) and is third in tackles-for-loss (13.0).

Devin Crow is tied for fourth in the country in sacks (6.5).

Brady Mounts and Connor Dunlea are both tied for fourth in the NAIA in interceptions with three apiece.

Maclain Burckley is fifth in the NAIA in punting (42.0yards/punt) and has the ninth longest punt of the season. He is also tied for 10th longest field goal this year (47 yards).

CHART TOPPERS
Western ranks first in the Frontier in six categories, including total touchdowns (34), total passing yards (2,266), passing yards per game (323.7), completions (164), yards per completion (9.0), and third down conversion percentage (50.0).

The Bulldogs also rank second in points per game (35.7), passing touchdowns (21), and third in completion percentage (65.1).

QB CLINIC
Senior quarterback Michael Palandri ranks in the top two in the FC in nearly every passing statistic, including in first total passing yards (2,220) passing yards per game (317.1), and completions (157), and second in passing touchdowns (21), while also topping the league in total yards (2,366) and total yards per game (338.0). Moreover, Palandri has the longest TD pass in the league this year at 75 yards.

OUR GO-TO GUY
Wide Receiver Eli Nourse sits first in the conference in total receptions (62), receiving yards (885), and receptions per game (8.9). He also ranks second in the Frontier in receiving yards per game (126.4), all-purpose yards per game (163.1) and total all-purpose yards (1,142) and third in receiving TDs (seven).

GO LONG
Receiver Seth Shook leads the conference in receiving touchdowns (10) while sitting third in yards per reception (19.3) while also ranking fourth in receiving yards (618), and sixth in receiving yards per game (88.3). Additionally, Shook has the third-longest receiving score of the year (75 yards) and has caught two touchdowns of over 70 yards.

RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE
Maclain Burckley ranks second in conference in both field goals made (five) and punting (42.0). Additionally, he has the longest field goal in the FC this season at 47 yards.

RELENTLESS PURSUIT
Tyler Walker leads the Bulldogs and ranks first in the conference in both sacks (7.5, 47 yards) and tackles for loss (13.0, 66 yards). He also ranks third in the FC in total tackles with 56.

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE RIGHT, DO IT YOURSELF
Connor Dunlea (24), Tyler Walker (23), Jace Fitzgerald (21) and Reece Stanish (20) have all tallied over solo tackles for the Bulldogs.

THEY KNOW HOW TO PICK 'EM
Both Brady Mounts and Connor Dunlea have earned three interceptions in 2025.

DEPTH ON DISPLAY
UMW has showcased their depth all season. Offensively, 11 players have caught at least two passes while eight Bulldogs have at least two rushes. Defensively, 40 players have recorded a tackle, including 13 with at least one TFL and six with 1.0 or more sacks. Three players have tallied interceptions, two have forced a fumble, and 13 have pass breakups on the year.

THE OPPONENTS
The Red Hawks are 0-7 on the year, including 0-3 in the FC West. They are posting 11.4 points, and 265.4 yards per game. They have tallied 954 passing yards (136.29 y/g) and 904 rushing yards (129.1 y/g) and have tallied 10 touchdowns.

Simpson ranks fourth in the Frontier in both total rushing yards (904) and total punting yards (1,210) while sitting fifth in rush yards per game (129.1).

Kaleb Anderson has thrown for 698 yards (99.7 y/g) and four passing touchdowns while John Romero has racked up 185 passing yards.

Ezekeiel Anderson leads the Red Hawks with 36.5 rush yards per game, and has scored one touchdown. Kaleb Anderson (34.7 y/g, three TDs) and Eli Cortinas (30.33 y/g, one touchdown), and Romero (one rushing touchdown) have also contributed to Simpson's run game.

Talan Ramirez leads Simson with 358 receiving yards (51.3 y/g) and three touchdown catches while Nathaniel Monticelli has recorded 124 yards (1.7 y/g) and one receiving score.

Joshua De La Cruz Jr. Leads the Red Hawks in total tackles (53), solos (26), tackles-for-loss (7.0, 17 yards), and fumbles forced (three). He is tied for the team lead in sacks with Keola Seumanutafa-Bryant at 1.0 each. Charlie Walden has earned a team-high two interceptions.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Bulldogs and Red Hawks, following Simpson's addition to the Frontier Conference as a football-only member prior to the 2025 season.

LOOKING AHEAD
UMW is back at Bulldog Stadium next week when it hosts Eastern Oregon Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. MT.

For complete coverage of UMW Football, be sure to follow us on social media at @umwbulldogfootball (Instagram), @UMWFootball (X), and @UMW Bulldog Football (Facebook) or visit our official website at UMWBulldogs.com.

#GOBULLDOGS!

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Players Mentioned

#94 Devin Crow: DL; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#20 Connor Dunlea: DB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#37 Aidan Lammers: RB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

#14 Brady Mounts: DB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

#7 Eli Nourse: WR; 5' 10"; Junior

#10 Michael Palandri: QB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior

#9 Seth Shook: WR; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#22 Reece Stanish: DB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior

#55 Manuel Variz IV: LB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore

#98 Tyler Walker: DL; 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior

#18 Jace Fitzgerald: LB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#6 Maclain Burckley: K/P; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

#94 Devin Crow
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: DL

#20 Connor Dunlea
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman
: DB

#37 Aidan Lammers
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: RB

#14 Brady Mounts
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: DB

#7 Eli Nourse
: 5' 10"; Junior
: WR

#10 Michael Palandri
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior
: QB

#9 Seth Shook
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#22 Reece Stanish
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior
: DB

#55 Manuel Variz IV
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore
: LB

#98 Tyler Walker
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior
: DL

#18 Jace Fitzgerald
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: LB

#6 Maclain Burckley
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman
: K/P