Football November 7, 2025

#19 Bulldog Football Closes Out 2025 Regular Season Against Arizona Christian

DILLON, Mont. – The #20 Montana Western football team (6-3, 3-2 FC West) hosts Arizona Christian (1-7, 0-4 FC West) in its final matchup of the 2025 regular season. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. MT.
Prior to Kickoff, the Bulldogs will host a "Senior Day" celebration.

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday vs Arizona Christian– Watch Live, Live Stats

#ICYMI
UMW dismantled Eastern Oregon 56-14 last weekend, holding the Mountaineers scoreless through three quarters of action. Western tallied 508 yards of total offense, including 377 passing yards and 131 rushing yards. The team tallied eight touchdowns, 30 first downs, and converted on each of seven red zone chances.
Michael Palandri had himself a day, throwing for 352 yards and two passing touchdowns. He was also the Bulldogs leading rusher in the game, going for 66 yards and three rushing scores.
Also finding the endzone on the ground were Aidan Lammers (44 yards, two touchdowns) and Jakob Humphrey (26 yards, one TD). Humphrey also caught a touchdown pass in the game.
Jonathan Kirkley led the UMW receivers with a season-high 142 yards on five receptions. Eli Nourse tallied 83 yards and one TD catch while Seth Shook added 71 yards.
Tyler Walker led the game with 3.0 tackles-for-loss while Reece Stanish, Tyler Schoen, and Manuel Variz IV each earned 1.0 sacks.
Connor Dunlea forced a fumble from the Mountaineers while Walker and Romeo Simpson each had two pass breakups.
Maclain Burckley went 8-of-8 on PATs in the contest and averaged 44.0 yards per punt and 66.4 yards per kick off.

FROM THE DAWG HOUSE
Montana Western is averaging 41.2 points and 428.4 yards per game in 2025. They have amassed 3,856 total yards of offense, including 2,874 passing yards and 1,178 rushing yards. The Bulldogs have earned 208 first downs and converted on 60 third-down tries. They have scored on 38-of-41 red-zone attempts, posting TDs in 32 of those. Defensively, they have totaled 625 tackles including 277 solos. They have recorded 68 tackles for loss for 398 yards and 28 sacks for 196 yards. UMW has forced six fumbles and tallied nine interceptions.

BULLDOGS IN THE RANKINGS
UMW is ranked in the top 10 nationally in multiple categories. The Bulldogs are tied for first in the NAIA in third down conversion percentage (51.0 percent) while sitting fifth in total passing yards (2,874), sixth in passing yards per game (319.3), ninth in passing yard per attempt (9.4), and 10th in passing touchdowns (25). They are also tied for fifth in kickoff average (61.5), seventh in red-zone percentage (93.0) and eighth in punting average (41.2). On the defensive side, Western is tied for fifth in sacks (28).

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

Michael Palandri is fourth in the nation in both total passing yards (2,715) and passing yards per game (301.7), sixth in passing touchdowns (25), and seventh in completions (186).

Eli Nourse is second in total receiving yards (1,038), third in total receptions (71), fourth in receptions per game (7.9) and receiving yards per game (115.3), and12th in receiving touchdowns. He is also ranked seventh in all-purpose yards (1,312) and ninth in all-purpose yards per game (145.8).

Seth Shook is tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (11), 15th in total receiving yards (738), and 23rd in receiving yards per game (82.0).
Tyler Walker leads the nation in tackles-for-loss (19.5) and is ninth in sacks (7.5)
Devin Crow is 14th in the country in sacks (6.5).

Connor Dunlea is tied for 19th in pass breakups (nine).
Maclain Burckley is tied for third-longest field goal in the nation (55) and is tied for 12th-longest punt (66 yards) and sits 18th in punt average (41.2).

CHART TOPPERS
Western ranks first in the Frontier in a whopping 13 categories, including points per game (40.6), yards per game (428.4), rushing touchdowns (23), passing yard (2,874), passing yards per game (319.3), third-down conversions (50.8 percent) and sacks (28).

QB CLINIC
Michael Palandri ranks first in the league in total passing yards (2,715), passing yards per game (301.7), and passing touchdowns (23), while also topping the league in total yards (2,918) and yards per game (324.2)

RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE
Maclain Burckley has the longest field goal in the FC this year at 55 yards.

RELENTLESS PURSUIT
Tyler Walker leads the Bulldogs and ranks first in the conference in tackles -for-loss (19.5, 75 yards) while ranking third in sacks (7.5, 47 yards) and fifth in total tackles (66).

BIG TIME TAKEDOWNS
Jace Fitzgerald is tied for seventh in conference in total tackles (63) while Connor Dunlea is 13th in solo efforts (27).

THE OPPONENTS
The Firestorm and 1-7 in 2025, including 0-4 in the FC West. They are posting 13.8 points and 234.9 yards per game, with 15 touchdowns and 118 first downs.
Josh Bell leads the team with 102.8 passing yards per game and five touchdowns.
Tee Johnson paces the Firestorm with 26.5 receiving yards per game and two touchdown catches. Nate Pele-Tukumoeatu (two) and Chris McKivitz (one) have also recorded a receiving touchdown this season.
Ty Cole posts a team-high 61.8 rushing yards per game and has four touchdowns. McKivitz (two), William Galvan (one), and Austin Clark (one) also have rushing touchdowns.
Mason Charles leads the defensive efforts with 44 total tackles while Max McDawell tops the team in solo efforts (22). McDowell and Cam Sanderlin share the team-high with 5.0 TFLs apiece. McDowell and Ocean Davidson have a team-best 1.5 sacks each.
Jakwon Lamb has snagged two interceptions for ACU while Cooper King has forced a team-best two fumbles.

SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs are 2-0 all-time against ACU. The last matchup between the two sides saw Western take home the 69-7 victory (10/26/24).

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

#81 Jonathan Kirkley: WR; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior

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

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

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

#45 Tyler Schoen: LB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore

#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

Players Mentioned

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

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

#81 Jonathan Kirkley
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior
: WR

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

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

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

#45 Tyler Schoen
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore
: LB

#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