Football September 26, 2025

#9 Montana Western Football Hosts #20 Dickinson State Saturday

DILLON, Mont. – The #9 Montana Western football team (2-1) welcomes #20 Dickinson State (2-1) to Bulldog Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m. MT in its second Top 25 matchup of the season.

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday vs Dickinson State- Watch Live, Live Stats

#ICYMI
The Bulldogs improved to 2-1 on the year with a 35-21 victory at Rocky Mountain Sept. 20. UMW compiled 498 yards of total offense (350 passing, 148 rushing) and 30 first downs. Western scored on all four red-zone chances in the contest.

Individually, Michael Palandri threw for 350 passing yards and three touchdowns, while also accounting for the Bulldogs lone rushing score of the game. Jakob Humphrey paced the team on the ground with 74 total rush yards (6.2 yards/rush). He also caught a passing TD from Palandri. Eli Nourse topped the team in receiving yards (148) and one touchdown. Jonathan Kirkley (55 yards) and Seth Shook (48 yards) ranked second and third on the team, respectively. Shook caught the third touchdown pass for UMW.

Keegan Muffich led the way on defense with eight total tackles, including three solo takedowns. Tyler Walker earned game-best 1.5 TFLs, totaling four yards. Tyler Schoen registered the lone sack of the game for a five-yard loss.

FROM THE DAWG HOUSE
Montana Western is averaging 38.0 points and 466.0yards per game in 2025. They have amassed 1,398 total yards of offense, including 1,115 passing yards. The Bulldogs have earned 80 first downs and converted on 25 third-down tries. They have scored on 13 of 15 red-zone attempts, posting TDs in 11 of those. Defensively, they have totaled 173 tackles including 77 solos. They have recorded 24 tackles for loss for 107 yards and 12 sacks for 75 yards.

MACLAIN BURCKLEY EARNS FC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Redshirt freshman kicker Maclain Burckley earned Erck Hotels/ Frontier Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week Sept. 22 after a perfect outing against Rocky Mountain. Burckley went 3-of-3 on PATs and 2-of-2 in field goals against the Battlin' Bears, including a 47-yard try to put the Bulldogs up 13-7 in the first half.

BULLDOGS IN THE RANKINGS
UMW is ranked in the top 10 nationally in multiple categories. The Bulldogs are tied for first in in the county in both passing yards per game (371.7) and PAT percentage (100.0, 13/13). They also rank third in third down conversions (57.0 percent), seventh in total passing yards (1,115), tied for eighth in sacks (12), and tied for ninth in passing touchdowns (10).

Individually, four Bulldogs are putting up numbers that rank them in the top 25 in the NAIA. Michael Palandri leads the nation in completion percentage (73.0, minimum 100 attempts) while sitting second in passing yards per game (356.3), tied for sixth in passing TDs (10), seventh in total passing yards (1,069), and tied for 16th in rushing touchdowns (four).

Eli Nourse is third in the country in receiving yards per game (146.3) and is tied with Seth Shook for 21^st in the nation in receiving touchdowns (three apiece)

Tyler Walker sits tied for fifth in the NAIA in sacks (4.5) and tied for seventh in tackles for loss (7.0).

CHART TOPPERS
Western ranks first in the Frontier in six categories, leading outright in total passing yards (1,115, 371.7/ game), total yards per game (466.0), first downs per game (26.7), third down conversions (56.8 percent), sacks (12), and sharing the lead in PAT percentage (100.0, 13-13).

The Bulldogs also sit second in the FC in redzone offense (13-15), third in touchdowns (15), and fifth in redzone defense (4-6).

QB CLINIC
Senior quarterback Michael Palandri ranks first in the FC in every major passing statistic, including in total passing yards (1,069), passing yards per game (356.3), completion percentage (73.0), and passing touchdowns (10).

The Maple Valley, Wash., native has thrown over 340 passing yards in every outing thus far. He has also accounted for at least three passing TDs and one rushing score in all three contests.

OUR GO-TO GUY
Wide receiver Eli Nourse leads the FC in all purpose yards per game at 189.3 (568 total yards).

He ranks second in the Frontier in receiving yards 439 (146.3 per game). He is posting 13.7 yards per reception. Nourse is also second in the conference in punt returns, averaging 13.3 yards per return.

RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE
Maclain Burckley 's 47-yard field goal against the Battlin' Bears is the longest by any kicker in the conference this season. He has drained 3-of-4 field goals on the year and is 13-of-13 on PATs.

Moreover, Burckley leads the conference in punting, averaging 42.4 yards per punt.

RELENTLESS PURSUIT
Tyler Walker leads the the Bulldogs and ranks first in the conference in both sacks (4.5-25 yards) and FC and tackles for loss 7.0-37 yards).

Tyler Schoen ranks second on the team in both categories with 3.0 TFLs (14 yards) and 2.5 sacks (14 yards).

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE RIGHT, DO IT YOURSELF
Jace Fitzgerald and Tyler Walker share the team lead with 10 solo tackles apiece while Connor Dunlea has tallied eight and Keegan Muffich has registered six.

HE KNOWS HOW TO PICK 'EM
Brady Mounts snagged his first career interception late in the fourth quarter against Rocky. It marked UMW's first pick of the season as well.

THE OPPONENTS
Dickinson State is 2-1 on the campaign, averaging 23.3 points and 289.3 yards of total offense (216.67 passing, 72.7 rushing) per game. The Blue Hawks have earned nine touchdowns and how many 49 first downs.

DSU is ranked second in the conference and 19th in the country in third down conversions (45.45 percent) and third in the league in fumbles forced (three). They sit fourth in both fourth down conversions (66.7) and punt return yards (10.5/return). The Blue Hawks also rank fifth in kickoff returns (22.8), sacks (six), and punting (34.6 yards per punt).

Marcus Sanders leads the team and is ranked fifth in the FC with 209.3 passing yards per game and has thrown six for six touchdowns. He has completion percentage of 59.09. Caleb Rist is averaging 24.0 rushing yards per game to top the team. Semaj Clark leads in receiving yards (93.7/game) and has tallied four TDs. Clark is third in the league and 19^th nationally in receiving yards per game.

Defensively, Chase Selle leads the team in tackles with 14, including nine solo efforts. Nathaniel Jilek has tallied a team-best 3.5 tackles-for-loss, totaling 14 yards. Jack Hartmen has snagged a team-high three interceptions. Six different players have recorded a sack.

SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs are 6-0 all-time against the Blue Hawks. The last outing between the two-sides saw UMW earn the 41-14 victory in the second round of the 2024 NAIA Football Championship Series.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Bulldogs are headed to the Pacific Northwest next week, facing off against Southern Oregon Oct. 4. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. PT/ 2 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

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

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

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

#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

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

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

#25 Jakob Humphrey: RB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#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

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

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

#25 Jakob Humphrey
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior
: RB

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