Montana stuns Southeast Missouri State 34-24 in FCS playoffs

Nov 26, 2022, 9:15 AM | Updated: 11:17 pm

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Malik Flowers scored on a kickoff return, Junior Bergen scored on a punt return and Montana scored 31 straight points over an 11-minute span to stun Southeast Missouri State 34-24 in the first round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday night.

Robby Hauck finished with 15 tackles for Montana , becoming the career leader in the Big Sky Conference with 474. Hauck passed Eastern Washington’s Ronny Hamlin by one with at least one more game to play.

Montana, ranked 17th in the coaches poll and making a record 26th appearance in the playoffs, will travel to play third-ranked North Dakota State on Dec. 3.

Geno Hess scored on a 3-yard run to give 12th-ranked Southeast Missouri State (9-3) a 24-3 lead with 8:41 remaining in the third quarter.

Flowers provided the spark that 17th-ranked Montana needed when he returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. Lucas John connected with Keelan White for a 17-yard score to get Montana within 24-17. After the Grizzlies defense forced a three-and-out, Bergen took a punt and raced 58 yards for the score to tie the game heading into the final quarter.

Nico Ramos kicked a 32-yard field goal with 12:28 left to play to give the Grizzlies their first lead at 27-24. Johnson put the finishing touches on the comeback win with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Cole Grossman with 6:42 to go.

Johnson completed 18 of 37 passes for 306 yards with one interception for Montana. Flowers had seven catches for 108 yards.

Paxton DeLaurent completed 25 of 49 passes for 277 yards with one pick for the Redhawks. Hess carried 30 times for 122 yards and two scores.

Montana, which was ranked as high as No. 2, lost four of its last six games in the regular season.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE - Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago