Keali’i Ah Yat leads Montana to 28-21 victory over Southern Utah

The University of Montana football team opened their season with a 28-21 victory over Southern Utah in a Big Sky Conference matchup. The game marked a successful debut for Montana head coach Bobby Kennedy and extended the Grizzlies' winning streak in season openers to 12 games. Quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns, including the decisive 53-yard scoring pass to Lekeldrick Bridges with 3:20 remaining in the game. Eli Gillman contributed significantly with 169 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Montana, ranked No. 2 in the FCS Stats Perform Top 25, maintained control despite a late challenge from Southern Utah, who had tied the game at 21-21 earlier in the fourth quarter. Southern Utah's Will Burns recorded 251 passing yards and two touchdowns in the effort.