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Montana at Northern Arizona

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Northern Arizona beat Montana 28–⁠14. It was their 14th meeting; after it, Montana led the series 11–⁠3.

AwayMontana13–⁠2 in 2023
14
HomeNorthern Arizona5–⁠6 in 2023
28

Final at Walkup Skydome, FlagstaffIndoorsTV: ESPN+Attendance 6,428

Official
Scott RootGame officials: stats.ncaa.org box scores, via SportsDataverse

Scoring by quarter

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Montana0140014
Northern Arizona7147028

Standouts

Player stats

Montana

PassingC/AttYdsTDInt
Sam Vidlak12/1710711
Clifton McDowell1/1300
RushingCarYdsTDLong
Xavier Harris645124
Eli Gillman41205
Aaron Fontes2303
ReceivingRecYdsTDLong
Keelan White667023
Aaron Fontes233129
Eli Gillman2906
Junior Bergen3104
DefenseTklTFLSacksInt
Braxton Hill0001

Northern Arizona

PassingC/AttYdsTDInt
Adam Damante17/2314012
Chase Belcher1/14810
RushingCarYdsTDLong
Devon Starling943117
Chase Belcher841019
Draycen Hall219010
Keyonta Lanier1414
ReceivingRecYdsTDLong
Marcus Phillips Jr.252148
Bryzai White544015
Draycen Hall43009
Hendrix Johnson124124

From CollegeFootballData’s box score. Names lead to each player’s page. ★ a career high on file.

Team stats

MontanaNorthern Arizona
166Total yards289
110Passing yards188
56Rushing yards101
6.1Yards per pass7.8
3.3Yards per rush4.2
8First downs17
2–⁠6Third downs3–⁠9
0–⁠0Fourth downs3–⁠3
2Turnovers2
3–⁠15Penalties2–⁠20
16:06Possession21:07

Efficiency

MontanaNorthern Arizona
44%Success rate48%
0.12EPA per play0.24
1.38Explosiveness1.35
0.20Rushing EPA0.48
0.47Passing EPA0.46
30%Passing-down success27%

From CollegeFootballData.com: each offense’s efficiency, and the havoc each defense caused. The better side of each line is bold.

Before kickoff

Our ratings and the line, going in

Our ratings (scores only)

Montana 76% to win. Northern Arizona won as Elo’s underdog.

The line

Montana −17, over/under 52.5.

The last line on file before kickoff: the consensus line when the books publish one, otherwise a single major sportsbook’s.

Every drive

Northern Arizona end zoneMontana end zoneQ1 Northern ArizonaInterception, 7 playsQ1 MontanaPunt, 3 playsQ1 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 1 playQ1 MontanaPunt, 5 playsQ1 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 15 playsQ2 MontanaPunt, 4 playsQ2 Northern ArizonaInterception, 3 playsQ2 MontanaTouchdown, 2 playsQ2 Northern ArizonaPunt, 3 playsQ2 MontanaFumble, 4 playsQ2 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 1 playQ2 MontanaTouchdown, 7 playsQ2 Northern ArizonaPunt, 4 playsQ2 MontanaPunt, 3 playsQ2 Northern ArizonaEnd of half, 6 playsQ3 MontanaInterception, 7 playsQ3 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 8 plays
Solid bars scored; an outline in the other team’s color marks points the defense scored. Northern Arizona drives left to right, Montana right to left.
  1. Q1 Northern ArizonaInterception, 7 plays, −25 yards
  2. Q1 MontanaPunt, 3 plays, 76 yards
  3. Q1 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 1 play, −76 yards
  4. Q1 MontanaPunt, 5 plays, 75 yards
  5. Q1 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 15 plays, −27 yards
  6. Q2 MontanaPunt, 4 plays, 75 yards
  7. Q2 Northern ArizonaInterception, 3 plays, −9 yards
  8. Q2 MontanaTouchdown, 2 plays, 4 yards
  9. Q2 Northern ArizonaPunt, 3 plays, −24 yards
  10. Q2 MontanaFumble, 4 plays, 50 yards
  11. Q2 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 1 play, −52 yards
  12. Q2 MontanaTouchdown, 7 plays, 75 yards
  13. Q2 Northern ArizonaPunt, 4 plays, −18 yards
  14. Q2 MontanaPunt, 3 plays, 70 yards
  15. Q2 Northern ArizonaEnd of half, 6 plays, −25 yards
  16. Q3 MontanaInterception, 7 plays, 75 yards
  17. Q3 Northern ArizonaTouchdown, 8 plays, −50 yards

Play by play

1st quarter5 drives, then Northern Arizona 7, Montana 0
Northern Arizona Interception, 7 plays
15:001st & 10 at own 35Grant Glasgow kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
15:001st & 10 at own 25Chase Belcher run for 19 yds to the NAU 44 for a 1ST down
15:001st & 10 at own 44Adam Damante pass complete to Bryzai White for 15 yds to the MONT 41 for a 1ST down
15:001st & 10 at opp 41Northern Arizona Penalty, False Start (Johny Bottorff) to the MONT 46
15:001st & 15 at opp 46Chase Belcher run for 2 yds to the MONT 44
15:002nd & 13 at opp 44Chase Belcher run for 5 yds to the MONT 39
15:003rd & 8 at opp 39Adam Damante pass complete to BJ Fleming for 6 yds to the MONT 33
15:004th & 2 at opp 33Devon Starling run for 2 yds to the MONT 31 for a 1ST down
11:321st & 10 at opp 31Adam Damante pass intercepted
Montana Punt, 3 plays
11:321st & 9 at own 24Aaron Fontes run for no gain to the MONT 24
11:322nd & 9 at own 24Sam Vidlak pass complete to Junior Bergen for 4 yds to the MONT 28
11:323rd & 5 at own 28No Huddle-Shotgun Vidlak,Sam pass complete short left to Gillman,Eli for 7 yards to the MON35 (Humphrey,Colby) PENALTY MON Illegal Formation 5 yards from MON28 to MON23. NO PLAY.
11:323rd & 10 at own 23PENALTY MON False Start (Walker,Chris) 5 yards from MON23 to MON18. NO PLAY.
11:323rd & 15 at own 18Sam Vidlak pass complete to Keelan White for 5 yds to the MONT 23
8:484th & 10 at own 23Travis Benham punt blocked by Dustin Reynolds blocked by Dustin Reynolds
Northern Arizona Touchdown, 1 play
8:431st & 10 at opp 24Adam Damante pass complete to Hendrix Johnson for 24 yds for a TD (Marcus Lye KICK)Northern Arizona 7, Montana 0
8:431st & 10 at own 25Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 08:43
Montana Punt, 5 plays
8:431st & 10 at own 35Marcus Lye kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
8:431st & 10 at own 25Nick Ostmo run for 1 yd to the MONT 24
8:432nd & 11 at own 24Sam Vidlak pass complete to Keelan White for 23 yds to the MONT 47 for a 1ST down
8:431st & 10 at own 47Sam Vidlak pass incomplete to Aaron Fontes
8:432nd & 10 at own 47Sam Vidlak pass complete to Junior Bergen for 6 yds to the MONT 41
8:433rd & 16 at own 41Sam Vidlak sacked by George Steele for a loss of 9 yards to the MONT 32
6:234th & 25 at own 32Travis Benham punt for 43 yds, fair catch by Coleman Owen at the NAU 25
Northern Arizona Touchdown, 15 plays
6:232nd & 8 at own 27Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 06:23
6:231st & 10 at own 25Devon Starling run for 2 yds to the NAU 27
6:232nd & 8 at own 27Adam Damante pass complete to Marcus Phillips Jr. for 4 yds to the NAU 31
6:233rd & 4 at own 31Adam Damante pass complete to Draycen Hall for 9 yds to the NAU 40 for a 1ST down
6:231st & 10 at own 40Chase Belcher run for 1 yd to the NAU 41
6:232nd & 9 at own 41Chase Belcher run for 9 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
6:231st & 10 at the 50Adam Damante pass complete to Bryzai White for 5 yds to the MONT 45
6:232nd & 5 at opp 45Chase Belcher run for no gain to the MONT 45
6:233rd & 5 at opp 45Adam Damante pass complete to Myseth Currie for 20 yds to the MONT 25 for a 1ST down
6:231st & 10 at opp 25Chase Belcher run for 5 yds to the MONT 20
6:232nd & 5 at opp 20Adam Damante pass complete to Shawn Dourseau for 2 yds to the MONT 18
0:003rd & 3 at opp 18Devon Starling run for 7 yds to the MONT 11 for a 1ST down
Q2 15:001st & 10 at opp 11Adam Damante pass complete to Draycen Hall for 7 yds to the MONT 4
Q2 15:002nd & 3 at opp 4Devon Starling run for 2 yds to the MONT 2
Q2 15:003rd & 1 at opp 2Adam Damante run for no gain to the MONT 2
Q2 13:094th & 1 at opp 2Devon Starling run for 2 yds for a TD (Marcus Lye KICK)Northern Arizona 14, Montana 0
Q2 13:091st & 10 at own 25Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 13:09
2nd quarter10 drives, then Northern Arizona 21, Montana 14
Montana Punt, 4 plays
13:091st & 10 at own 35Marcus Lye kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
13:091st & 10 at own 25Xavier Harris run for 22 yds to the MONT 47 for a 1ST down
13:091st & 10 at own 47Xavier Harris run for 2 yds to the MONT 45
13:092nd & 12 at own 45Eli Gillman run for 5 yds to the 50 yard line
13:093rd & 7 at the 50Clifton McDowell pass complete to Eli Gillman for 3 yds to the NAU 47
10:164th & 4 at opp 47Travis Benham punt for 38 yds
Northern Arizona Interception, 3 plays
10:161st & 10 at own 9Adam Damante pass complete to Coleman Owen for 1 yd to the NAU 10
10:162nd & 9 at own 10Chase Belcher run for no gain to the NAU 10
9:043rd & 9 at own 10Adam Damante pass intercepted
Montana Touchdown, 2 plays
9:041st & goal at opp 4Nick Ostmo run for no gain to the NAU 4
8:312nd & goal at opp 4Sam Vidlak pass complete to Aaron Fontes for 4 yds for a TD (Grant Glasgow PAT MISSED)Northern Arizona 14, Montana 6
8:311st & 10 at own 24Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 08:31
Northern Arizona Punt, 3 plays
8:251st & 10 at own 35Grant Glasgow kickoff for 62 yds , Draycen Hall return for 21 yds to the NAU 24
8:251st & 10 at own 24Devon Starling run for no gain to the NAU 24
8:252nd & 10 at own 24Adam Damante pass complete to Bryzai White for no gain to the NAU 24
8:253rd & 10 at own 24Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 08:25
8:253rd & 10 at own 24Adam Damante run for 9 yds to the NAU 15
6:494th & 19 at own 15Eemil Herranen punt for 35 yds
Montana Fumble, 4 plays
6:491st & 10 at the 50Sam Vidlak pass complete to Keelan White for 6 yds to the NAU 44
6:492nd & 4 at opp 44Xavier Harris run for 4 yds to the NAU 40 for a 1ST down
6:491st & 10 at opp 40Xavier Harris run for 1 yd to the NAU 39
5:102nd & 9 at opp 39fumbled, recovered by NAU Nehemiah Magalei
Northern Arizona Touchdown, 1 play
5:051st & 10 at opp 48Chase Belcher pass complete to Marcus Phillips Jr. for 48 yds for a TD (Marcus Lye KICK)Northern Arizona 21, Montana 6
Montana Touchdown, 7 plays
5:051st & 10 at own 35Marcus Lye kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
5:051st & 10 at own 25Sam Vidlak pass incomplete to Junior Bergen
5:052nd & 10 at own 25Eli Gillman run for 3 yds to the MONT 28
5:053rd & 7 at own 28Sam Vidlak pass complete to Aaron Fontes for 29 yds to the NAU 43 for a 1ST down
5:051st & 10 at opp 43Sam Vidlak pass complete to Junior Bergen for 3 yds to the NAU 40
5:052nd & 7 at opp 40Sam Vidlak pass incomplete to Junior Bergen
5:053rd & 7 at opp 40PENALTY MON False Start (Mayginnes,Hunter) 5 yards from NAU40 to NAU45. NO PLAY.
5:053rd & 12 at opp 45No Huddle-Shotgun Vidlak,Sam pass incomplete short left to White,Keelan PENALTY NAU Pass Interference (Spruiells,David) 15 yards from NAU45 to NAU30, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
5:051st & 10 at opp 30Clifton McDowell run for 6 yds to the NAU 24
2:482nd & 4 at opp 24Xavier Harris run for 24 yds for a TD (R. Meyer Run For Two-point Conversion)Northern Arizona 21, Montana 14
Northern Arizona Punt, 4 plays
2:421st & 10 at own 35Grant Glasgow kickoff for 64 yds , Draycen Hall return for 17 yds to the NAU 18
2:421st & 10 at own 18Devon Starling run for 17 yds to the NAU 35 for a 1ST down
2:421st & 10 at own 35Adam Damante pass incomplete to Hendrix Johnson
2:422nd & 10 at own 35Adam Damante pass incomplete to Coleman Owen
2:423rd & 10 at own 35Adam Damante pass complete to Devon Starling for 1 yd to the NAU 36
1:074th & 9 at own 36Eemil Herranen punt for 34 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the MONT 30
Montana Punt, 3 plays
1:071st & 10 at own 30Sam Vidlak pass complete to Keelan White for 9 yds to the MONT 39
1:072nd & 1 at own 39Sam Vidlak pass incomplete to Junior Bergen
1:073rd & 1 at own 39Xavier Harris run for 4 yds to the MONT 35
0:394th & 5 at own 35Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 00:39
0:374th & 5 at own 35Travis Benham punt for 40 yds, fair catch by Coleman Owen at the NAU 25
Northern Arizona End of half, 6 plays
0:371st & 10 at own 25Draycen Hall run for 9 yds to the NAU 34
0:252nd & 1 at own 34Timeout Northern Arizona, clock 00:25
0:252nd & 1 at own 34Adam Damante pass complete to Draycen Hall for 9 yds to the NAU 43 for a 1ST down
0:251st & 10 at own 43Adam Damante pass incomplete to Hendrix Johnson
0:252nd & 10 at own 43Adam Damante pass incomplete to Hendrix Johnson
0:253rd & 10 at own 43Adam Damante pass complete to Draycen Hall for 5 yds to the NAU 48
0:044th & 5 at own 48Timeout Montana, clock 00:04
0:004th & 5 at own 48Draycen Hall run for 10 yds to the MONT 42 for a 1ST down
3rd quarter2 drives, then Northern Arizona 28, Montana 14
Montana Interception, 7 plays
15:001st & 10 at own 35Marcus Lye kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
15:001st & 10 at own 25Eli Gillman run for 1 yd to the MONT 26
15:002nd & 9 at own 26Sam Vidlak pass complete to Keelan White for 16 yds to the MONT 42 for a 1ST down
15:001st & 10 at own 42Sam Vidlak pass complete to Eli Gillman for 6 yds to the MONT 48
15:002nd & 4 at own 48Eli Gillman run for 3 yds to the NAU 49
15:003rd & 1 at opp 49Aaron Fontes run for 3 yds to the NAU 46 for a 1ST down
15:001st & 10 at opp 46Sam Vidlak pass complete to Keelan White for 8 yds to the NAU 38
11:502nd & 2 at opp 38Sam Vidlak pass intercepted
Northern Arizona Touchdown, 8 plays
11:501st & 10 at the 50Devon Starling run for 3 yds to the MONT 47
11:502nd & 7 at opp 47Devon Starling run for 8 yds to the MONT 39 for a 1ST down
11:501st & 10 at opp 39Adam Damante pass complete to Coleman Owen for 8 yds to the MONT 31
11:502nd & 2 at opp 31Adam Damante run for 3 yds to the MONT 28 for a 1ST down
11:501st & 10 at opp 28BJ Fleming run for no gain to the MONT 28
11:502nd & 10 at opp 28Adam Damante pass complete to Bryzai White for 10 yds to the MONT 18 for a 1ST down
11:501st & 10 at opp 18Adam Damante pass complete to Bryzai White for 14 yds to the MONT 4 for a 1ST down
7:471st & goal at opp 4Keyonta Lanier run for 4 yds for a TD (Marcus Lye KICK)Northern Arizona 28, Montana 14

Play-by-play from CollegeFootballData.com, as its scorers wrote it. The clock is the time left in the quarter; the spot is from the side of the team with the ball.

The series

Every Montana–Northern Arizona game

Montana leads 12–⁠4 in 16 meetings, counting the two since this game.

Recent meetings
2026Northern Arizona 49, Montana 44
2024Montana 31, Northern Arizona 20
2023Northern Arizona 28, Montana 14
2021Montana 30, Northern Arizona 3
2017Montana 17, Northern Arizona 15
2016Northern Arizona 45, Montana 34

Around this game

Montana

Northern Arizona

Ranked games that day

Every game of Week 4