Key matchups to watch as South Dakota collides with Montana in FCS quarterfinals
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Dec. 11—MISSOULA, Mont. — Few Football Championship Subdivision playoff matchups this season come with as much intrigue, or as much sheer offensive firepower, as Saturday's clash between No. 11-seeded South Dakota and No. 3 Montana at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
With contrasting styles, elite playmakers, and two of the nation's most productive quarterbacks headlining the afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Central on ABC, this quarterfinal meeting has all the makings of a classic mid-December postseason battle.
For South Dakota, the story of its playoff surge has been balance, discipline, and the star-level emergence of its offensive leaders. For Montana, it has been explosiveness, relentless tempo in the run-pass option game on offense, and an opportunistic defense that can flip a game in a single possession.
As the two collide with an FCS semifinal berth on the line, a few key matchups stand out starting with a quarterback duel that may define Saturday's outcome.
The most compelling storyline of the weekend is the head-to-head matchup between the two guys underneath center in USD's Aidan Bouman and Montana's Keali'i Ah Yat.
The two quarterbacks who have grown into elite playmakers at precisely the right time for their respective teams.
Bouman has earned his reputation as one of the most consistent and well-rounded field generals in the FCS across his four-year career, giving the Coyotes a dependable leader to rely on in these types of moments.
While his season numbers, 2,645 passing yards and 24 passing touchdowns tell part of the story, his recent efficiency tells even more.
Across the Coyotes' first two playoff games, Bouman has thrown for 502 yards and six touchdowns, sparking a passing attack that became increasingly confident down the stretch. His poise has also shown in his ball security, as South Dakota has committed just one turnover since Week 5 with an interception against Southern Illinois.
That ability to avoid mistakes will be crucial against a Montana defense that thrives on taking the ball away. The Grizzlies may rank 115th nationally out of 126 FCS programs in passing yards allowed per game (263.6), but their 20 total interceptions on defense place them second in the FCS.
On the opposite sideline, Ah Yat has become one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the FCS. With 3,514 passing yards and 36 total touchdowns on the year, the sophomore has combined arm talent with dynamic mobility and an aggressive downfield approach.
His performance last week against South Dakota State — 360 passing yards and four touchdowns against one of the Missouri Valley Football Conference's top defenses — showed what he can do.
Ah Yat's greatest asset is his ability to make throws outside system structure in rolling out, extending plays, and finding receivers who slip behind defenses that let their guard down.
"I think he is a really talented player with a quick release and is an athletic kid that understands their offense at a high level," said USD head coach Travis Johansen on Ah Yat's abilities.
If the quarterback duel is the headline, the battle in the backfield might be the one that actually decides the game.
South Dakota's L.J. Phillips Jr., the likely All-American tailback, has put together one of the greatest rushing seasons in USD football history. Leading the FCS with 1,847 rushing yards, sitting fourth in rushing attempts (279), fourth in rushing yards per game (131.9) and tied for seventh in rushing touchdowns (18), Phillips has been the heartbeat of the Coyotes' offense all season long.
His 6.62 yards per carry, which ranks sixth in the FCS, only highlights how efficient he has been, and he needs just 115 more rushing yards to break the program's single-season rushing record.
Through the first two playoff games alone, Phillips has exploded for 292 yards and three touchdowns on a blistering 9.73 yards per carry. When he gets rolling, South Dakota's offense becomes a different unit.
Montana counters with a star of its own in Eli Gillman, who has carved up defenses for 1,396 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns on the season. The sophomore's rugged downhill running style complements the Grizzlies' tempo, and his 142 rushing yards and two scores last week against SDSU showed just how dangerous he can be against elite defenses.
But USD's defense just pitched its first-ever shutout in the postseason at Mercer, 47-0, and gave up 129 rushing yards against the Bears which makes this matchup one to keep an eye on.
While Montana's secondary has proven suspect to big yardage, it remains one of the most dangerous ball-hawking units in the country.
That matchup shapes one of the most intriguing questions of the game: Will Bouman and the Coyotes be able to exploit the Grizzlies down the field through the air without gifting them the momentum-shifting turnovers they thrive on?
"You can get caught up in stats and make determinations based on numbers and have an idea of what you believe about your opponent, but I watch the tape and see talented guys in tough scheme that put pressure on the quarterback," said Johansen on Montana's defense.
South Dakota's offensive identity this season has been about balance and control. The Coyotes are at their best when they mix Phillips' patience and power with Bouman's precision in the downfield passing game.
Montana, meanwhile, lives on unpredictability. They may give up yards, but they rarely miss an opportunity to create chaos. Field position, sudden changes, and emotional momentum swings are all hallmarks of the Grizzlies' defensive profile.
It's not earth-shattering to suggest that turnovers will decide the game and the Coyotes will need to keep Washington-Grizzly Stadium in check or the game could swing quickly in favor of the home team.
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